Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory Dee Experiment
Introduction
Sediment transport process models are a vital tool in allowing scientists to predict sediment transport and forecast seabed and coastal morphodynamic evolution. It is however, difficult to obtain accurate models due to the complex inter-dependence of sediment processes in the bottom boundary layer. This inter-dependence is governed by interactions between the sediment transport triad; the bed, the hydrodynamics and the mobile sediments.
Scientific Objectives
- To use a varying suite of instruments to make co-located measurements of the sediment triad
- To provide a framework to allow assessment and improvement of the latest sediment transport models
- To address dynamics of suspended sediments in terms of supply of material to the coastal zone from estuaries
- Development of a new description of suspended sediment and water opacity to improve simulation of coastal primary productivity
Fieldwork
The study site chosen by POL for this research was the Dee Estuary, Liverpool Bay. POL performed fieldwork in the Hilbre Channel on the eastern side of the Estuary and the Welsh Channel on the western exit of the Estuary, with emphasis placed on two repeat stations, HC and WC . The fieldwork started in February 2005 and has been summarised below:
| Cruise | Dates | Hilbre Channel | Welsh Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| PD03_05 | 2005-02-03 to 2005-02-04 | 25 hour CTD station
3 x mooring deployments |
13 hour CTD station
1 mooring deployment |
| PD07_05 | 2005-03-03 to 2005-03-04 | 23 hour CTD station
Mooring recovery |
19 hour CTD station
Mooring recovery |
| PD05_06 | 2006-02-08 to 2006-02-10 | 24 hour CTD station
2 x mooring deployment |
22 hour CTD station
1 mooring deployment |
| PD09_06 | 2006-03-06 to 2006-03-09 | 23 hour CTD station
Mooring recovery |
25 hour CTD station
Mooring recovery |
| PD04_07 | 2007-03-13 to 2007-03-16 | 25 hour CTD station
2 x mooring deployment |
25 hour CTD station
1 mooring deployment |
Funding
The Dee Experiment project was core funded by POL under Programme 2 (Shallow coastal seas) Theme 5 (Coastal and sediment processes) of POL's Science Programme 2001 - 2006. From March 2007 onwards, this core funding was replaced by funding from NERC's Oceans 2025 programme and the Dee Experiment research continued as part of Oceans 2025 Work Package 3.3 .
