The physical oceanography of the continental shelf waters around Ireland is highly diverse. A complex system of fronts, including the tidal fronts in the Irish Sea, estuarine fronts, coastal fronts associated with upwelling, and the huge Irish Shelf Front, extending from the southwest of Ireland northwards past Donegal into Scottish waters, all impact on the flows of seawater around the coast. The physical oceanography not only regulates the transport of chemicals, plankton and contaminants, but also impacts on plankton biology through stratification of the water column and controlling the distribution of chemicals.
People
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Dr. Stephen Nash Civil Engineering Phone: (091) 49 3738; Email: stephen.nash@nuigalway.ie ——— Stephen’s interests are in the numerical modelling of marine waters from shallow coastal waters to the deep ocean. Particular processes of interest are tidal circulation, transport of pollutants, water quality and primary production. |
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Dr. Martin White Earth and Ocean Sciences Phone: (091) 49 3214; Email: martin.white@nuigalway.ie ——— Dr. White’s research interests include benthic dynamics; biophysical interactions; continental margin hydrography; cold water corals. |
Some Current Projects
HERMIONE: An EU funded project looking at the ecosystems along the continental margin and the impact of natural and anthropogenic climate change on these systems. In particular, Martin White has been studying the dynamics that control the delivery of nutrients and food to cold-water coral (CWC) ecosystems and how these CWC ecosystems cycle carbon.
Hardiman Scholarship: Looking at the particular pathways across the continental shelf in nepheloid layers – layers of suspended (organic) matter generated at the seabed. The PhD aims to assess the connection with the surface productivity and the transport of material to the continental slope habitats, including the role of canyons. Connected to the Griffiths subproject – understanding the seabed.
Griffiths Project: Understanding the seabed: Development of seabed lander systems to measure near seabed physical processes. Have recently have been collaborating with the Marine Institute MESH survey of Kenmare Bay to provide supporting hydrographic observations from one of the new landers
