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2002 LAPCOD Meeting
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Lagrangian Analysis and Prediction in Monterey Bay Using Finite-time Lyapunov Exponents of HF Radar Velocity Data: Application to Optimal Release of Contaminants
C. Coulliette, F. Lekien, G. Haller, J. Marsden, J. Paduan
California Institute of Technology
chad@caltech.edu(Abstract received 11/01/2002 for session B)
ABSTRACT
High-frequency (HF) radar technology produces detailed surface velocity maps near the surface of estuaries and bays, such as Monterey Bay along the California coastline. The use of HF velocity data in environmental prediction, however, has remained unexplored. We uncover a striking Lagrangian structure in coastal radar observations of Monterey Bay. This complex structure governs the spread of organic contaminants from agricultural run-off, plasticizer manufacturing, and combustion of natural fossil fuels, all of which are typical sources of pollution in Monterey Bay. The release of pollution in coastal areas can lead to dramatic consequences for local ecosystems if the pollution recirculates close to the coast rather than being transported out to the open ocean and safely absorbed. We show that a release scheme which exploits the Lagrangian structure reduces the effect of industrial pollution in the coastal environment of the bay. This reduction is accomplished by using direct finite-time Lyapunov exponents of the HF radar data to predict optimal release windows in which contaminants are advected efficiently from the bay. We further demonstrate that sensitivity to initial conditions in coastal flows can create different patterns of behavior for released contaminants. Depending on their release position and release time, identical parcels of contaminants can have completely different trajectories and thus effects on the environment.
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2002 LAPCOD Meeting, Key Largo, Florida, December 12-16, 2000