Copy this text
Influence of waves on the three-dimensional distribution of plastic in the ocean
The world's oceans are facing plastic pollution, 80 % of which of terrestrial origin flowing from the mismanaged waste of coastal populations and from river discharge. To study the fate of this pollution, the three-dimensional trajectories of neutral plastic particles continuously released for 24 years according to realistic source scenarios are computed using currents from a global ocean-wave coupled model at resolution and from a reference ocean-only model. These Lagrangian simulations show that neutral particles accumulate at the surface in the subtropical convergence zones from where they penetrate to about 250 m depth and strongly disperse over 40∘ of latitude. About 5.3 % of the particles remain at the surface with the wave-coupled model currents, whereas only 2 % for the uncoupled model, with some modulation in the location of the convergence zones. Increased surface retention results from upward vertical velocities induced by widespread divergence of waves-induced Stokes transport in the surface layers.
Keyword(s)
Microplastics, Marine debris, Plastic discharge, Ocean-wave coupling, Stokes drift, Three-dimensional circulation
Full Text
File | Pages | Size | Access | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Publisher's official version | 11 | 11 Mo | ||
Author's final draft | 19 | 8 Mo |