Numerical simulations of the vertical distribution of microplastics in the ocean

该项目的中心目标是使用高分辨率数值模拟来研究小尺度物理学对海洋中微塑料垂直分布的影响。具体而言，这将涉及嵌入大涡模拟（LES）的拉格朗日粒子跟踪模型。在这种情况下，LES的主要优点是，它明确地解决了最大的三维湍流运动，这是负责大部分的垂直颗粒运输。模拟将受到风和地表热通量的影响，以代表各种现实的情景。LES将使我们能够深入探索流体动力学过程及其对微塑料的影响。然后，我们将努力开发一个用于全球海洋模型的微塑料垂直分布模型。

The central aim of this project will be to use high resolution numerical simulations to study the influence of small-scale physics on the vertical distribution of microplastics in the ocean. Specifically, this will involve a Lagrangian particle-tracking model embedded within large-eddy simulations (LES). The primary advantage of LES within this context is that it explicitly resolves the largest three-dimensional turbulent motions, which are responsible for the majority of the vertical particle transport. The simulations will be forced by wind and surface heat fluxes to represent a variety of realistic scenarios. The LES will allow us to deeply probe the fluid dynamical processes at play and their impact on microplastics. We will then work to develop a model for the vertical distribution of microplastics for use in global ocean models.