Articles | Volume 31, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-25-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-25-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Aggregation of slightly buoyant microplastics in 3D vortex flows
Physical Oceanography Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd., Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
Lawrence J. Pratt
Physical Oceanography Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd., Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
Michael Dotzel
Physical Oceanography Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd., Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
Related authors
Irina I. Rypina, Timothy Getscher, Lawrence J. Pratt, and Tamay Ozgokmen
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 29, 345–361, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-29-345-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-29-345-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Techniques from dynamical systems theory have been widely used to study transport in ocean flows. However, they have been typically applied to numerically simulated trajectories of water parcels. This paper applies different dynamical systems techniques to real ocean drifter trajectories from the massive release in the Gulf of Mexico. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive comparison of the performance of different dynamical systems techniques with application to real drifters.
Genevieve Jay Brett, Larry Pratt, Irina Rypina, and Peng Wang
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 26, 37–60, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-26-37-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-26-37-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The relative importance of chaotic stirring and smaller-scale turbulent mixing for the distribution of dye in an idealized ocean flow feature is quantified using three different methods. We find that stirring is the dominant process in large areas with fast stirring, while mixing dominates in small fast-stirring regions and all slow-stirring regions. This quantification of process dominance can help oceanographers think about when to model stirring accurately, which can be costly.
Irina I. Rypina, Stefan G. Llewellyn Smith, and Larry J. Pratt
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 25, 267–278, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-25-267-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-25-267-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Trajectory encounter volume – the volume of fluid that passes close to a reference fluid parcel over some time interval – has been recently introduced as a measure of mixing potential of a flow. We derived the analytical relationship between the encounter volume and diffusivity, which is the most commonly used characteristic of turbulent eddy diffusion. When applied to the altimetric velocities in the Gulf Stream region, the method illuminated transport properties of the Gulf Stream rings.
Irina I. Rypina and Lawrence J. Pratt
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 24, 189–202, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-24-189-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-24-189-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Fluid parcels exchange water properties when coming into contact with each other, leading to mixing. The trajectory encounter volume, defined here as the volume of fluid that passes close to a reference trajectory over a finite time interval, is introduced as a measure of the mixing potential of a flow. Regions with a low encounter volume (the cores of coherent eddies) have a low mixing potential. Regions with a large encounter volume (turbulent or chaotic regions) have a high mixing potential.
Irina I. Rypina, Timothy Getscher, Lawrence J. Pratt, and Tamay Ozgokmen
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 29, 345–361, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-29-345-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-29-345-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Techniques from dynamical systems theory have been widely used to study transport in ocean flows. However, they have been typically applied to numerically simulated trajectories of water parcels. This paper applies different dynamical systems techniques to real ocean drifter trajectories from the massive release in the Gulf of Mexico. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive comparison of the performance of different dynamical systems techniques with application to real drifters.
Genevieve Jay Brett, Larry Pratt, Irina Rypina, and Peng Wang
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 26, 37–60, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-26-37-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-26-37-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The relative importance of chaotic stirring and smaller-scale turbulent mixing for the distribution of dye in an idealized ocean flow feature is quantified using three different methods. We find that stirring is the dominant process in large areas with fast stirring, while mixing dominates in small fast-stirring regions and all slow-stirring regions. This quantification of process dominance can help oceanographers think about when to model stirring accurately, which can be costly.
Irina I. Rypina, Stefan G. Llewellyn Smith, and Larry J. Pratt
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 25, 267–278, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-25-267-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-25-267-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Trajectory encounter volume – the volume of fluid that passes close to a reference fluid parcel over some time interval – has been recently introduced as a measure of mixing potential of a flow. We derived the analytical relationship between the encounter volume and diffusivity, which is the most commonly used characteristic of turbulent eddy diffusion. When applied to the altimetric velocities in the Gulf Stream region, the method illuminated transport properties of the Gulf Stream rings.
Irina I. Rypina and Lawrence J. Pratt
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 24, 189–202, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-24-189-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-24-189-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Fluid parcels exchange water properties when coming into contact with each other, leading to mixing. The trajectory encounter volume, defined here as the volume of fluid that passes close to a reference trajectory over a finite time interval, is introduced as a measure of the mixing potential of a flow. Regions with a low encounter volume (the cores of coherent eddies) have a low mixing potential. Regions with a large encounter volume (turbulent or chaotic regions) have a high mixing potential.
Related subject area
Subject: Bifurcation, dynamical systems, chaos, phase transition, nonlinear waves, pattern formation | Topic: Climate, atmosphere, ocean, hydrology, cryosphere, biosphere | Techniques: Simulation
The role of time-varying external factors in the intensification of tropical cyclones
A robust numerical method for the generation and simulation of periodic finite-amplitude internal waves in natural waters
Transformation of internal solitary waves at the edge of ice cover
A new approach to understanding fluid mixing in process-study models of stratified fluids
An approach for projecting the timing of abrupt winter Arctic sea ice loss
On the interaction of stochastic forcing and regime dynamics
Estimate of energy loss from internal solitary waves breaking on slopes
The effect of strong shear on internal solitary-like waves
Enhanced diapycnal mixing with polarity-reversing internal solitary waves revealed by seismic reflection data
Effects of upwelling duration and phytoplankton growth regime on dissolved-oxygen levels in an idealized Iberian Peninsula upwelling system
Samuel Watson and Courtney Quinn
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 31, 381–394, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-381-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-381-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The intensification of tropical cyclones (TCs) is explored through a conceptual model derived from geophysical principals. Focus is put on the behaviour of the model with parameters which change in time. The rates of change cause the model to either tip to an alternative stable state or recover the original state. This represents intensification, dissipation, or eyewall replacement cycles (ERCs). A case study which emulates the rapid intensification events of Hurricane Irma (2017) is explored.
Pierre Lloret, Peter J. Diamessis, Marek Stastna, and Greg N. Thomsen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1121, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1121, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a new approach to simulate large ocean density waves that travel long distances without breaking down. This new approach ensures that these waves are depicted more accurately and realistically in our models. This is particularly useful for understanding wave behavior in lakes with distinct water layers, which can help in predicting natural phenomena and their effects on environments like swash zones, where waves meet the shore.
Kateryna Terletska, Vladimir Maderich, and Elena Tobisch
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 31, 207–217, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-207-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-207-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The transformation of internal waves at the edge of ice cover can enhance the turbulent mixing and melting of ice in the Arctic Ocean and Antarctica. We studied numerically the transformation of internal solitary waves of depression under smooth ice surfaces compared with the processes beneath the ridged underside of the ice. For large keels, more than 40% of wave energy is lost on the first keel, while for relatively small keels energy losses on the first keel are less than 6%.
Samuel George Hartharn-Evans, Marek Stastna, and Magda Carr
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 31, 61–74, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-61-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-61-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Across much of the ocean, and the world's lakes, less dense water (either because it is warm or fresh) overlays denser water, forming stratification. The mixing of these layers affects the distribution of heat, nutrients, plankton, sediment, and buoyancy, so it is crucial to understand. We use small-scale numerical experiments to better understand these processes, and here we propose a new analysis tool for understanding mixing within those models, looking at where two variables intersect.
Camille Hankel and Eli Tziperman
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 30, 299–309, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-30-299-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-30-299-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We present a novel, efficient method for identifying climate
tipping pointthreshold values of CO2 beyond which rapid and irreversible changes occur. We use a simple model of Arctic sea ice to demonstrate the method’s efficacy and its potential for use in state-of-the-art global climate models that are too expensive to run for this purpose using current methods. The ability to detect tipping points will improve our preparedness for rapid changes that may occur under future climate change.
Joshua Dorrington and Tim Palmer
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 30, 49–62, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-30-49-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-30-49-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric models often include random forcings, which aim to replicate the impact of processes too small to be resolved. Recent results in simple atmospheric models suggest that this random forcing can actually stabilise certain slow-varying aspects of the system, which could provide a path for resolving known errors in our models. We use randomly forced simulations of a
toychaotic system and theoretical arguments to explain why this strange effect occurs – at least in simple models.
Kateryna Terletska and Vladimir Maderich
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 29, 161–170, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-29-161-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-29-161-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Internal solitary waves (ISWs) emerge in the ocean and seas in various forms and break on the shelf zones in a variety of ways. This results in intensive mixing that affects processes such as biological productivity and sediment transport. Mechanisms of wave interaction with slopes are related to breaking and changing polarity. Our study focuses on wave transformation over idealized shelf-slope topography using a two-layer stratification. Four types of ISW transformation over slopes are shown.
Marek Stastna, Aaron Coutino, and Ryan K. Walter
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 28, 585–598, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-28-585-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-28-585-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Large-amplitude waves in the interior of the ocean-internal waves in the ocean propagate in a dynamic, highly variable environment with changes in background current, local depth, and stratification. These waves have a well-known mathematical theory that, despite considerable progress, has some gaps. In particular, waves have been observed in situations that preclude an application of the mathematical theory. We present numerical simulations of the spontaneous generation of such waves.
Yi Gong, Haibin Song, Zhongxiang Zhao, Yongxian Guan, Kun Zhang, Yunyan Kuang, and Wenhao Fan
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 28, 445–465, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-28-445-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-28-445-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
When the internal solitary wave propagates to the continental shelf and slope, the polarity reverses due to the shallower water depth. In this process, the internal solitary wave dissipates energy and enhances diapycnal mixing, thus affecting the local oceanic environment. In this study, we used reflection seismic data to evaluate the spatial distribution of the diapycnal mixing around the polarity-reversing internal solitary waves.
João H. Bettencourt, Vincent Rossi, Lionel Renault, Peter Haynes, Yves Morel, and Véronique Garçon
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 27, 277–294, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-27-277-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-27-277-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The oceans are losing oxygen, and future changes may worsen this problem. We performed computer simulations of an idealized Iberian Peninsula upwelling system to identify the main fine-scale processes driving dissolved oxygen variability as well as study the response of oxygen levels to changes in wind patterns and phytoplankton species. Our results suggest that oxygen levels would decrease if the wind blows for long periods of time or if phytoplankton is dominated by species that grow slowly.
Cited articles
Andrady, A. L.: Microplastics in the marine environment, Marine Pollut. B., 62, 1596–1605, 2011.
Basset, A. B.: Treatise on Hydrodynamics, Deighton Bell, London, vol. 2, chap. 22, 285–297, 1988.
Beron-Vera, F. J.: Nonlinear dynamics of inertial particles in the ocean: From drifters and floats to marine debris and Sargassum, Nonlin. Dynam., 103, 1–26, 2021.
Beron-Vera, F. J., Brown, M. G., Olascoaga, M. J., Rypina, I. I., Kocak, H., and Udovydchenkov, I. A.: Zonal jets as transport barriers in planetary atmospheres, J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 3316–3326, 2008.
Beron-Vera, F. J., Olascoaga, M. J., Brown, M. G., Kocak, H., and Rypina, I. I.: Invariant-tori-like Lagrangian coherent structures in geophysical flows, Chaos, 20, 017514, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3271342, 2010.
Beron-Vera, F. J., Olascoaga, M. J., and Lumpkin, R.: Inertia-induced accumulation of flotsam in the subtropical gyres, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, 12228–12233, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016g1071443, 2016.
Beron-Vera, F. J., Olascoaga, M. J., and Miron, P.: Building a Maxey-Riley framework for surface ocean inertial particle dyamics, Phys. Fluids, 31, 096602, https://doi.org/10.1063/l.5110731, 2019.
Boussinesq, J.: Theorie Analytique de la Chaleur, L'Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, vol. 2, p. 224, 1903.
Brandt, L. and Coletti, F.: Particle-Laden Turbulence: Progress and Perspectives, Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech., 54, 159–189, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-fluid-030121-021103, 2022.
Choy, C. A., Robison, B. H., Gagne, T. O., Erwin, B., Firl, E., Halden, R. U., Hamilton, J. A., Katija, K., Lisin, S. E., Rolsky, C., and Van Houtan, S. K.: The vertical distribution and biological transport of marine microplastics across the epipelagic and mesopelagic water column, Sci. Rep., 9, 7843, 2019.
Daitche, A. and Tél, T.: Memory effects are relevant for chaotic advection of inertial particles, Phys. Rev. Lett., 107, 244501, 2011.
Delandmeter, P. and van Sebille, E.: The Parcels v2.0 Lagrangian framework: new field interpolation schemes, Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 3571–3584, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-3571-2019, 2019.
DiBenedetto, M. H. and Ouellette, N. T.: Preferential orientation of spheroidal particles in wavy flow, J. Fluid Mech., 856, 850–869, 2018.
DiBenedetto, M. H., Ouellette, N. T., and Koseff, J. R.: Transport of anisotropic particles under waves, J. Fluid. Mech., 837, 320–340, https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2017.853, 2018.
Faxén, H.: Der Widerstand gegen die Bewegung einer starren Kugel in einer zähen Flüssigkeit, die zwischen zwei parallelen ebenen Wänden eingeschlossen ist, Annalen der Physik, 373, 89–119, 1922.
Fenichel, N.: Geometric singular perturbation theory for ordinary differential equations, J. Differ. Equ., 31, 51–98, 1979.
Fountain, G. O., Khakhar, D. V., Mezić, I., and Ottino, J. M.: Chaotic mixing in a bounded three-dimensional flow, J. Fluid Mech., 417, 265–301, 2000.
Gatignol, R.: The Faxén formulae for a rigid particle in an unsteady non-uniform Stokes flow, 1983.
Greenspan, H. P.: The theory of rotating fluids (Vol. 327), 1st edn., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, ISBN-10 0962699802, ISBN-13 978-0521051477, 1968.
Haller, G. and Sapsis, T.: Where do inertial particles go in fluid flows?, Physica D, 237, 573–583, 2008.
Hart, J. E. and Kittelman, S.: Instabilities of the sidewall boundary layer in a differentially driven rotating cylinder, Phys. Fluids, 8, 692–696, 1996.
Kelly, R., Goldstein, D. B., Suryanarayanan, S., Tornielli, M. B., and Handler, R. A.: The nature of bubble entrapment in a Lamb-Oseen vortex, Phys. Fluids, 33, 061702, https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0053658, 2021.
Kooi, M., Reisser, J., Slat, B., Ferrari, F. F., Schmid, M. S., Cunsolo, S., Brambini, R., Noble, K., Sirks, L. A., Linders, T. E., and Schoeneich-Argent, R. I.: The effect of particle properties on the depth profile of buoyant plastics in the ocean, Sci. Rep., 6, 33882, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep33882, 2016.
Kreczak, H., Willmott, A. J., and Baggaley, A. W.: Subsurface dynamics of buoyant microplastics subject to algal biofouling, Limnol. Oceanogr., 66, 3287–3299, 2021.
Kukulka, T., Proskurowski, G., Morét-Ferguson, S., Meyer, D. W., and Law, K. L.: The effect of wind mixing on the vertical distribution of buoyant plastic debris, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L07601, https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051116, 2012.
Kvale, K., Prowe, A. F., Chien, C. T., Landolfi, A., and Oschlies, A.: The global biological microplastic particle sink, Sci. Rep., 10, 16670, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-72898-4, 2020.
Lackey, T. C. and Sotiropoulos, F.: Relationship between stirring rate and Reynolds number in the chaotically advected steady flow in a container with exactly counter-rotating lids, Phys. Fluids, 18, 053601, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2201967, 2006.
Landrigan, P. J., Raps, H., Cropper, M., Bald, C., Brunner, M., Canonizado E. M., Charles, D., Chiles, T. C., Donohue, M. J., Enck, J., Fenichel, P., Fleming, L. E., Ferrier-Pages, C., Fordham, R., Gozt, A., Griffin, C., Hahn, M. E., Haryanto, B., Hixson, R., Ianelli, H., James, B. D., Kumar, P., Laborde. A., Law. K. L., Martin, K., Mu, J., Mulders, Y., Mustapha, A., Niu, J., Pahl, S., Park, Y., Pedrotti, M.-L., Pitt, J. A., Ruchirawat, M., Seewoo, B. J., Spring, M., Stegeman, J. J., Suk, W., Symeonides, C., Takada, H., Thompson, R. C., Vicini, A., Wang, Z., Whitman, E., Wirth, D., Wolff, M., Yousuf, A. K., and Dunlop, S: The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health, Ann. Global Health, 89, 1–215, https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.4056, 2023.
Lange, M. and van Sebille, E.: Parcels v0.9: prototyping a Lagrangian ocean analysis framework for the petascale age, Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 4175–4186, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-4175-2017, 2017.
Langlois, G. P., Farazmand, M., and Haller, G.: Asymptotic dynamics of inertial particles with memory, J. Nonlin. Sci., 25, 1225–1255, 2015.
Ledwell, J. R., McGillicuddy, D. J., and Anderson, L. A.: Nutrient flux into an intense deep chlorophyll layer in a mode-water eddy, Deep-Sea Res. Pt. II, 55, 1139–1160, 2008.
Lopez, J. M. and Marques, F.: Sidewall boundary layer instabilities in a rapidly rotating cylinder driven by a differentially corotating lid, Phys. Fluids, 22, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3517292, 2010.
Maxey, M. R. and Riley, J. J.: Equation of motion for a small rigid sphere in a nonuniform flow, Phys. Fluids, 26, 883–889, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.864230, 1983.
Mezić, I. and Wiggins, S.: On the integrability and perturbation of three-dimensional fluid flows with symmetry, J. Nonlin. Sci., 4, 157–194, 1994.
Mountford, A. S. and Morales Maqueda, M. A.: Eulerian Modeling of the Three-Dimensional Distribution of Seven Popular Microplastic Types in the Global Ocean, J. Geophys. Res.-Ocean, 124, 8558–8573, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015050, 2019.
Okubo, A.: Horizontal dispersion of floatable particles in the vicinity of velocity singularities such as convergences, in: Deep sea research and oceanographic abstracts, vol. 17, 3, 445–454, Elsevier, https://doi.org/10.1016/0011-7471(70)90059-8, 1970.
Onink, V., Wichmann, D., Delandmeter, P., and van Sebille, E.: The role of Ekman currents, geostrophy and Stokes drift in the accumulation of floating microplastic, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 124, 1474–1490, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JC014547, 2019.
Oseen, C. W.: Hydrodynamik, Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft M., Leipzig, 1927.
Pabortsava, K. and Lampitt, R. S.: High concentrations of plastic hidden beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, Nat. Commun., 11, 4073, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17932-9, 2020.
Pedlosky, J. and Spall, M. A.: Boundary intensification of vertical velocity in a β-plane basin, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 35, 2487–2500, 2005.
Pratt, L. J., Rypina, I. I., Özgökmen, T., Childs, H., and Bebieva, T.: Chaotic Advection in a Steady, 3D, Ekman-Driven Circulation, J. Fluid Mec.h, 738, 143–183, https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2013.583, 2014.
Ripa, P.: On the stability of elliptical vortex solutions of the shallow-water equations, J. Fluid Mech., 183, 343–363, 1987.
Rypina, I. I., Brown, M. G., Beron-Vera, F. J., Kocak, H., Olascoaga, M. J., and Udovydchenkov, I. A.: Robust transport barriers resulting from strong Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser stability, Phys. Rev. Lett., 98, 104102, https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.104102, 2007.
Rypina, I. I., Pratt, L. J., Wang, P., Ozgokmen, T. M., and Mezic, I.: Resonance phenomena in a time-dependent, three-dimensional, Ekman-driven eddy. J. Chaos., 25, 087401, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4916086, 2015.
Shamskhany, A., Li, Z., Patel, P., and Karimpour, S.: Evidence of Microplastic Size Impact on Mobility and Transport in the Marine Environmnet: A Review and Synthesis of Recent Research, Front. Mar. Sci., 8, 760649, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.760649, 2021.
Stokes, G. G.: On the Effect of the Internal Friction of Fluids on the Motion of Pendulums, Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Part II, 9, 8–106, 1851.
Tchen, C. M.: Ph. D. thesis, Delft, Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, 1947.
Vallis, G. (Ed.): Atmospheric and Oceanic Fluid Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, https://doi.org/10.2277/0521849691, 2006.
van Sebille E., Wilcox, C., Lebreton, L., Maximenko, N., Hardesty B. D., van Franeker, J. A, Eriksen, M., Siegel, D., Galgani, F., and Law, K. L.: A global inventory of small floating plastic debris, Environ. Res. Lett., 10, 124006, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/124006, 2015.
Weiss, J.: The dynamics of enstrophy transfer in two-dimensional hydrodynamics, Physica D, 48, 273–294, 1991.
Wichmann, D., Delandmeter, P., and van Sebille, E.: Influence of Near-Surface Currents on the Global Dispersal of Marine Microplastics, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 124, 6086–6096, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015328, 2019.
Short summary
This paper investigates the aggregation of small, spherical, slightly buoyant, rigid particles in a simple 3D vortex flow. Our goal was to gain insights into the behaviour of slightly buoyant marine microplastics in a flow that qualitatively resembles ocean eddies. Attractors are mapped out for the steady, axisymmetric; steady, asymmetric; and nonsteady, asymmetric vortices over a range of flow and particle parameters. Simple theoretical arguments are used to interpret the results.
This paper investigates the aggregation of small, spherical, slightly buoyant, rigid particles...