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Editor’s Choice Articles

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

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26 pages, 12351 KiB  
Article
Alternative Power Options for Improvement of the Environmental Friendliness of Fishing Trawlers
by Marija Koričan, Maja Perčić, Nikola Vladimir, Neven Alujević and Ailong Fan
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(12), 1882; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10121882 - 03 Dec 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3745
Abstract
The fishing sector is faced with emission problems arising from the extensive use of diesel engines as prime movers. Energy efficiency, environmental performance, and minimization of operative costs through the reduction of fuel consumption are key research topics across the whole maritime sector. [...] Read more.
The fishing sector is faced with emission problems arising from the extensive use of diesel engines as prime movers. Energy efficiency, environmental performance, and minimization of operative costs through the reduction of fuel consumption are key research topics across the whole maritime sector. Ship emissions can be determined at different levels of complexity and accuracy, i.e., by analyzing ship technical data and assuming its operative profile, or by direct measurements of key parameters. This paper deals with the analysis of the environmental footprint of a fishing trawler operating in the Adriatic Sea, including three phases of the Life-Cycle Assessment (manufacturing, Well-to-Pump (WTP), and Pump-to-Wake (PTW)). Based on the data on fuel consumption, the viability of replacing the conventional diesel-powered system with alternative options is analyzed. The results showed that fuels such as LNG and B20 represent the easiest solution that would result in a reduction of harmful gases and have a positive impact on overall costs. Although electrification and hydrogen represent one of the cleanest forms of energy, due to their high price and complex application in an obsolete fleet, they do not present an optimal solution for the time being. The paper showed that the use of alternative fuels would have a positive effect on the reduction of harmful emissions, but further work is needed to find an environmentally acceptable and economically profitable pathway for redesigning the ship power system of fishing trawlers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Decarbonization of Ship Power Plants)
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19 pages, 3351 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Marine Engine Component Failures upon an Explosion in the Starting Air Manifold
by Leszek Chybowski, Daniel Wiaterek and Andrzej Jakubowski
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(12), 1850; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10121850 - 01 Dec 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3500
Abstract
Based on available sources, the frequency of explosions in the marine engine’s starting air manifolds is determined under real conditions. A cause-and-effect analysis of these explosions and their root causes are identified. A probabilistic model of an explosion in the starting air manifold [...] Read more.
Based on available sources, the frequency of explosions in the marine engine’s starting air manifolds is determined under real conditions. A cause-and-effect analysis of these explosions and their root causes are identified. A probabilistic model of an explosion in the starting air manifold of a marine engine is built using a fault tree analysis (FTA). Using a stochastic simulation (Monte Carlo) and an exact reliability availability calculation (ERAC) algorithm applied to the developed FTA model, selected reliability measures are calculated to describe an incident of the top event, which involves an explosion in the starting air manifold. For such an event, several factors are calculated, including the availability, the unavailability, the failure frequency, and the mean time to failure. Based on the simulations, the relative frequency of the top event is determined in relation to the number of events that can simultaneously occur and lead to an explosion. The significance of each basic event is assessed to determine their individual impact on the explosion incident. The following measures are used: the Vesely–Fussell measure of importance, the criticality measure of importance, the Birnbaum measure of reliability importance, and the Birnbaum measure of structural importance. The results of the analysis show that defective starting air valves are most responsible for the explosion incident in the starting air manifold. During the first year of the ship’s operation, the reliability does not fall below the value of 0.65, while the mean time to failure and the top event frequency are statistically at the level of one explosion per approximately 2.28 years of continuous engine operation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Analysis of Maritime Accidents)
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39 pages, 14922 KiB  
Article
Technological Potential Analysis and Vacant Technology Forecasting in Properties and Composition of Low-Sulfur Marine Fuel Oil (VLSFO and ULSFO) Bunkered in Key World Ports
by Mikhail A. Ershov, Vsevolod D. Savelenko, Alisa E. Makhmudova, Ekaterina S. Rekhletskaya, Ulyana A. Makhova, Vladimir M. Kapustin, Daria Y. Mukhina and Tamer M. M. Abdellatief
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(12), 1828; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10121828 - 28 Nov 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3292
Abstract
Analysis of the very-low-sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) and ultra-low-sulfur fuel oil (ULSFO) bunkered in key ports in Asia, the Middle East, North America, Western Europe, and Russia is presented. The characteristics of said fuels, including density, sulfur content, kinematic viscosity, aluminum and silicon [...] Read more.
Analysis of the very-low-sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) and ultra-low-sulfur fuel oil (ULSFO) bunkered in key ports in Asia, the Middle East, North America, Western Europe, and Russia is presented. The characteristics of said fuels, including density, sulfur content, kinematic viscosity, aluminum and silicon content, vanadium and nickel content, as well as pour point are investigated. Furthermore, the main trends and correlations are also discussed. Based on the graphical and mathematical analysis of the properties, the composition of the fuels is predicted. The key fuel components in Asian ports, the most important of which is Singapore, are hydrodesulfurized atmospheric residues (AR) (50–70%) and catalytic cracker heavy cycle oil (HCO) (15–35%) with the addition of other components, which is explained by the presence of a number of large oil refining centers in the area. In the Middle East ports, the most used VLSFO compositions are based on available resources of low-sulfur components, namely hydrodesulfurized AR, the production facilities of which were recently built in the region. In European ports, due to the relatively low sulfur content in processed oils, straight-run AR is widely used as a component of low-sulfur marine fuels. In addition, fuels in Western European ports contain on average significantly more hydrotreated vacuum gas oil (21%) than in the rest of the world (4–5%). Finally, a mixture of hydrotreated (80–90%) and straight-run fuel oil (10–15%) with a sulfur content of no more than 2.0–2.5% is used as the base low-sulfur component of marine fuels in the ports of Singapore and the Middle East. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Fuels and Green Energy)
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22 pages, 25599 KiB  
Article
Coastal Vulnerability Assessment for Future Sea Level Rise and a Comparative Study of Two Pocket Beaches in Seasonal Scale, Ios Island, Cyclades, Greece
by Apostolia Komi, Alexandros Petropoulos, Niki Evelpidou, Serafeim Poulos and Vasilios Kapsimalis
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(11), 1673; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10111673 - 06 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1867
Abstract
The coastal zone may be considered as the location where the marine and land environments interact dynamically and coexist with human societies. Globally, natural and human systems are being severely threatened by the sea level rise related to climate change. The outcome between [...] Read more.
The coastal zone may be considered as the location where the marine and land environments interact dynamically and coexist with human societies. Globally, natural and human systems are being severely threatened by the sea level rise related to climate change. The outcome between the dynamic relationship of coastal environments and marine processes, and the future sea level rise as predicted by scientific reports, is the vulnerability of coastal areas such as sandy beaches, pocket beaches and low-lying coastal areas. The current research aims to assess the coastal vulnerability of Ios Island, Cyclades, Greece for the next 100 years and to identify areas that are comparatively more vulnerable to future sea level changes. Moreover, the seasonal changes concerning sedimentological and morphological characteristics of two pocket beaches of Ios Island, Mylopotas and Magganari, are also examined. From the application of the Coastal Vulnerability Index, 92.37% of the total length of the coastline of Ios Island is characterized by a very low vulnerability as it consists of rocky shores and cliffs, while sandy and pocket beaches are characterized by a very high vulnerability. From the fieldworks and data processing, the seasonal changes mainly concern the seabed’s topography, the sediments’ texture of the collected sand samples, the foreshore and backshore topography, as well as seasonal shoreline displacement, using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System tool (DSAS). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Systems: Monitoring, Protection and Adaptation Approaches)
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14 pages, 10589 KiB  
Article
CFD Study on the Influence of Exostructure Elements on the Resistance of a Submarine
by Inno Gatin, Juvel Čokić, Darjan Romić and Joško Parunov
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(10), 1542; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10101542 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1969
Abstract
Submersible vessels designed to operate at low speeds are often designed with an intricate exostructure, as well as other elements that are located outside of the main pressure hull. Exostructure elements are often of cylindrical or rectangular shape, positioned perpendicularly to the flow [...] Read more.
Submersible vessels designed to operate at low speeds are often designed with an intricate exostructure, as well as other elements that are located outside of the main pressure hull. Exostructure elements are often of cylindrical or rectangular shape, positioned perpendicularly to the flow direction. For this reason, their resistance coefficient is relatively large compared to the pressure hull or appendages of a classical submarine. In some cases, the exostructure can significantly increase the wetted surface of the vessel and dominate its resistance. This paper presents a study on how different exostructure elements impact the overall resistance of a submarine relative to the resistance of the cylindrical, smooth, pressure hull. Additionally, the effect of depth is also considered. The study is conducted using the RANS-based CFD method. The subject of the study is a 25 m long tourist submarine designed for depths up to 40 m and a speed of up to 3 knots. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Analysis and Maintenance of Green Innovative Marine Structures)
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22 pages, 6110 KiB  
Article
Operational Modeling of North Aegean Oil Spills Forced by Real-Time Met-Ocean Forecasts
by Panagiota Keramea, Nikolaos Kokkos, Georgios D. Gikas and Georgios Sylaios
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(3), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030411 - 12 Mar 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3384
Abstract
Over the latest decades, oil marine pollution has posed a vital threat for global ocean health, since spillages of any scale are related to environmental, social and financial impacts. The worldwide increase in oil and gas demand, and the parallel rise in oil [...] Read more.
Over the latest decades, oil marine pollution has posed a vital threat for global ocean health, since spillages of any scale are related to environmental, social and financial impacts. The worldwide increase in oil and gas demand, and the parallel rise in oil and gas production, exploiting particularly coastal and offshore marine deposits, have significantly increased the risk of accidental oil release to the sea. In the present study, an operational oil spill model was applied to test the oil dispersive properties and to reveal the relative magnitude of weathering processes, after an accidental oil spill release along the main tanker transportation route in the North Aegean Sea. Numerical simulations were implemented using the OpenOil transport and fate numerical model, a subclass of the OpenDrift open-source trajectory framework. This model integrates algorithms with several physical processes, such as oil entrainment, vertical mixing, oil resurfacing and oil emulsification. The oil dispersion model was coupled to real-time met-ocean forecasts received from NOAA-GFS and CMEMS. Present simulation results have focused on the impact of turbulent kinetic energy, induced by the background flow field, on the horizontal spreading of particles, as well as on the evolution of oil mass balance and oil mass properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Marine Pollution)
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19 pages, 5815 KiB  
Article
Tailored Leaching Tests as a Tool for Environmental Management of Mine Tailings Disposal at Sea
by Kristine B. Pedersen, Tore Lejon and Anita Evenset
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(3), 405; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030405 - 10 Mar 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2389
Abstract
The expanding human activities in coastal areas increase the need for developing solutions to limit impacts on the marine environment. Sea disposal affects the marine environment, but despite the growing knowledge of potential impacts, there are still no standardized leaching tests for sea [...] Read more.
The expanding human activities in coastal areas increase the need for developing solutions to limit impacts on the marine environment. Sea disposal affects the marine environment, but despite the growing knowledge of potential impacts, there are still no standardized leaching tests for sea disposal. The aim of this study was to contribute to the development of leaching tests, exemplified using mine tailings, planned for submarine disposal in the Repparfjord, Norway. The mine tailings had elevated concentrations of Ba, Cr, Cu, Mn and Ni compared to background concentrations in the Repparfjord. Variables known to affect metal leaching in marine environments (DOC, pH, salinity, temperature, aerated/anoxic) were studied, as was the effect of flocculant (Magnafloc10), planned to be added prior to discharge. Stirred/non-stirred setups simulated the resuspension and disposal phases. Leaching of metals was below 2% in all experiments, with the highest rate observed for Cu and Mn. Multivariate analysis revealed a different variable importance for metals depending on their association with minerals. Higher leaching during resuspension than disposal, and lower leaching with the addition of Magnafloc10, especially for Cu and Mn, was observed. The leaching tests performed in this study are transferable to other materials for sea disposal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Remediation at Harbour)
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24 pages, 3241 KiB  
Article
Hydrodynamics of a Moored Permeable Vertical Cylindrical Body
by Dimitrios N. Konispoliatis, Ioannis K. Chatjigeorgiou and Spyros A. Mavrakos
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(3), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030403 - 10 Mar 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2595
Abstract
In this study, the problems of diffraction and radiation of water waves by a permeable vertical cylindrical body are formulated within the realm of the linear potential theory. The body, which is floating in constant water depth, is moored with a catenary mooring [...] Read more.
In this study, the problems of diffraction and radiation of water waves by a permeable vertical cylindrical body are formulated within the realm of the linear potential theory. The body, which is floating in constant water depth, is moored with a catenary mooring line system. The method of matched eigenfunction expansions for the prediction of the velocity potential in the fluid domain surrounding the body is applied. Furthermore, the static and dynamic characteristics of the mooring system are combined with the hydrodynamics of the body, to set up the coupled motion equations of the dynamical model, i.e., floater and mooring system, in the frequency domain. Numerical results obtained through the developed solution are presented. The results revealed that porosity plays a key role in reducing/controlling the exciting wave loads. As far as the mooring system is concerned, its quasi-static and dynamic characteristics, by employing several motion directions on the fairlead in accordance to varying environmental conditions, are examined, highlighting their effect on the body’s motions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrodynamics of Fish Cages and Floating Permeable Structures)
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25 pages, 7253 KiB  
Article
Comparative Assessment and Parametric Optimisation of Large Marine Two-Stroke Engines with Exhaust Gas Recirculation and Alternative Turbocharging Systems
by Daoyi Lu, Gerasimos Theotokatos, Jundong Zhang, Hong Zeng and Keying Cui
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(3), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030351 - 02 Mar 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2588
Abstract
Although the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology has been proven effective to decrease the marine engine’s nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, it is associated with a considerable fuel consumption increase and challenges to the engine–turbocharger matching. This study aims to parametrically optimise the EGR [...] Read more.
Although the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology has been proven effective to decrease the marine engine’s nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, it is associated with a considerable fuel consumption increase and challenges to the engine–turbocharger matching. This study aims to parametrically optimise the EGR and turbocharging system settings of a large marine two-stroke engine with the objective of obtaining the highest engine efficiency whilst ensuring compliance with the prevailing NOx emissions limits. Two typical configurations of the investigated engine (baseline and alternative) are modelled in the GT-SUITE software. Parametric simulations are performed with EGR rates up to 40% along with cylinder bypass rates up to 50%, and the simulation results are analysed to quantify the impact of the engine operation with EGR on the performance and NOx emissions parameters. For the baseline engine configuration, the EGR rate increase considerably deteriorates the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), which is attenuated by opening the cylinder bypass valve. The optimal combinations of the EGR and cylinder bypass rates for each operating point are identified for both configurations. Following the comparative assessment between the two engine configurations, recommendations for the engine operating modes are proposed, leading to BSFC improvement in the region of 0.7 to 2.9 g/kWh. This study provides insights for the operational settings optimisation of two-stroke engines equipped with EGR systems, contributing towards the reduction of the associated environmental carbon footprint. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Ocean Engineering)
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17 pages, 5938 KiB  
Article
Automated Tethered Profiler for Hydrophysical and Bio-Optical Measurements in the Black Sea Carbon Observational Site
by Alexander G. Ostrovskii, Mikhail V. Emelianov, Oleg Y. Kochetov, Vyacheslav V. Kremenetskiy, Dmitry A. Shvoev, Sergey V. Volkov, Andrey G. Zatsepin, Nikolai M. Korovchinsky, Vladimir M. Olshanskiy and Alexander V. Olchev
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(3), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030322 - 25 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2875
Abstract
Biogeochemical cycles of carbon transformation throughout the euphotic zone of the sea are controlled by physical processes, e.g., daily thermocline, variation in solar irradiance, thermohaline convection, and intermittent mixing. These processes should be regularly observed with sufficient time resolution at fixed geographical locations. [...] Read more.
Biogeochemical cycles of carbon transformation throughout the euphotic zone of the sea are controlled by physical processes, e.g., daily thermocline, variation in solar irradiance, thermohaline convection, and intermittent mixing. These processes should be regularly observed with sufficient time resolution at fixed geographical locations. This study provides a brief overview of the carbon observational site in the Northeastern Black Sea. The focus is on the design of a new tethered profiler Winchi for the inner continental shelf part of the site. The profiler hull and two outriggers comprise an open trimaran platform that is positively buoyant and tends to maintain a horizontal position in the water. The lower end of the winch wire is secured to the bottom anchor. By unwinding/winding the wire, the profiler ascends/descends while measuring the depth profiles of marine environment parameters ranging from the seafloor to air–sea interface. After surfacing, the profiler determines its location using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and transmits data to (and from) a server on land through the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). Initial field tests with the Winchi profiler at the Northeastern Black Sea shelf exhibited promising results. We report these early tests to demonstrate the use of Winchi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technological Oceanography)
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16 pages, 21388 KiB  
Article
Investigation on a Large-Scale Braceless-TLP Floating Offshore Wind Turbine at Intermediate Water Depth
by Yiming Zhou, Yajun Ren, Wei Shi and Xin Li
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(2), 302; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10020302 - 21 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3508
Abstract
Tension leg platform (TLP) is a cost-effective and high-performance support structure for floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) because of its small responses in heave, pitch, and roll with the constraint of the tendons. China, as the largest market of offshore wind energy, has [...] Read more.
Tension leg platform (TLP) is a cost-effective and high-performance support structure for floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) because of its small responses in heave, pitch, and roll with the constraint of the tendons. China, as the largest market of offshore wind energy, has shown a demand for developing reliable, viable floating platform support structures, especially aiming at the intermediate water depth. The present paper described a newly proposed 10-MW Braceless-TLP FOWT designed for a moderate water depth of 60 m. The numerical simulations of the FOWT are carried out using the coupled aero-hydro-servo-elastic-mooring calculation tool FAST. The measured wind and wave data of the target site close to the Fujian Province of China were used to evaluate the performance of the FOWT under the 100-, 50-, 5-, and 2-year-return stochastic weather conditions. The natural periods of the platform in surge, sway, heave, pitch, roll, and yaw were found to be within the range recommended by the design standard DNV-RP-0286 Coupled Analysis of Floating Wind Turbines. The largest surge of the water depth ratio among all the load cases was 15%, which was smaller than the admissible ratio of 23%. The tower top displacements remained between −1 m and 1 m, which were at a similar order to those of a 10-MW monopile-supported offshore wind turbine. The six tendons remained tensioned during the simulation, even under the operational and extreme (parked) environmental conditions. The Braceless-TLP FOWT showed an overall satisfying performance in terms of the structural stability and illustrates the feasibility of this type of FOWT at such a moderate water depth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations)
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14 pages, 2814 KiB  
Article
Definition of an Artificial Reef Unit through Hydrodynamic and Structural (CFD and FEM) Models—Application to the Ares-Betanzos Estuary
by María Isabel Lamas Galdo, María Jesús Rodríguez Guerreiro, Javier Lamas Vigo, Ismael Ameneiros Rodriguez, Ricardo Veira Lorenzo, Juan Carlos Carral Couce and Luis Carral Couce
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(2), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10020230 - 09 Feb 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2613
Abstract
The application of hydrodynamics to the definition of artificial reefs is of great interest since the positioning of the artificial reef modules on the sea floor alters the water velocity field, causing an appropriate circulation of nutrients and promoting a habitat for settling [...] Read more.
The application of hydrodynamics to the definition of artificial reefs is of great interest since the positioning of the artificial reef modules on the sea floor alters the water velocity field, causing an appropriate circulation of nutrients and promoting a habitat for settling desired species. Nevertheless, the designs must be subjected to a structural calculation that will condition the constructive process to be applied. The present research proposes a methodology to determine the geometry of an artificial reef in terms of hydrodynamic and structural criteria. The solution proposed was analyzed through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and the Finite Element Method (FEM). Using concrete as base material for artificial reefs, four different dosages were proposed with different proportions of cement and water, leading to different mechanical properties, which determine different constructive strategies, such as dwell time in the mold. From the hydrodynamic point of view, it was found that the solution proposed provides a proper replacement of nutrients. From the structural point of view, it was found that the solution proposed does not need steel reinforcements in concrete, which improves the sustainability of the artificial reef. The four different concrete dosages will condition the constructive strategy through the dwelling time in the mold and, for any established production, the necessary number of molds (formworks). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Numerical Modelling Applied for Marine Environmental Sustainability)
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14 pages, 2047 KiB  
Article
Multi-Objective Optimization of a Hydrogen Hub for the Decarbonization of a Port Industrial Area
by Davide Pivetta, Chiara Dall’Armi and Rodolfo Taccani
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(2), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10020231 - 09 Feb 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4687
Abstract
Green hydrogen is addressed as a promising solution to decarbonize industrial and mobility sectors. In this context, ports could play a key role not only as hydrogen users but also as suppliers for industrial plants with which they have strong commercial ties. The [...] Read more.
Green hydrogen is addressed as a promising solution to decarbonize industrial and mobility sectors. In this context, ports could play a key role not only as hydrogen users but also as suppliers for industrial plants with which they have strong commercial ties. The implementation of hydrogen technologies in ports has started to be addressed as a strategy for renewable energy transition but still requires a detailed evaluation of the involved costs, which cannot be separated from the correct design and operation of the plant. Hence, this study proposes the design and operation optimization of a hydrogen production and storage system in a typical Italian port. Multi-objective optimization is performed to determine the optimal levelized cost of hydrogen in environmental and techno-economic terms. A Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer powered by a grid-integrated photovoltaic (PV) plant, a compression station and two-pressure level storage systems are chosen to provide hydrogen to a hydrogen refueling station for a 20-car fleet and satisfy the demand of the hydrogen batch annealing in a steel plant. The results report that a 341 kWP PV plant, 89 kW electrolyzer and 17 kg hydrogen storage could provide hydrogen at 7.80 €/kgH2, potentially avoiding about 153 tCO2,eq/year (120 tCO2,eq/year only for the steel plant). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research in Innovative Ship Energy Systems)
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26 pages, 9658 KiB  
Article
Shoaling Wave Shape Estimates from Field Observations and Derived Bedload Sediment Rates
by Tarandeep S. Kalra, Steve E. Suttles, Christopher R. Sherwood, John C. Warner, Alfredo L. Aretxabaleta and Gibson R. Leavitt
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(2), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10020223 - 08 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1893
Abstract
The shoaling transformation from generally linear deep-water waves to asymmetric shallow-water waves modifies wave shapes and causes near-bed orbital velocities to become asymmetrical, contributing to net sediment transport. In this work, we used two methods to estimate the asymmetric wave shape from data [...] Read more.
The shoaling transformation from generally linear deep-water waves to asymmetric shallow-water waves modifies wave shapes and causes near-bed orbital velocities to become asymmetrical, contributing to net sediment transport. In this work, we used two methods to estimate the asymmetric wave shape from data at three sites. The first method converted wave measurements made at the surface to idealized near-bottom wave-orbital velocities using a set of empirical equations: the “parameterized” waveforms. The second method involved direct measurements of velocities and pressure made near the seabed: the “direct” waveforms. Estimates from the two methods were well correlated at all three sites (Pearson’s correlation coefficient greater than 0.85). Both methods were used to drive bedload-transport calculations that accounted for asymmetric waves, and the results were compared with a traditional excess-stress formulation and field estimates of bedload transport derived from ripple migration rates based on sonar imagery. The cumulative bedload transport from the parameterized waveform was 25% greater than the direct waveform, mainly because the parameterized waveform did not account for negative skewness. Calculated transport rates were comparable to rates estimated from ripple migration except during the largest event, when calculated rates were as much as 100 times greater, which occurred during high period waves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Coastal Engineering)
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31 pages, 3872 KiB  
Article
Environmental Impact on Harmful Species Pseudo-nitzschia spp. and Phaeocystis globosa Phenology and Niche
by Stéphane Karasiewicz and Alain Lefebvre
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(2), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10020174 - 27 Jan 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3033
Abstract
Global environmental change modifies the phytoplankton community, which leads to variations in their phenology and potentially causes a temporal mismatch between primary producers and consumers. In parallel, phytoplankton community change can favor the appearance of harmful species, which makes the understanding of the [...] Read more.
Global environmental change modifies the phytoplankton community, which leads to variations in their phenology and potentially causes a temporal mismatch between primary producers and consumers. In parallel, phytoplankton community change can favor the appearance of harmful species, which makes the understanding of the mechanisms involved in structuring phytoplankton ecological niches paramount for preventing future risk. In this study, we aimed to assess for the first time the relationship between environmental conditions, phenology and niche ecology of harmful species Phaeocystis globosa and the complex Pseudo-nitzschia along the French coast of the eastern English Channel. A new method of bloom detection within a time-series was developed, which allowed the characterization of 363 blooms by 22 phenological variables over 11 stations from 1998 to 2019. The pairwise quantification of asymmetric dependencies between the phenological variables revealed the implication of different mechanisms, common and distinct between the taxa studied. A PERMANOVA helped to reveal the importance of seasonal change in the environmental and community variables. The Outlying Mean and the Within Outlying Mean indexes allowed us to position the harmful taxa niche among the rest of community and quantify how their respective phenology impacted the dynamic of their subniches. We also discussed the possible hypothesis involved and the perspective of predictive models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Taxonomy and Ecology of Marine Microorganisms)
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23 pages, 21053 KiB  
Article
Late Quaternary Marine Terraces and Tectonic Uplift Rates of the Broader Neapolis Area (SE Peloponnese, Greece)
by Efthimios Karymbalis, Konstantinos Tsanakas, Ioannis Tsodoulos, Kalliopi Gaki-Papanastassiou, Dimitrios Papanastassiou, Dimitrios-Vasileios Batzakis and Konstantinos Stamoulis
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(1), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010099 - 12 Jan 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3304
Abstract
Marine terraces are geomorphic markers largely used to estimate past sea-level positions and surface deformation rates in studies focused on climate and tectonic processes worldwide. This paper aims to investigate the role of tectonic processes in the late Quaternary evolution of the coastal [...] Read more.
Marine terraces are geomorphic markers largely used to estimate past sea-level positions and surface deformation rates in studies focused on climate and tectonic processes worldwide. This paper aims to investigate the role of tectonic processes in the late Quaternary evolution of the coastal landscape of the broader Neapolis area by assessing long-term vertical deformation rates. To document and estimate coastal uplift, marine terraces are used in conjunction with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating and correlation to late Quaternary eustatic sea-level variations. The study area is located in SE Peloponnese in a tectonically active region. Geodynamic processes in the area are related to the active subduction of the African lithosphere beneath the Eurasian plate. A series of 10 well preserved uplifted marine terraces with inner edges ranging in elevation from 8 ± 2 m to 192 ± 2 m above m.s.l. have been documented, indicating a significant coastal uplift of the study area. Marine terraces have been identified and mapped using topographic maps (at a scale of 1:5000), aerial photographs, and a 2 m resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM), supported by extensive field observations. OSL dating of selected samples from two of the terraces allowed us to correlate them with late Pleistocene Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) sea-level highstands and to estimate the long-term uplift rate. Based on the findings of the above approach, a long-term uplift rate of 0.36 ± 0.11 mm a−1 over the last 401 ± 10 ka has been suggested for the study area. The spatially uniform uplift of the broader Neapolis area is driven by the active subduction of the African lithosphere beneath the Eurasian plate since the study area is situated very close (~90 km) to the active margin of the Hellenic subduction zone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations)
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21 pages, 7082 KiB  
Article
Beachrock Formation Mechanism Using Multiproxy Experimental Data from Natural and Artificial Beachrocks: Insights for a Potential Soft Engineering Method
by Giannis Saitis, Anna Karkani, Eleni Koutsopoulou, Konstantinos Tsanakas, Satoru Kawasaki and Niki Evelpidou
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(1), 87; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010087 - 10 Jan 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3792
Abstract
Beachrocks are a window to the past environmental, geological, sedimentological and morphological conditions that were dominant in the coastal zone during their formation. Furthermore, beachrocks have the ability to reduce coastal erosion impact on sandy beaches. This study focuses on the beachrock formation [...] Read more.
Beachrocks are a window to the past environmental, geological, sedimentological and morphological conditions that were dominant in the coastal zone during their formation. Furthermore, beachrocks have the ability to reduce coastal erosion impact on sandy beaches. This study focuses on the beachrock formation mechanism through the comparison of cement characteristics, mineral chemistry and sedimentology of beachrock occurrences from two different geological and geographical localities: Diolkos, Corinth, Greece and Sumuide, Okinawa, Japan. In addition, in order to investigate a potential soft engineering method to protect coasts from erosion, artificial beachrock samples were created in vitro using sand samples and ureolytic bacteria from both areas under accelerating conditions. For Okinawa artificial beachrock experiments, the bacteria Pararhodobacter sp. was used, and for Diolkos, it was the bacteria Micrococcus yunnainensis sp. For the natural beachrocks, a multi-analytical approach was accomplished with the use of microscopic investigation, a scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence. Correlations were made between natural and artificial beachrocks. Results have shown that Diolkos beachrock was formed in the upper part of the intertidal zone, consisting of detrital material originating from the local bedrock, while Sumuide beachrock formed in the low intertidal–upper subtidal zone, consisting of coral sand and foraminifera fragments. For the artificial beachrocks, three samples were created using the microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) method, one from Diolkos (Corinth, Greece) and two from Sumuide (Okinawa, Japan). Diolkos artificial beachrock was better consolidated in comparison to Sumuide. Our investigation has shown that bacterial density was the key factor for the creation of the artificial beachrocks, while the samples’ granulometry played a secondary role in the process. The laboratory artificial beachrocks show encouraging results for a new soft engineering method to encounter beach erosion while keeping an ecofriendly character by saving energy, material resources and gas emissions. Artificial beachrocks can share the same properties of a natural beachrock and can contribute positively to marine biodiversity as a natural rocky habitat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Systems: Monitoring, Protection and Adaptation Approaches)
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19 pages, 8313 KiB  
Article
The Black Sea Physics Analysis and Forecasting System within the Framework of the Copernicus Marine Service
by Stefania A. Ciliberti, Eric Jansen, Giovanni Coppini, Elisaveta Peneva, Diana Azevedo, Salvatore Causio, Laura Stefanizzi, Sergio Creti’, Rita Lecci, Leonardo Lima, Mehmet Ilicak, Nadia Pinardi and Atanas Palazov
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(1), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010048 - 02 Jan 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3397
Abstract
This work describes the design, implementation and validation of the Black Sea physics analysis and forecasting system, developed by the Black Sea Physics production unit within the Black Sea Monitoring and Forecasting Center as part of the Copernicus Marine Environment and Monitoring Service. [...] Read more.
This work describes the design, implementation and validation of the Black Sea physics analysis and forecasting system, developed by the Black Sea Physics production unit within the Black Sea Monitoring and Forecasting Center as part of the Copernicus Marine Environment and Monitoring Service. The system provides analyses and forecasts of the temperature, salinity, sea surface height, mixed layer depth and currents for the whole Black Sea basin, excluding the Azov Sea, and has been operational since 2016. The system is composed of the NEMO (v 3.4) numerical model and an OceanVar scheme, which brings together real time observations (in-situ temperature and salinity profiles, sea level anomaly and sea surface temperature satellite data). An operational quality assessment framework is used to evaluate the accuracy of the products which set the basic standards for the future upgrades, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the model and the observing system in the Black Sea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ocean Modelling in Support of Operational Ocean and Coastal Services)
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14 pages, 3419 KiB  
Article
Simulation Modeling of a Ship Propulsion System in Waves for Control Purposes
by Maria Acanfora, Marco Altosole, Flavio Balsamo, Luca Micoli and Ugo Campora
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010036 - 31 Dec 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3570
Abstract
The article deals with a simulation approach to the representation of the ship motions in waves, interacting with the propulsion system behavior (diesel engine and propeller). The final goal is the development of a simulator, as complete as possible, that allows the analysis [...] Read more.
The article deals with a simulation approach to the representation of the ship motions in waves, interacting with the propulsion system behavior (diesel engine and propeller). The final goal is the development of a simulator, as complete as possible, that allows the analysis of the main engine thermodynamics in different sea conditions, also in the unfavorable event of dynamic instability of the hull, and the correct management of the other propulsion components. This latter aspect is particularly interesting in some of the last new energy solutions for decarbonization of ships, concerning, for example, auxiliary electric motors, powered by batteries, to support the traditional diesel-mechanical propulsion (especially in heavy weather conditions). From this point of view, a proper analysis of the engine dynamic performance, affected by particular sea states, is fundamental for a smart management and control of shaft generators/auxiliary electric motors, batteries, etc. To this end, the work presents and highlights the main features of a ship simulator, suitable for the study of the new propulsion solutions that are emerging in maritime transport. Some representative results will point out the complex non-linear behavior of the propulsion plant in waves. Moreover, a parametric roll scenario will be investigated, in order to highlight the capability of the conceived simulator in modeling the effects of the dynamic instability of the hull on the propulsion plant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Control of Ship Propulsion System)
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18 pages, 6670 KiB  
Article
Open Digital Shoreline Analysis System: ODSAS v1.0
by Alejandro Gómez-Pazo, Andres Payo, María Victoria Paz-Delgado and Miguel A. Delgadillo-Calzadilla
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010026 - 27 Dec 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5812
Abstract
In this study, we propose a new baseline and transect method, the open-source digital shoreline analysis system (ODSAS), which is specifically designed to deal with very irregular coastlines. We have compared the ODSAS results with those obtained using the digital shoreline analysis system [...] Read more.
In this study, we propose a new baseline and transect method, the open-source digital shoreline analysis system (ODSAS), which is specifically designed to deal with very irregular coastlines. We have compared the ODSAS results with those obtained using the digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS). Like DSAS, our proposed method uses a single baseline parallel to the shoreline and offers the user different smoothing and spacing options to generate the transects. Our method differs from DSAS in the way that the transects’ starting points and orientation are delineated by combining raster and vector objects. ODSAS uses SAGA GIS and R, which are both free open-source software programs. In this paper, we delineate the ODSAS workflow, apply it to ten study sites along the very irregular Galician coastline (NW Iberian Peninsula), and compare it with the one obtained using DSAS. We show how ODSAS produces similar values of coastline changes in terms of the most common indicators at the aggregated level (i.e., using all transects), but the values differ when compared at the transect-by-transect level. We argue herein that explicitly requesting the user to define a minimum resolution is important to reduce the subjectivity of the transect and baseline method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Representation of the Coastal Topo-Bathymetry and Subsurface for Flooding and Erosion Risk Reduction)
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25 pages, 2660 KiB  
Article
All-In-One: Microbial Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Forcings in a Coastal Mediterranean Ecosystem, the Syracuse Bay (Ionian Sea, Italy)
by Gabriella Caruso, Maria Grazia Giacobbe, Filippo Azzaro, Franco Decembrini, Marcella Leonardi, Stefano Miserocchi, Xiuyun Cao, Chunlei Song and Yiyong Zhou
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010019 - 26 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2784
Abstract
Bacterial and phytoplankton communities are known to be in close relationships, but how natural and anthropogenic stressors can affect their dynamics is not fully understood. To study the response of microbial communities to environmental and human-induced perturbations, phytoplankton and bacterial communities were seasonally [...] Read more.
Bacterial and phytoplankton communities are known to be in close relationships, but how natural and anthropogenic stressors can affect their dynamics is not fully understood. To study the response of microbial communities to environmental and human-induced perturbations, phytoplankton and bacterial communities were seasonally monitored in a Mediterranean coastal ecosystem, Syracuse Bay, where multiple conflicts co-exist. Quali-quantitative, seasonal surveys of the phytoplankton communities (diatoms, dinoflagellates and other taxa), the potential microbial enzymatic activity rates (leucine aminopeptidase, beta-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase) and heterotrophic culturable bacterial abundance, together with the thermohaline structure and trophic status in terms of nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton biomass (as Chlorophyll-a), and total suspended and particulate organic matter, were carried out. The aim was to integrate microbial community dynamics in the context of the environmental characterization and disentangle microbial patterns related to natural changes from those driven by the anthropic impact on this ecosystem. In spite of the complex relationships between the habitat characteristics, microbial community abundance and metabolic potential, in Syracuse Bay, the availability of organic substrates differently originated by the local conditions appeared to drive the distribution and activity of microbial assemblage. A seasonal pattern of microbial abundances was observed, with the highest concentrations of phytoplankton in spring and low values in winter, whereas heterotrophic bacteria were more abundant during the autumn period. The autumn peaks of the rates of enzymatic activities suggested that not only phytoplankton-derived but also allochthonous organic polymers strongly stimulated microbial metabolism. Increased microbial response in terms of abundance and metabolic activities was detected especially at the sites directly affected by organic matter inputs related to agriculture or aquaculture activities. Nitrogen salts such as nitrate, rather than orthophosphate, were primary drivers of phytoplankton growth. This study also provides insights on the different seasonal scenarios of water quality in Syracuse Bay, which could be helpful for management plans of this Mediterranean coastal environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)
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21 pages, 11298 KiB  
Article
A High-Resolution Numerical Model of the North Aegean Sea Aimed at Climatological Studies
by Ioannis G. Mamoutos, Emmanuel Potiris, Elina Tragou, Vassilis Zervakis and Stamatios Petalas
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(12), 1463; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121463 - 20 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3193
Abstract
A new, high-resolution model for the northern part of the Aegean Sea, aimed primarily at climatological research (relaxation and data assimilation-free climate simulations), is hereby presented, along with the results of a 28-year-long simulation covering the period from 1986 to 2013. The model [...] Read more.
A new, high-resolution model for the northern part of the Aegean Sea, aimed primarily at climatological research (relaxation and data assimilation-free climate simulations), is hereby presented, along with the results of a 28-year-long simulation covering the period from 1986 to 2013. The model applied is the Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS). A significant improvement over previous models of the Aegean introduced in this work is the replacement of parameterizations of the Dardanelles exchange by a fully three-dimensional simulation of the flow in the Strait. The incorporation of part of the Marmara Sea in the model domain enables the interaction with other regional climate simulations, thus allowing climatic variability of the exchange of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. An extensive validation is carried out comparing the model output with all the available observations from several different platforms, i.e., satellite sea surface temperature and height, T/S profiles from R/V ships, and HF radar surface currents velocity. We focus on the model’s ability to reproduce, to some extent, the distinct thermohaline features and circulation patterns that characterize this specific area of the Mediterranean Sea. Our findings, after comparing simulation results with all the available observations, revealed the model’s sufficiency to simulate very adequately the complex hydrology of the North Aegean Sea, and the model’s ability to reproduce incidents of deep-water formation that took place in the region in previous decades during the Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrodynamic Circulation Modelling in the Marine Environment)
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21 pages, 24372 KiB  
Article
A Projection Method for the Estimation of Error Covariance Matrices for Variational Data Assimilation in Ocean Modelling
by Jose M. Gonzalez-Ondina, Lewis Sampson and Georgy I. Shapiro
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(12), 1461; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121461 - 20 Dec 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3061
Abstract
Data assimilation methods are an invaluable tool for operational ocean models. These methods are often based on a variational approach and require the knowledge of the spatial covariances of the background errors (differences between the numerical model and the true values) and the [...] Read more.
Data assimilation methods are an invaluable tool for operational ocean models. These methods are often based on a variational approach and require the knowledge of the spatial covariances of the background errors (differences between the numerical model and the true values) and the observation errors (differences between true and measured values). Since the true values are never known in practice, the error covariance matrices containing values of the covariance functions at different locations, are estimated approximately. Several methods have been devised to compute these matrices, one of the most widely used is the one developed by Hollingsworth and Lönnberg (H-L). This method requires to bin (combine) the data points separated by similar distances, compute covariances in each bin and then to find a best fit covariance function. While being a helpful tool, the H-L method has its limitations. We have developed a new mathematical method for computing the background and observation error covariance functions and therefore the error covariance matrices. The method uses functional analysis which allows to overcome some shortcomings of the H-L method, for example, the assumption of statistical isotropy. It also eliminates the intermediate steps used in the H-L method such as binning the innovations (differences between observations and the model), and the computation of innovation covariances for each bin, before the best-fit curve can be found. We show that the new method works in situations where the standard H-L method experiences difficulties, especially when observations are scarce. It gives a better estimate than the H-L in a synthetic idealised case where the true covariance function is known. We also demonstrate that in many cases the new method allows to use the separable convolution mathematical algorithm to increase the computational speed significantly, up to an order of magnitude. The Projection Method (PROM) also allows computing 2D and 3D covariance functions in addition to the standard 1D case. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technological Oceanography)
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12 pages, 2177 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Approach to Account for Weather Uncertainties in Ship Route Optimization
by Roberto Vettor, Giovanni Bergamini and C. Guedes Soares
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(12), 1434; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121434 - 15 Dec 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2780
Abstract
This work aims at defining in a probabilistic manner objectives and constraints typically considered in route optimization systems. Information about weather-related uncertainties is introduced by adopting ensemble forecast results. Classical reliability methods commonly used in structural analysis are adopted, allowing to achieve a [...] Read more.
This work aims at defining in a probabilistic manner objectives and constraints typically considered in route optimization systems. Information about weather-related uncertainties is introduced by adopting ensemble forecast results. Classical reliability methods commonly used in structural analysis are adopted, allowing to achieve a simple yet effective evaluation of the probability of failure and the variability associated with the predicted fuel consumption and time of arrival. A quantitative example of application is provided, taking into consideration one of the main North Atlantic routes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ship Routing)
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17 pages, 34038 KiB  
Article
Coastal Floods Induced by Mean Sea Level Rise—Ecological and Socioeconomic Impacts on a Mesotidal Lagoon
by Francisco Silveira, Carina Lurdes Lopes, João Pedro Pinheiro, Humberto Pereira and João Miguel Dias
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(12), 1430; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121430 - 14 Dec 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2831
Abstract
Coastal floods are currently a strong threat to socioeconomic activities established on the margins of lagoons and estuaries, as well as to their ecological equilibrium, a situation that is expected to become even more worrying in the future in a climate change context. [...] Read more.
Coastal floods are currently a strong threat to socioeconomic activities established on the margins of lagoons and estuaries, as well as to their ecological equilibrium, a situation that is expected to become even more worrying in the future in a climate change context. The Ria de Aveiro lagoon, located on the northwest coast of Portugal, is not an exception to these threats, especially considering the low topography of its margins which has led to several flood events in the past. The growing concerns with these regions stem from the mean sea level (MSL) rise induced by climate changes as well as the amplification of the impacts of storm surge events, which are predicted to increase in the future due to higher mean sea levels. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the influence of MSL rise on the inundation of Ria de Aveiro habitats and to assess the changes in inundation patterns resulting from frequent storm surges (2-year return period) from the present to the future, assessing their ecological and socioeconomic impacts. For this, a numerical model (Delft3D), previously calibrated and validated, was used to simulate the lagoon hydrodynamics under different scenarios combining MSL rise and frequent storm surge events. The numerical results demonstrated that MSL rise can change the vertical zonation and threaten the local habitats. Many areas of the lagoon may change from supratidal/intertidal to intertidal/subtidal, with relevant consequences for local species. The increase in MSL expected for the end of the century could make the lagoon more vulnerable to the effect of frequent storm surges, harming mostly agricultural areas, causing great losses for this sector and for many communities who depend on it. These extreme events can also affect artificialized areas and, in some cases, endanger lives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Physical Oceanography)
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32 pages, 33143 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Evolution and Monitoring at High Temporal Resolution of a Rapidly Retreating Cliff in a Cold Temperate Climate Affected by Cryogenic Processes, North Shore of the St. Lawrence Gulf, Quebec (Canada)
by Pascal Bernatchez, Geneviève Boucher-Brossard, Maude Corriveau, Charles Caulet and Robert L. Barnett
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(12), 1418; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121418 - 12 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2847
Abstract
This article focuses on the quantification of retreat rates, geomorphological processes, and hydroclimatic and environmental drivers responsible for the erosion of an unconsolidated fine-sediment cliff along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Quebec, Canada). Annual monitoring using field markers over [...] Read more.
This article focuses on the quantification of retreat rates, geomorphological processes, and hydroclimatic and environmental drivers responsible for the erosion of an unconsolidated fine-sediment cliff along the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Quebec, Canada). Annual monitoring using field markers over a period of twenty years, coupled with photo interpretation and historical archive analysis, indicates an average annual erosion rate of 2.2 m per year between 1948 and 2017. An acceleration in retreat occurred during the last 70 years, leading to a maximum between 1997 and 2017 (3.4 m per year) and 2000–2020 (3.3 m per year). Daily observations based on six monitoring cameras installed along the cliff between 2008 and 2012 allowed the identification of mechanisms and geomorphological processes responsible for cliff retreat. Data analysis reveals seasonal activity peaks during winter and spring, which account for 75% of total erosional events. On an annual basis, cryogenic processes represent 68% of the erosion events observed and subaerial and hydrogeological processes account for 73%. Small-scale processes, such as gelifraction, solifluction, suffosion, debris collapse, and thermoabrasion, as well as mass movement events, such as slides and mudflows, induced rapid cliff retreat. Lithostratigraphy and cliff height exert an important control on erosion rates and retreat modes, which are described by three main drivers (hydrogeologic, cryogenic, and hydrodynamic processes). Critical conditions promoting high erosion rates include the absence of an ice-foot in winter, the absence of snow cover on the cliff face allowing unrestricted solar radiation, the repetition of winter warm spells, snow melting and sediment thawing, and high rainfall conditions (>30 mm or SPI > 2). The relationships between hydroclimatic forcing and retreat rates are difficult to establish without taking into account the quantification of the geomorphological processes involved. The absence of quantitative data on the relative contribution of geomorphological processes can constitute a major obstacle in modeling the retreat of cliffs with regard to climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Hazards Assessment in Cold Regions)
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20 pages, 5413 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review on Design, Monitoring, and Failure in Fixed Offshore Platforms
by Nima Amiri, Mohammad Shaterabadi, Kazem Reza Kashyzadeh and Mahmoud Chizari
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(12), 1349; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121349 - 30 Nov 2021
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 5042
Abstract
Offshore platforms have had diverse applications in the marine industry, for example, oil or gas platforms can provide facilities to store the oil and gas before transport those to refineries. Offshore wind turbines are another well-known use of the offshore platform for generating [...] Read more.
Offshore platforms have had diverse applications in the marine industry, for example, oil or gas platforms can provide facilities to store the oil and gas before transport those to refineries. Offshore wind turbines are another well-known use of the offshore platform for generating power. As platforms encounter various strong forces from water and wind currents, the materials used for these structures are mainly steel or concrete. These platforms are classified into different types, according to the depth of water and their applications. In addition, offshore platforms, as artificial reefs may be used for decades at different marine conditions. Consequently, their design and maintenance are very important, otherwise, they can cause irreparable damage to the environment. This paper presents the latest and most significant design and monitoring methods, such as the optimal probabilistic seismic demand model, multi-objective optimization, dynamic response assessment, robust fault-tolerant control, etc., under different environmental and geographical conditions. Moreover, the effective factors on the life and failure of these offshore structures are comprehensively introduced to enhance awareness of them, which can be very helpful to improve the design and construction of more reliable and durable structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Failure Analysis of Marine Structure)
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33 pages, 12259 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Extreme Wave Impact on Coastal Decks with Different Geometries via the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian Method
by Tao Xiang and Denis Istrati
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(12), 1342; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121342 - 29 Nov 2021
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 3648
Abstract
Given the documented wave-induced damage of elevated coastal decks during extreme natural hazards (e.g., hurricanes) in the last two decades, it is of utmost significance to decipher the wave-structure-interaction of complex deck geometries and quantify the associated loads. Therefore, this study focuses on [...] Read more.
Given the documented wave-induced damage of elevated coastal decks during extreme natural hazards (e.g., hurricanes) in the last two decades, it is of utmost significance to decipher the wave-structure-interaction of complex deck geometries and quantify the associated loads. Therefore, this study focuses on the assessment of solitary wave impact on open-girder decks that allow the air to escape from the sides. To this end, an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) numerical method with a multi-phase compressible formulation is used for the development of three-dimensional hydrodynamic models, which are validated against a large-scale experimental dataset of a coastal deck. Using the validated model as a baseline, a parametric investigation of different deck geometries with a varying number of girders Ng and three different widths, was conducted. The results reveal that the Ng of a superstructure has a complex role and that for small wave heights the horizontal and uplift forces increase with the Ng, while for large waves the opposite happens. If the Ng is small the wave particles accelerate after the initial impact on the offshore girder leading to a more violent slamming on the onshore part of the deck and larger pressures and forces, however, if Ng is large then unsynchronized eddies are formed in each chamber, which dissipate energy and apply out-of-phase pressures that result in multiple but weaker impacts on the deck. The decomposition of the total loads into slamming and quasi-static components, reveals surprisingly consistent trends for all the simulated waves, which facilitates the development of predictive load equations. These new equations, which are a function of Ng and are limited by the ratio of the wavelength to the deck width, provide more accurate predictions than existing empirical methods, and are expected to be useful to both engineers and researchers working towards the development of resilient coastal infrastructure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance of Transportation Systems Subjected to Extreme Hydrodynamic Events)
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21 pages, 9006 KiB  
Article
Unprecedented Outbreak of Harmful Algae in Pacific Coastal Waters off Southeast Hokkaido, Japan, during Late Summer 2021 after Record-Breaking Marine Heatwaves
by Hiroshi Kuroda, Tomonori Azumaya, Takashi Setou and Natsuki Hasegawa
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(12), 1335; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9121335 - 27 Nov 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3863
Abstract
Unprecedented large-scale harmful algae blooms (HABs) were reported in coastal waters off the south-eastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan, in mid-to-late September 2021, about a month after very intense and extensive marine heatwaves subsided. To understand the physical–biological processes associated with development of the [...] Read more.
Unprecedented large-scale harmful algae blooms (HABs) were reported in coastal waters off the south-eastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan, in mid-to-late September 2021, about a month after very intense and extensive marine heatwaves subsided. To understand the physical–biological processes associated with development of the HABs, we conducted analyses via a combination of realistic ocean circulation models, particle-tracking simulations, and satellite measurements. The satellite-derived chlorophyll concentrations (SCCs) and areal extent of the high SCCs associated with the HABs were the highest recorded since 1998. More specifically, the extent of SCCs exceeding 5 or 10 mg m−3 started to slowly increase after 20 August, when the marine heatwaves subsided, intermittently exceeded the climatological daily maximum after late August, and reached record-breaking extremes in mid-to-late September. About 70% of the SCCs that exceeded 10 mg m−3 occurred in places where water depths were <300 m, i.e., coastal shelf waters. The high SCCs were also tightly linked with low-salinity water (e.g., subarctic Oyashio and river-influenced waters). High-salinity subtropical water (e.g., Soya Warm Current water) appeared to suppress the occurrence of HABs. The expansion of the area of high SCCs seemed to be synchronized with the deepening of surface mixed layer depths in subarctic waters on the Pacific shelves. That deepening began around 10 August, when the marine heatwaves weakened abruptly. However, another mechanism was needed to explain the intensification of the SCCs in very nearshore waters off southeast Hokkaido. Particle-tracking simulations based on ocean circulation models identified three potential source areas of the HABs: the Pacific Ocean east of the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Sea of Japan, and the Sea of Okhotsk east of the Sakhalin Island. Different processes of HAB development were proposed because distance, time, and probability for transport of harmful algae from the potential source areas to the study region differed greatly between the three source areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ocean Monitoring and Modeling for Marine Biology)
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30 pages, 6701 KiB  
Article
A Review of Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithms for Wind Energy Conversion Systems
by Jayshree Pande, Paresh Nasikkar, Ketan Kotecha and Vijayakumar Varadarajan
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(11), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9111187 - 27 Oct 2021
Cited by 60 | Viewed by 6190
Abstract
Renewable energy resources are gaining a lot of popularity. Several researchers have worked on the tracking and extraction of energy from these sources. In the past few decades, among the available green energy resources, wind energy has been the most attractive option among [...] Read more.
Renewable energy resources are gaining a lot of popularity. Several researchers have worked on the tracking and extraction of energy from these sources. In the past few decades, among the available green energy resources, wind energy has been the most attractive option among the resources available. It is imperative to use the maximum power available in the wind to achieve the wind turbine (WT) operation at maximum power. The maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms are a pioneer in this context. Many research papers are contributed in this domain which necessitates a thorough review while choosing an appropriate technique. This paper comprehensively focuses on reviewing different algorithms in the past and present for tracking maximum power point, and capturing maximized output power from the wind energy conversion system (WECS). In this paper, the algorithms are classified based on the direct and indirect power measurement, hybrid and smart algorithms for tracking maximum power point, and they are compared, considering the parameters like complexity, convergence speed, use of sensors, memory requirement, need for knowledge of system parameters, etc. The immense popularity of the different versions of perturb and observe (P&O) based algorithms due to their various features is evident from the literature. The review reveals that the hybrid maximum power point tracking algorithms can use the advantages of the conventional methods and eliminate their drawbacks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Marine Energy)
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25 pages, 9463 KiB  
Article
Vertebrate Palaeoecology of the Pisco Formation (Miocene, Peru): Glimpses into the Ancient Humboldt Current Ecosystem
by Alberto Collareta, Olivier Lambert, Felix G. Marx, Christian de Muizon, Rafael Varas-Malca, Walter Landini, Giulia Bosio, Elisa Malinverno, Karen Gariboldi, Anna Gioncada, Mario Urbina and Giovanni Bianucci
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(11), 1188; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9111188 - 27 Oct 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5136
Abstract
The northward-flowing Humboldt Current hosts perpetually high levels of productivity along the western coast of South America. Here, we aim to elucidate the deep-time history of this globally important ecosystem based on a detailed palaeoecological analysis of the exceptionally preserved middle–upper Miocene vertebrate [...] Read more.
The northward-flowing Humboldt Current hosts perpetually high levels of productivity along the western coast of South America. Here, we aim to elucidate the deep-time history of this globally important ecosystem based on a detailed palaeoecological analysis of the exceptionally preserved middle–upper Miocene vertebrate assemblages of the Pisco Formation of the East Pisco Basin, southern Peru. We summarise observations on hundreds of fossil whales, dolphins, seals, seabirds, turtles, crocodiles, sharks, rays, and bony fishes to reconstruct ecological relationships in the wake of the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum, and the marked cooling that followed it. The lowermost, middle Miocene Pisco sequence (P0) and its vertebrate assemblage testify to a warm, semi-enclosed, near-shore palaeoenvironment. During the first part of the Tortonian (P1), high productivity within a prominent upwelling system supported a diverse assemblage of mesopredators, at least some of which permanently resided in the Pisco embayment and used it as a nursery or breeding/calving area. Younger portions of the Pisco Formation (P2) reveal a more open setting, with wide-ranging species like rorquals increasingly dominating the vertebrate assemblage, but also local differences reflecting distance from the coast. Like today, these ancient precursors of the modern Humboldt Current Ecosystem were based on sardines, but notably differed from their present-day equivalent in being dominated by extremely large-bodied apex predators like Livyatan melvillei and Carcharocles megalodon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Marine Biology)
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27 pages, 4632 KiB  
Article
Explaining a Deep Reinforcement Learning Docking Agent Using Linear Model Trees with User Adapted Visualization
by Vilde B. Gjærum, Inga Strümke, Ole Andreas Alsos and Anastasios M. Lekkas
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(11), 1178; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9111178 - 26 Oct 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2721
Abstract
Deep neural networks (DNNs) can be useful within the marine robotics field, but their utility value is restricted by their black-box nature. Explainable artificial intelligence methods attempt to understand how such black-boxes make their decisions. In this work, linear model trees (LMTs) are [...] Read more.
Deep neural networks (DNNs) can be useful within the marine robotics field, but their utility value is restricted by their black-box nature. Explainable artificial intelligence methods attempt to understand how such black-boxes make their decisions. In this work, linear model trees (LMTs) are used to approximate the DNN controlling an autonomous surface vessel (ASV) in a simulated environment and then run in parallel with the DNN to give explanations in the form of feature attributions in real-time. How well a model can be understood depends not only on the explanation itself, but also on how well it is presented and adapted to the receiver of said explanation. Different end-users may need both different types of explanations, as well as different representations of these. The main contributions of this work are (1) significantly improving both the accuracy and the build time of a greedy approach for building LMTs by introducing ordering of features in the splitting of the tree, (2) giving an overview of the characteristics of the seafarer/operator and the developer as two different end-users of the agent and receiver of the explanations, and (3) suggesting a visualization of the docking agent, the environment, and the feature attributions given by the LMT for when the developer is the end-user of the system, and another visualization for when the seafarer or operator is the end-user, based on their different characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Explainable AI and Evaluation of Algorithms for Autonomous Marine Vehicles)
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18 pages, 1961 KiB  
Article
Walleye Pollock Gadus chalcogrammus, a Species with Continuous Range from the Norwegian Sea to Korea, Japan, and California: New Records from the Siberian Arctic
by Alexei M. Orlov, Maxim O. Rybakov, Elena V. Vedishcheva, Alexander A. Volkov and Svetlana Yu. Orlova
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1141; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101141 - 17 Oct 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2988
Abstract
The first records of walleye pollock Gadus chalcogrammus Pallas, 1814 in the seas of the Siberian Arctic (the Laptev Sea, the Kara Sea, the southeastern Barents Sea), are documented. Information about the external morphology (morphometric and meristic characters), photos of sagittal otoliths and [...] Read more.
The first records of walleye pollock Gadus chalcogrammus Pallas, 1814 in the seas of the Siberian Arctic (the Laptev Sea, the Kara Sea, the southeastern Barents Sea), are documented. Information about the external morphology (morphometric and meristic characters), photos of sagittal otoliths and fish, and data on the sequences of the CO1 mtDNA gene are presented. The results of a comparative analysis indicate that walleye pollock caught in the Siberian Arctic do not differ in principle from North Pacific and North Atlantic individuals. Previous conclusions about the conspecificity of the walleye and Norwegian pollock Theragra finnmarchica are confirmed. New captures of walleye pollock in the Siberian Arctic allow us to formulate a hypothesis about its continuous species’ range from the coasts of Norway in the North Atlantic to the coasts of Korea, Japan, and California in the North Pacific. The few records of walleye pollock in the North Atlantic originate from the North Pacific due to the transport of early pelagic juveniles to the Arctic by currents through the Bering Strait and further active westward migrations of individuals which have switched to the bentho-pelagic mode of life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Deepwater Fishes)
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19 pages, 1960 KiB  
Article
Applying Artificial Intelligence Methods to Detect and Classify Fish Calls from the Northern Gulf of Mexico
by Emily E. Waddell, Jeppe H. Rasmussen and Ana Širović
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1128; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101128 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2969
Abstract
Passive acoustic monitoring is a method that is commonly used to collect long-term data on soniferous animal presence and abundance. However, these large datasets require substantial effort for manual analysis; therefore, automatic methods are a more effective way to conduct these analyses and [...] Read more.
Passive acoustic monitoring is a method that is commonly used to collect long-term data on soniferous animal presence and abundance. However, these large datasets require substantial effort for manual analysis; therefore, automatic methods are a more effective way to conduct these analyses and extract points of interest. In this study, an energy detector and subsequent pre-trained neural network were used to detect and classify six fish call types from a long-term dataset collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The development of this two-step methodology and its performance are the focus of this paper. The energy detector by itself had a high recall rate (>84%), but very low precision; however, a subsequent neural network was used to classify detected signals and remove noise from the detections. Image augmentation and iterative training were used to optimize classification and compensate for the low number of training images for two call types. The classifier had a relatively high average overall accuracy (>87%), but classifier average recall and precision varied greatly for each fish call type (recall: 39–91%; precision: 26–94%). This coupled methodology expedites call extraction and classification and can be applied to other datasets that have multiple, highly variable calls. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fish Acoustic Communities in a Conservation Perspective)
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21 pages, 5116 KiB  
Review
Natural Processes and Anthropogenic Activity in the Indus River Sedimentary Environment in Pakistan: A Critical Review
by Usman Khan, Hammad Tariq Janjuhah, George Kontakiotis, Adnanul Rehman and Stergios D. Zarkogiannis
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1109; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101109 - 12 Oct 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 8562
Abstract
The Indus River is Asia’s longest river, having its origin in the Tibet Mountain northwest of Pakistan. Routed from northern Gilgit and flowing to the plains, the river passes through several provinces and is connected by numerous small and large tributaries. The river [...] Read more.
The Indus River is Asia’s longest river, having its origin in the Tibet Mountain northwest of Pakistan. Routed from northern Gilgit and flowing to the plains, the river passes through several provinces and is connected by numerous small and large tributaries. The river was formed tectonically due to the collusion of the Indian and Eurasian plates, which is referred to as the Indus suture Plains zone (ISPZ). The geological setting of the study area is mainly composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks. The river passed through a variety of climatic zones and areas, although the predominant climate is subtropic arid and sub arid to subequatorial. Locally and globally, anthropogenic activities such as building, dams, and water canals for irrigation purposes, mining exploration, and industries and factories all affected the physical and chemical behaviors of the sediments in various rivers. The main effect of human activities is the reworking of weathered soil smectite, a chemical weathering indicator that rises in the offshore record about 5000 years ago. This material indicates increased transport of stronger chemically weathered material, which may result from agriculture-induced erosion of older soil. However, we also see evidence for the incision of large rivers into the floodplain, which is also driving the reworking of this type of material, so the signal may be a combination of the two. Sediments undergo significant changes in form and size due to clashing with one another in the high-charge river. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Geological Oceanography)
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37 pages, 4797 KiB  
Review
Buckling Mechanism of Offshore Pipelines: A State of the Art
by Debtanu Seth, Bappaditya Manna, Jagdish Telangrao Shahu, Tiago Fazeres-Ferradosa, Francisco Taveira Pinto and Paulo Jorge Rosa-Santos
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101074 - 01 Oct 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6326
Abstract
The buckling analysis of an offshore pipeline refers to the analysis of temperature-induced uplift and lateral buckling of pipelines by analytical, numerical, and experimental means. Thus, the current study discusses different research performed on thermal pipe-buckling and the different factors affecting the pipeline’s [...] Read more.
The buckling analysis of an offshore pipeline refers to the analysis of temperature-induced uplift and lateral buckling of pipelines by analytical, numerical, and experimental means. Thus, the current study discusses different research performed on thermal pipe-buckling and the different factors affecting the pipeline’s buckling behaviour. The current study consists of the dependency of the pipe-buckling direction on the seabed features and burial condition; the pre-buckling and post-buckling load-displacement behaviour of the pipeline; the effect of soil weight, burial depth, axial resistance, imperfection amplitude, temperature difference, interface tensile capacity, and diameter-to-thickness ratio on the uplift and lateral resistance; and the failure mechanism of the pipeline. Moreover, the effect of external hydrostatic pressure, bending moment, initial imperfection, sectional rigidity, and diameter-to-thickness ratio of the pipeline on collapse load of the pipeline during buckling were also included in the study. This work highlights the existing knowledge on the topic along with the main findings performed up to recent research. In addition, the reference literature on the topic is given and analysed to contribute to a broad perspective on buckling analysis of offshore pipelines. This work provides a starting point to identify further innovation and development guidelines for professionals and researchers dealing with offshore pipelines, which are key infrastructures for numerous maritime applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Ocean Engineering)
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12 pages, 3678 KiB  
Article
1D–3D Coupling Algorithm of Gas Flow for the Valve System in a Compression Ignition Engine
by Kyeong-Ju Kong
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1061; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101061 - 27 Sep 2021
Viewed by 1924
Abstract
Emission control devices such as selective catalytic reduction (SCR), exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and scrubbers were installed in the compression ignition (CI) engine, and flow analysis of intake air and exhaust gas was required to predict the performance of the CI engine and [...] Read more.
Emission control devices such as selective catalytic reduction (SCR), exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and scrubbers were installed in the compression ignition (CI) engine, and flow analysis of intake air and exhaust gas was required to predict the performance of the CI engine and emission control devices. In order to analyze such gas flow, it was inefficient to comprehensively analyze the engine’s cylinder and intake/exhaust systems because it takes a lot of computation time. Therefore, there is a need for a method that can quickly calculate the gas flow of the CI engine in order to shorten the development process of emission control devices. It can be efficient and quickly calculated if only the parts that require detailed observation among the intake/exhaust gas flow of the CI engine are analyzed in a 3D approach and the rest are analyzed in a 1D approach. In this study, an algorithm for gas flow analysis was developed by coupling 1D and 3D in the valve systems and comparing with experimental results for validation. Analyzing the intake/exhaust gas flow of the CI engine in a 3D approach took about 7 days for computation, but using the developed 1D–3D coupling algorithm, it could be computed within 30 min. Compared with the experimental results, the exhaust pipe pressure occurred an error within 1.80%, confirming the accuracy and it was possible to observe the detailed flow by showing the contour results for the part analyzed in the 3D zone. As a result, it was possible to accurately and quickly calculate the gas flow of the CI engine using the 1D–3D coupling algorithm applied to the valve system, and it was expected that it can be used to shorten the process for analyzing emission control devices, including predicting the performance of the CI engine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experiments and Numerical Analysis of Flow)
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14 pages, 3493 KiB  
Article
Optimal Ways of Unloading and Loading Operations under Arctic Conditions
by Marat Eseev and Dmitry Makarov
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101050 - 24 Sep 2021
Viewed by 2342
Abstract
Usually, loading and unloading of cargo ships takes place in ports that are equipped with the infrastructure necessary to carry out such operations. In the Arctic, often a helicopter is the only way to get the cargo to the right place. Finding the [...] Read more.
Usually, loading and unloading of cargo ships takes place in ports that are equipped with the infrastructure necessary to carry out such operations. In the Arctic, often a helicopter is the only way to get the cargo to the right place. Finding the optimal geographic location for unloading a ship using helicopters is an important task. It is necessary to create a support system for making the right decisions in such situations. Mathematical modeling has been used to find the geographical location that ensures the most favorable and quickest delivery of cargo from a vessel to its destination, using a helicopter. A criterion has also been found in which the search for the optimum point is a more rational way of unloading the vessel compared to other discharge options. The maps of the economic benefits of loading and unloading operations in this model have been developed. Using the example of the developed model, it is shown that during the transportation of goods in Ob Bay, significant economic and temporary advantages can be obtained. The developed model can be extended to the case of cargo delivery not only in the Arctic conditions, but also where the transport infrastructure is insufficiently developed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Technologies and Methods of Development for the Maritime Industry)
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18 pages, 4959 KiB  
Article
Bathymetric Data Requirements for Operational Coastal Erosion Forecasting Using XBeach
by Nashwan Matheen, Mitchell D. Harley, Ian L. Turner, Kristen D. Splinter, Joshua A. Simmons and Mandi C. Thran
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1053; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101053 - 24 Sep 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3902
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in the broad-scale implementation of coastal erosion early warning systems (EWS) with the goal of enhancing community preparedness to extreme coastal storm wave events. These emerging systems typically rely on process-based models to predict the storm-induced morphological change. [...] Read more.
There is an increasing interest in the broad-scale implementation of coastal erosion early warning systems (EWS) with the goal of enhancing community preparedness to extreme coastal storm wave events. These emerging systems typically rely on process-based models to predict the storm-induced morphological change. A key challenge with incorporating these models in EWSs is the need for up-to-date nearshore and surf zone bathymetry data, which is difficult to measure routinely, but potentially important for accurate erosion forecasting. This study evaluates the degree to which up-to-date bathymetry is required for accurate coastal erosion predictions using the morphodynamic model XBeach and, subsequently, whether a range of “representative” and/or “synthetic” bathymetries can be used for the bottom boundary, when a survey of the immediate pre-storm bathymetry is not available. Twelve storm events at two contrasting sites were modelled using six different bathymetry scenarios, including the expected “best case” bathymetry surveyed immediately pre-storm. These results indicate that alternative bathymetries can be used to obtain sub-aerial erosion predictions that are similar (and in some cases better) than those resulting from the use of an immediately pre-storm surveyed bathymetry, provided that rigorous model calibration is undertaken prior. This generalized finding is attributed to specific parametrizations in the XBeach model structure that are optimized during the calibration process to match the particular bottom boundary condition used. This study provides practical guidance for the selection of suitable nearshore bathymetry for use in operational coastal erosion EWSs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Modelling of Coastal Environment)
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11 pages, 2130 KiB  
Article
Soil Fabric and Transitional Behavior in Completely Decomposed Granite: An Example of Well-Graded Soil
by Elsayed Elkamhawy, Huabin Wang, Tarek N. Salem, František Vranay and Martina Zelenakova
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1046; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101046 - 23 Sep 2021
Viewed by 1756
Abstract
Unlike sedimentary soils, limited studies have dealt with completely decomposed granite (CDG) soils, even though they are plentiful and used extensively in several engineering applications. In this paper, a set of triaxial compression tests have been conducted on well-graded intact and disturbed CDG [...] Read more.
Unlike sedimentary soils, limited studies have dealt with completely decomposed granite (CDG) soils, even though they are plentiful and used extensively in several engineering applications. In this paper, a set of triaxial compression tests have been conducted on well-graded intact and disturbed CDG soils to study the impact of the fabric on soil behavior. The soil behavior was robustly affected by the soil fabric and its mineral composition. The intact soil showed multiple parallel compression lines, while a unique isotropic compression line was present in the case of disturbed soil. Both the intact and disturbed soils showed unique critical state lines (CSL) in both the e-log p′ and q-p′ spaces. The intact soil showed behavior unlike other transitional soils that have both distinct isotropic compression lines ICLs and CSLs. The gradient of the unique ICL of the disturbed soil was much more than that of the parallel compression lines of the intact soil. In the intact soil, the slope of the unique CSL (M) in the q-p′ space was higher than that of the disturbed soil. The isotropic response was present for both the intact and disturbed soils after erasing the inherited anisotropy as the stress increased with irrecoverable volumetric change. Soil fabric is considered the dominant factor in the transitional behavior and such a mode of soil behavior is no longer restricted to gap-graded soil as previously thought. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Geological Oceanography)
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19 pages, 692 KiB  
Article
Challenges for Zero-Emissions Ship
by Carlos A. Reusser and Joel R. Pérez Osses
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1042; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101042 - 22 Sep 2021
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4512
Abstract
Due to the increasing impact of ship emissions on the environment and the preventive measures of current regulations introduced by the International Maritime Organization to significantly reduce them, the development of ocean-going all-electric ships has been addressed as a concept applied to achieve [...] Read more.
Due to the increasing impact of ship emissions on the environment and the preventive measures of current regulations introduced by the International Maritime Organization to significantly reduce them, the development of ocean-going all-electric ships has been addressed as a concept applied to achieve it. Being a promising technology considers the use of technology alternatives such as fuel cells, batteries, and supercapacitors together with the use of zero-carbon alternative fuels such as hydrogen (H2) and ammonia (NH3) as main energy sources. This article addresses a state-of-the-art on several challenges related to the ocean-going zero-emissions ship to achieve a zero-emissions shipping, based on the technology associated with hybrid and all-electric ship, and the zero-carbon fuels alternatives. In this respect, a transition from fossil fuel-based propulsion and auxiliary systems to a zero-emissions ship concept are related to the challenges to overcome the needs of energy density for these new alternatives energy sources compared to current fossil fuel options. The transitional process should consider a first step of hybridization of the propulsion and auxiliary systems of existing ships to get a baseline from where to move forward to a zero-emissions configuration for new designs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zero Emission Shipping)
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15 pages, 8359 KiB  
Article
The North Equatorial Countercurrent East of the Dateline, Its Variations and Its Relationship to the El Niño Event
by Yusuf Jati Wijaya, Ulung Jantama Wisha and Yukiharu Hisaki
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(10), 1041; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9101041 - 22 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1926
Abstract
Using forty years (1978–2017) of Ocean Reanalysis System 4 (ORAS4) dataset, the purpose of this study is to investigate the fluctuation of the North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC) to the east of the dateline in relation to the presence of three kinds of El [...] Read more.
Using forty years (1978–2017) of Ocean Reanalysis System 4 (ORAS4) dataset, the purpose of this study is to investigate the fluctuation of the North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC) to the east of the dateline in relation to the presence of three kinds of El Niño events. From spring (MAM) through summer (JJA), we found that the NECC was stronger during the Eastern Pacific El Niño (EP El Niño) and the MIX El Niño than during the Central Pacific El Niño (CP El Niño). When it comes to winter (DJF), on the other hand, the NECC was stronger during the CP and MIX El Niño and weaker during the EP El Niño. This NECC variability was affected by the fluctuations of thermocline depth near the equatorial Pacific. Moreover, we also found that the seasonal southward shift of the NECC occurred between winter and spring, but the shift was absent during the CP and MIX El Niño events. This meridional shift was strongly affected by the local wind stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sea Surface Temperature: From Observation to Applications)
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18 pages, 8438 KiB  
Article
A Design Method to Assess the Primary Strength of the Delta-Type VLFS
by Roy Gafter and Nitai Drimer
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(9), 1026; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9091026 - 18 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1788
Abstract
Very large floating structure (VLFS) is a sustainable concept centered around creating solid platforms at sea. The Delta is a new type of VLFS, designed to withstand open-sea conditions and to form, in addition to a broad deck areas, a sheltered basin of [...] Read more.
Very large floating structure (VLFS) is a sustainable concept centered around creating solid platforms at sea. The Delta is a new type of VLFS, designed to withstand open-sea conditions and to form, in addition to a broad deck areas, a sheltered basin of year-round operability. The design of this unique hull relies on direct calculations in order to identify critical load cases and assess their load effects. This study formulates a theoretical procedure for the initial assessment of the primary strength. The procedure analytically integrates the floatation loads while the hull rests at hydrostatic equilibrium on a wave surface and obtains the vertical and horizontal bending moment. This preliminary assessment tool enables a fast review of many load cases and provides the basic insights necessary for a reasonable initial design. Using the procedure, we conducted a primary load assessment for the design of Delta. By calculating the load response to 588 load cases, we identified the critical load scenario and the maximal axial stress. As the stress was too high, we improved the geometry in order to reduce loads and assessed proper scantlings for the critical section. We present the formulation of the procedure, the validation of the results, and the implementation for the structural design of the Delta VLFS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Ocean Engineering)
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32 pages, 15064 KiB  
Review
AUV Trajectory Tracking Models and Control Strategies: A Review
by Daoliang Li and Ling Du
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(9), 1020; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9091020 - 17 Sep 2021
Cited by 61 | Viewed by 9524
Abstract
Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have been widely used to perform underwater tasks. Due to the environmental disturbances, underactuated problems, system constraints, and system coupling, AUV trajectory tracking control is challenging. Thus, further investigation of dynamic characteristics and trajectory tracking control methods of the [...] Read more.
Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have been widely used to perform underwater tasks. Due to the environmental disturbances, underactuated problems, system constraints, and system coupling, AUV trajectory tracking control is challenging. Thus, further investigation of dynamic characteristics and trajectory tracking control methods of the AUV motion system will be of great importance to improve underwater task performance. An AUV controller must be able to cope with various challenges with the underwater vehicle, adaptively update the reference model, and overcome unexpected deviations. In order to identify modeling strategies and the best control practices, this paper presents an overview of the main factors of control-oriented models and control strategies for AUVs. In modeling, two fields are considered: (i) models that come from simplifications of Fossen’s equations; and (ii) system identification models. For each category, a brief description of the control-oriented modeling strategies is given. In the control field, three relevant aspects are considered: (i) significance of AUV trajectory tracking control, (ii) control strategies; and (iii) control performance. For each aspect, the most important features are explained. Furthermore, in the aspect of control strategies, mathematical modeling study and physical experiment study are introduced in detail. Finally, with the aim of establishing the acceptability of the reported modeling and control techniques, as well as challenges that remain open, a discussion and a case study are presented. The literature review shows the development of new control-oriented models, the research in the estimation of unknown inputs, and the development of more innovative control strategies for AUV trajectory tracking systems are still open problems that must be addressed in the short term. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Ocean Engineering)
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12 pages, 1671 KiB  
Article
A Comparison of Traditional and Locally Novel Fishing Gear for the Exploitation of the Invasive Atlantic Blue Crab in the Eastern Adriatic Sea
by Luka Glamuzina, Alexis Conides, Giorgio Mancinelli and Branko Glamuzina
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(9), 1019; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9091019 - 17 Sep 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2528
Abstract
The Atlantic Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus has been recognized as invasive in the Mediterranean Sea, where it now provides a significant contribution to artisanal fisheries. In this study, we compared the efficiency, selectivity, and productivity of American wire crab traps and traditional fyke [...] Read more.
The Atlantic Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus has been recognized as invasive in the Mediterranean Sea, where it now provides a significant contribution to artisanal fisheries. In this study, we compared the efficiency, selectivity, and productivity of American wire crab traps and traditional fyke nets for the capture of Blue Crabs in a study conducted from June to December 2019 in the Parila Lagoon (River Neretva Estuary, Croatia). A total of 7707 specimens were caught in 15 wire traps, comprising 6959 males and 749 females. The total catch using 50 traditional fyke traps was 1451 crabs, of which 1211 were males and 240 were females. In general, wire crab traps showed a higher capture selectivity and economic performance compared to fyke nets. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) was 102.76 kg for the American wire crab trap and 5.96 kg for the traditional fyke net. The CPUE of gravid female Blue Crabs was lower for the wire traps than the fyke nets. Herein, the utility of crab traps as selective fishing gear for the capture of Blue Crabs, and management tools for control of the reproductive and recruitment phases of the crab, are discussed, with the perspective of future exploitation of the species as a commercially valuable shellfish product in the Mediterranean. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Fisheries Management)
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23 pages, 384 KiB  
Review
In Situ Aerobic Bioremediation of Sediments Polluted with Petroleum Hydrocarbons: A Critical Review
by Efsevia Fragkou, Eleftheria Antoniou, Ioannis Daliakopoulos, Thrassyvoulos Manios, Marianna Theodorakopoulou and Nicolas Kalogerakis
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(9), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9091003 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4447
Abstract
Oil pollution has been a worldwide concern especially in environments where treatment is quite difficult to apply. Marine polluted sediments, in particular, constitute one of the most recalcitrant environments for bioremediation and are often the final repository of petroleum contaminants, as a result [...] Read more.
Oil pollution has been a worldwide concern especially in environments where treatment is quite difficult to apply. Marine polluted sediments, in particular, constitute one of the most recalcitrant environments for bioremediation and are often the final repository of petroleum contaminants, as a result of runoff and deposition. Aerobic hydrocarbon degraders present in the sediments are tackling the pollution under oxygen-limited or oxygen-depleted conditions. Research has focused on new ways to enhance bioremediation under anoxic conditions, however aerobic bioremediation is faster, and hence more effort should be made to sustain oxygen concentration levels. In this review, the different bioremediation techniques used for the decontamination of marine sediments are briefly discussed, and focus is primarily given to the different oxygenation methods used for enhancing aerobic bioremediation and the aeration methods that are suitable for in situ application, as well as state of the art technologies that make in situ aeration an appealing approach. Based on the technologies analyzed, suggestions are made for sediment bioremediation techniques in different marine environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic From Coastal Engineering to Integrated Coastal Zone Management)
14 pages, 3367 KiB  
Article
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Ligurian Sea: Preliminary Study on Acoustics Demonstrates Their Regular Occurrence in Autumn
by Laura Pintore, Virginia Sciacca, Salvatore Viola, Cristina Giacoma, Elena Papale and Giacomo Giorli
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(9), 966; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9090966 - 06 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3031
Abstract
The patterns of movement of the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758)) in the Mediterranean Sea are still a matter of debate. Feeding aggregations are well known in the Corso-Liguro-Provençal Basin from July to September, but little is known for the autumn [...] Read more.
The patterns of movement of the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758)) in the Mediterranean Sea are still a matter of debate. Feeding aggregations are well known in the Corso-Liguro-Provençal Basin from July to September, but little is known for the autumn and winter seasons. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) was implemented in the Ligurian Sea to overcome this gap and to investigate the temporal and spatial variation of fin whale acoustic presence. From July to December 2011, five autonomous recorders were deployed at between 700 and 900 m depths. Fin whale calls were automatically detected almost every day, with higher vocalization rates in October, November, and December. Furthermore, daily vocalization rates were higher during light hours, and closer to the coast. These outcomes suggest that not all the individuals migrate, staying in the area also during autumn for feeding or breeding purposes. The dial cycle of vocalization might be related to feeding activities and zooplankton vertical migration, whereas the proximity to the coast can be explained by the morphology of the area that promotes the upwelling system. Although this work only represents a six-month period, certainly it suggests the need for a larger spatial and temporal PAM effort, crucial for species management and for mitigating possible impact of anthropogenic activities at the basin level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Passive Acoustics to Study Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems)
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26 pages, 12618 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Composite Scrubber with Built-In Silencer for Marine Engines
by Myeong-rok Ryu and Kweonha Park
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(9), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9090962 - 03 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2202
Abstract
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is strengthening regulations on reducing sulfur oxide emissions, and the demand for reducing exhaust noise affecting the environment of ships is also increasing. Various technologies have been developed to satisfy these needs. In this paper, a composite scrubber [...] Read more.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is strengthening regulations on reducing sulfur oxide emissions, and the demand for reducing exhaust noise affecting the environment of ships is also increasing. Various technologies have been developed to satisfy these needs. In this paper, a composite scrubber for ships that can simultaneously reduce sulfur oxide and noise was proposed, and the flow characteristics and noise characteristics were analyzed. For the silencer, vane type and resonate type were applied. In the case of the vane type, the effects of the direction, size, and location of the vane were analyzed, and in the case of the resonate type, the effects of the hole location and the number of holes were analyzed. The result shows that the length increase of the vane increased the average transmission loss and had a great effect, especially in the low frequency region. The transmission loss increased when the vane was installed outside, and the noise reduction effect was excellent when the vane was in the reverse direction. In the resonate type, increasing the number of holes is advantageous for noise reduction. The condition for maximally reducing noise in the range not exceeding 840 Pa, which is 70% of the allowable back pressure, is a vane length of 225 mm in the outer vane reverse type. The pressure drop under this condition was 777 Pa, and the average transmission losses in the low frequency region and the entire frequency region were 43.5 and 54.5 dB, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Engines Performance and Emissions II)
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14 pages, 1909 KiB  
Article
Benthic Diatoms on Sheltered Coastal Soft Bottoms (Baltic Sea)—Seasonal Community Production and Respiration
by Ulf Karsten, Kana Kuriyama, Thomas Hübener and Jana Woelfel
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(9), 949; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9090949 - 31 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2368
Abstract
Benthic diatom communities dominate sheltered shallow inner coastal waters of the atidal Southern Baltic Sea. However, their photosynthetic oxygen production and respiratory oxygen consumption is rarely evaluated. In the Baltic Sea carbon budget benthic diatom communities are often not included, since phytoplankton is [...] Read more.
Benthic diatom communities dominate sheltered shallow inner coastal waters of the atidal Southern Baltic Sea. However, their photosynthetic oxygen production and respiratory oxygen consumption is rarely evaluated. In the Baltic Sea carbon budget benthic diatom communities are often not included, since phytoplankton is regarded as the main primary producer. Therefore, two wind-protected stations (2–49-cm depths) were investigated between July 2010 and April 2012 using undisturbed sediment cores in combination with planar oxygen optodes. We expected strong fluctuations in the biological activity parameters in the incubated cores over the course of the seasons. The sediment particles at both stations were dominated by fine sand with a median grain size of 131–138 µm exhibiting an angular shape with many edges, which were less mobile compared to exposed coastal sites of the Southern Baltic Sea. These sand grains inhabited dense communities of rather small epipsammic diatoms (<10 µm). Chlorophyll a as a biomass parameter for benthic diatoms fluctuated from 64.8 to 277.3-mg Chl. a m−2 sediment surface. The net primary production and respiration rates exhibited strong variations across the different months at both stations, ranging from 12.9 to 56.9 mg O2 m−2 h−1 and from −6.4 to −137.6 mg O2 m−2 h−1, respectively. From these data, a gross primary production of 13.4 to 59.5 mg C m−2 h−1 was calculated. The results presented confirmed strong seasonal changes (four-fold amplitude) for the activity parameters and, hence, provided important production biological information for sheltered sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea. These data clearly indicate that benthic diatoms, although often ignored until now, represent a key component in the primary production of these coastal habitats when compared to similar studies at other locations of the Baltic Sea and, hence, should be considered in any carbon budget model of this brackish water ecosystem. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Lagoon Ecology)
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24 pages, 14245 KiB  
Article
Round Robin Testing: Exploring Experimental Uncertainties through a Multifacility Comparison of a Hinged Raft Wave Energy Converter
by Thomas Davey, Javier Sarmiento, Jérémy Ohana, Florent Thiebaut, Sylvain Haquin, Matthieu Weber, Sebastien Gueydon, Frances Judge, Eoin Lyden, Michael O’Shea, Roman Gabl, Laura-Beth Jordan, Martyn Hann, Daming Wang, Keri Collins, Daniel Conley, Deborah Greaves, David M. Ingram and Jimmy Murphy
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(9), 946; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9090946 - 30 Aug 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3768
Abstract
The EU H2020 MaRINET2 project has a goal to improve the quality, robustness and accuracy of physical modelling and associated testing practices for the offshore renewable energy sector. To support this aim, a round robin scale physical modelling test programme was conducted to [...] Read more.
The EU H2020 MaRINET2 project has a goal to improve the quality, robustness and accuracy of physical modelling and associated testing practices for the offshore renewable energy sector. To support this aim, a round robin scale physical modelling test programme was conducted to deploy a common wave energy converter at four wave basins operated by MaRINET2 partners. Test campaigns were conducted at each facility to a common specification and test matrix, providing the unique opportunity for intercomparison between facilities and working practices. A nonproprietary hinged raft, with a nominal scale of 1:25, was tested under a set of 12 irregular sea states. This allowed for an assessment of power output, hinge angles, mooring loads, and six-degree-of-freedom motions. The key outcome to be concluded from the results is that the facilities performed consistently, with the majority of variation linked to differences in sea state calibration. A variation of 5–10% in mean power was typical and was consistent with the variability observed in the measured significant wave heights. The tank depth (which varied from 2–5 m) showed remarkably little influence on the results, although it is noted that these tests used an aerial mooring system with the geometry unaffected by the tank depth. Similar good agreement was seen in the heave, surge, pitch and hinge angle responses. In order to maintain and improve the consistency across laboratories, we make recommendations on characterising and calibrating the tank environment and stress the importance of the device–facility physical interface (the aerial mooring in this case). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Renewables–Infrastructures and Physical Testing)
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