Frontiers | Three-Dimensional Dispersion of Neutral "Plastic" Particles in a Global Ocean Model
The fate of plastics entering the 3D ocean circulation from rivers discharge is examined through the Lagrangian analysis of neutrally buoyant particles. Particles are released continuously over 1991-2010 at the surface along the coasts according to monthly estimates of rivers plastic waste input. They are advected by daily currents from a state-of-the-art global ocean model at 1/12° resolution. At the end of the simulation, particles remaining in the surface layer of 1~m thickness represent less than 2\% of the total particles released. These are concentrated in the center of subtropical ...
Source: frontiersin.org