G. Coppini | Università di Bologna (original) (raw)

Papers by G. Coppini

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2021

We performed stochastic simulations of hypothetical oil spills from a single-point buoy mooring a... more We performed stochastic simulations of hypothetical oil spills from a single-point buoy mooring and subsea pipeline for the Port of Taranto given that this port is an essential strategic hub in the European logistic chain. Our methodology integrates (1) the MEDSLIK-II oil spill model coupled to a high-resolution hydrodynamic model run on an unstructured grid in operational forecasting mode; (2) a hypothetical oil spill scenario based on a historical pipeline rupture at the Port of Genoa, 2016; and (3) randomly sampling the environmental conditions over 2018-2020. The main oil drift was found to be directed southwesterly towards the outlet to the open sea. When oil is transported by highly variable currents, waves and turbulent mixing, it is exposed to multiple strandings and washing-offs from concrete constructions in the port. Consequently, oil tends to be dispersed almost isotropically over the Mar Grande, indicating low to moderate pollution indices.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2020

In response to the oil spill caused by the collision between the Ro-Ro ship Ulysse and CSL Virgin... more In response to the oil spill caused by the collision between the Ro-Ro ship Ulysse and CSL Virginia on 7 th October 2018, the Lagrangian oil spill model MEDSLIK-II was utilized to predict spill transport and fate. Oil drift was forced by the high-resolution sea circulation provided by CMEMS and the ECMWF wind. Successive model runs were restarted 5 times with the distinct overflight-and satellite-derived observations provided by REMPEC and the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission. The results were verified based on the ability to predict the first oil-beaching event that happened near Saint-Tropez (France) in the early afternoon of 16 th October. Despite the general consistency among the runs, only the last initialization was able to forecast the oil beaching. Stochastic MEDSLIK-II simulations forced by the historical meteo-oceanographic datasets 2014-2018 revealed that the coastlines between Cap Lardier and the Gulf of Saint-Tropez were among the most impacted areas.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2018

Drift of floating debris is studied with a 2D Lagrangian model with stochastic beaching and sedim... more Drift of floating debris is studied with a 2D Lagrangian model with stochastic beaching and sedimentation of plastics. An ensemble of >1010 virtual particles is tracked from anthropogenic sources (coastal human populations, rivers, shipping lanes) to environmental destinations (sea surface, coastlines, seabed). Daily analyses of ocean currents and waves provided by CMEMS at a horizontal resolution of 1/16° are used to force the plastics. High spatio-temporal variability in sea-surface plastic concentrations without any stable long-term accumulations is found. Substantial accumulation of plastics is detected on coastlines and the sea bottom. The most contaminated areas are in the Cilician subbasin, Catalan Sea, and near the Po River Delta. Also, highly polluted local patches in the vicinity of sources with limited circulation are identified. An inverse problem solution, used to quantify the origins of plastics, shows that plastic pollution of every Mediterranean country is caused primarily by its own terrestrial sources.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2016

Sea surface concentrations of plastics and their fluxes onto coastlines are simulated over 2009-2... more Sea surface concentrations of plastics and their fluxes onto coastlines are simulated over 2009-2015. Calculations incorporate combinations of terrestrial and maritime litter inputs, the Lagrangian model MEDSLIK-II forced by AFS ocean current simulations, and ECMWF wind analyses. With a relatively short particle half-life of 43.7 days, the Adriatic Sea is defined as a highly dissipative basin where the shoreline is, by construction, the main sink of floating debris. Our model results show that the coastline of the Po Delta receives a plastic flux of approximately 70 kg(km day)-1. The most polluted sea surface area (N10 g km-2 floating debris) is represented by an elongated band shifted to the Italian coastline and narrowed from northwest to southeast. Evident seasonality is found in the calculated plastic concentration fields and the coastline fluxes. Complex source-receptor relationships among the basin's subregions are quantified in impact matrices.

Journal of Marine Research, 2017

This paper reviews the historical development of concepts and practices in the science of ocean p... more This paper reviews the historical development of concepts and practices in the science of ocean predictions. It begins with meteorology, which conducted the first forecasting experiment in 1950, followed by wind waves, and continuing with tidal and storm surge predictions to arrive at the first successful ocean mesoscale forecast in 1983. The work of Professor A. R. Robinson of Harvard University, who produced the first mesoscale ocean predictions for the deep ocean regions is documented for the first time. The scientific and technological developments that made accurate ocean predictions possible are linked with the gradual understanding of the importance of the oceanic mesoscales and their inclusion in the numerical models. Ocean forecasting developed first at the regional level, due to the relatively low computational requirements, but by the end of the 1990s, it was possible to produce global ocean uncoupled forecasts and coupled ocean-atmosphere seasonal forecasts.

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2016

SANIFS (Southern Adriatic Northern Ionian coastal Forecasting System) is a coastal-ocean operatio... more SANIFS (Southern Adriatic Northern Ionian coastal Forecasting System) is a coastal-ocean operational system based on the unstructured-grid finite-element three-dimensional hydrodynamic SHYFEM model and providing short-term forecasts. The operational chain is based on a downscaling approach starting from the large-scale system for the entire Mediterranean basin (MFS, Mediterranean Forecasting system), which provides initial and boundary condition fields to the nested system. The model is configured to provide hydrodynamics and active tracer forecasts both in open ocean and coastal waters of Southeastern Italy using a variable horizontal resolution from 3-4 km in the open sea to 500-50 m in the coastal areas. Given that the coastal fields are driven by a combination of both local/coastal and deep ocean forcings propagating along the shelf, the performance of SANIFS was verified both in forecast and simulation mode, first (i) at the large and shelf-coastal scales by comparing with a large scale survey CTD in the Gulf of Taranto and then (ii) at the coastal-harbour scale (Mar Grande of Taranto) by comparison with CTD, ADCP and tide gauge data. Sensitivity tests were performed on initialization conditions (mainly focused on spin-up procedures) and on surface boundary conditions by assessing the reliability of two alternative datasets at different horizontal resolution (12.5 and 6.5 km). The SANIFS forecasts at a lead-time of one day were compared with the MFS forecasts highlighting that SANIFS is able to retain the large scale dynamics of MFS. Those get correctly propagated to the shelf-coastal scale improving the forecast accuracy (+17% for temperature and +6% for salinity compared to MFS). Moreover the added value of SANIFS was assessed at coastal-harbour scale, which is not covered by the coarse resolution of MFS, where the SANIFS forecasted fields well reproduced the observations (temperature RMSE equal to 0.11°C). Furthermore SANIFS simulations were compared with hourly time-series of temperature, sea level and velocity measured at the coastal-harbour scale showing a good agreement. Simulations in the Gulf of Taranto described a circulation mainly characterized by an anticyclonic gyre with the presence of cyclonic vortexes in shelf-coastal areas. A surface water inflow from open sea to Mar Grande characterizes the coastal-harbour scale.

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 2016

In the Mediterranean sea the risk from oil spill pollution is high due to the heavy traffic of me... more In the Mediterranean sea the risk from oil spill pollution is high due to the heavy traffic of merchant vessels for transporting oil and gas, especially after the recent enlargement of the Suez canal and to the increasing coastal and offshore installations related to the oil industry in general. The basic response to major oil spills includes different measures and equipment. However, in order to strengthen the maritime safety related to oil spill pollution in the Mediterranean and to assist the response agencies, a multi-model oil spill prediction service has been set up, known as MEDESS-4MS (Mediterranean Decision Support System for Marine Safety). The concept behind the MEDESS-4MS service is the integration of the existing national ocean forecasting systems in the region with the Copernicus Marine Environmental Monitoring Service (CMEMS) and their interconnection, through a dedicated network data repository, facilitating access to all these data and to the data from the oil spill monitoring platforms, including the satellite data ones, with the well established oil spill models in the region. The MEDESS-4MS offer a range of service scenarios, multi-model data access and interactive capabilities to suite the needs of REMPEC (Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea) and EMSA-CSN (European Maritime Safety Agency-CleanseaNet).

Journal of Operational Oceanography, 2016

In this paper we show that operational oceanography products can be used to develop indicators as... more In this paper we show that operational oceanography products can be used to develop indicators as required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). We present a mixing indicator that is calculated using MyOcean Marine Service reanalysis products. Seasonal climatology data of the Brunt-Väisäla frequency (BVF) were computed for 2001-2010 and the vertical mixing coefficient was defined. A vertical mixing indicator was then computed in order to differentiate between different mixing conditions depending on the seasons and differentiating between the shelf and the open ocean in the central Mediterranean Sea.

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2016

A new web-based and mobile Decision Support System (DSS) for Search-And-Rescue (SAR) at sea is pr... more A new web-based and mobile Decision Support System (DSS) for Search-And-Rescue (SAR) at sea is presented, and its performance is evaluated using real case scenarios. The system, named OCEAN-SAR, is accessible via the website <a href="http://www.OCEAN-SAR.com"target="_blank">http://www.OCEAN-SAR.com</a&gt;. In addition to the website, dedicated applications for iOS and Android have been created to optimise the user experience on mobile devices. OCEAN-SAR simulates drifting objects at sea, using as input ocean currents and wind data provided, respectively, by the CMEMS and ECMWF. The modelling of the drifting objects is based on the Leeway model, which parameterises the wind drag of an object using a series of coefficients. These coefficients have been measured in field experiments for different types of objects, ranging from a person in the water to a coastal freighter adrift. OCEANSAR provides the user with an intuitive interface to run simulations and t...

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2016

VISIR (discoVerIng Safe and effIcient Routes) is an operational Decision Support System (DSS) for... more VISIR (discoVerIng Safe and effIcient Routes) is an operational Decision Support System (DSS) for ship routing designed and implemented in the frame of the TESSA (TEchnology for Situational Sea Awareness) project. The system is aimed to increase safety and efficiency of navigation through the use of forecast environmental fields and route optimization. VISIR can be accessed through both a web interface (<a href="http://www.visir-nav.com"target="_blank">www.visir-nav.com</a>) and mobile applications for both iOS and Android devices. This paper focuses on the technological infrastructure developed for operating VISIR as a DSS. Its main components are described, the major challenges faced by the operational system are highlighted, and its potential for interoperability is outlined.

Annales Geophysicae, 2003

In this paper we show results from numerical simulations carried out with a complex biogeochemica... more In this paper we show results from numerical simulations carried out with a complex biogeochemical fluxes model coupled with a one-dimensional high-resolution hydrodynamical model and implemented at three different locations of the northern Adriatic shelf. One location is directly affected bythe Po River influence, one has more open-sea characteristics and one is located in the Gulf of Trieste with an intermediate behavior; emphasis is put on the comparison with observations and on the functioning of the northern Adriatic ecosystem in the three areas. The work has been performed in a climatological context and has to be considered as preliminary to the development of three-dimensional numerical simulations. Biogeochemical model parameterizations have been ameliorated with a detailed description of bacterial substrate utilization associated with the quality of the dissolved organic matter (DOM), in order to improve the models capability in capturing the observed DOM dynamics in the basin. The coupled model has been calibrated and validated at the three locations by means of climatological data sets. Results show satisfactory model behavior in simulating local seasonal dynamics in the limit of the available boundary conditions and the one-dimensional implementation. Comparisons with available measurements of primary and bacterial production and bacterial abundances have been performed in all locations. Model simulated rates and bacterial dynamics are in the same order of magnitude of observations and show a qualitatively correct time evolution. The importance of temperature as a factor controlling bacteria efficiency is investigated with sensitivity experiments on the model parameterizations. The different model behavior and pelagic ecosystem structure developed by the model at the three locations can be attributed to the local hydrodynamical features and interactions with external inputs of nutrients. The onset of the winter/spring bloom in the climatological simulations is primarily driven by local stratification conditions. During summer the major carbon-transfer pathway developed by the model

2010 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2010

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2011

Marine pollution bulletin, Jan 15, 2015

An assessment of hazard stemming from operational oil ship discharges in the Southern Adriatic an... more An assessment of hazard stemming from operational oil ship discharges in the Southern Adriatic and Northern Ionian (SANI) Seas is presented. The methodology integrates ship traffic data, the fate and transport oil spill model MEDSLIK-II, coupled with the Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS) ocean currents, sea surface temperature analyses and ECMWF surface winds. Monthly and climatological hazard maps were calculated for February 2009 through April 2013. Monthly hazard distributions of oil show that the zones of highest sea surface hazard are located in the southwestern Adriatic Sea and eastern Ionian Sea. Distinctive "hot spots" appear in front of the Taranto Port and the sea area between Corfu Island and the Greek coastlines. Beached oil hazard maps indicate the highest values in the Taranto Port area, on the eastern Greek coastline, as well as in the Bari Port area and near Brindisi Port area.

TransNav, the International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation, 2013

A prototype for an operational ship routing Decision Support System using time-dependent meteo-oc... more A prototype for an operational ship routing Decision Support System using time-dependent meteo-oceanographic fields is presented. The control variable is ship course, which is modified using a directional resolution of less than 27 degrees. The shortest path is recovered using a modified Dijkstra's algorithm. Safety restrictions for avoiding surfriding and parametric rolling according to the guidelines of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are implemented. Numerical experiments tailored on a mediumsize vessel are presented and perspectives of development of the system are outlined.

PLoS ONE, 2012

Successfully enforced marine protected areas (MPAs) have been widely demonstrated to allow, withi... more Successfully enforced marine protected areas (MPAs) have been widely demonstrated to allow, within their boundaries, the recovery of exploited species and beyond their boundaries, the spillover of juvenile and adult fish. Little evidence is available about the so-called 'recruitment subsidy', the augmented production of propagules (i.e. eggs and larvae) due to the increased abundance of large-sized spawners hosted within effective MPAs. Once emitted, propagules can be locally retained and/or exported elsewhere. Patterns of propagule retention and/or export from MPAs have been little investigated, especially in the Mediterranean. This study investigated the potential for propagule production and retention/export from a Mediterranean MPA (Torre Guaceto, SW Adriatic Sea) using the white sea bream, Diplodus sargus sargus, as a model species. A multidisciplinary approach was used combining 1) spatial distribution patterns of individuals (post-settlers and adults) assessed through visual census within Torre Guaceto MPA and in northern and southern unprotected areas, 2) Lagrangian simulations of dispersal based on an oceanographic model of the region and data on early life-history traits of the species (spawning date, pelagic larval duration) and 3) a preliminary genetic study using microsatellite loci. Results show that the MPA hosts higher densities of larger-sized spawners than outside areas, potentially guaranteeing higher propagule production. Model simulations and field observation suggest that larval retention within and long-distance dispersal across MPA boundaries allow the replenishment of the MPA and of exploited populations up to 100 km down-current (southward) from the MPA. This pattern partially agrees with the high genetic homogeneity found in the entire study area (no differences in genetic composition and diversity indices), suggesting a high gene flow. By contributing to a better understanding of propagule dispersal patterns, these findings provide crucial information for the design of MPAs and MPA networks effective to replenish fish stocks and enhance fisheries in unprotected areas.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2021

We performed stochastic simulations of hypothetical oil spills from a single-point buoy mooring a... more We performed stochastic simulations of hypothetical oil spills from a single-point buoy mooring and subsea pipeline for the Port of Taranto given that this port is an essential strategic hub in the European logistic chain. Our methodology integrates (1) the MEDSLIK-II oil spill model coupled to a high-resolution hydrodynamic model run on an unstructured grid in operational forecasting mode; (2) a hypothetical oil spill scenario based on a historical pipeline rupture at the Port of Genoa, 2016; and (3) randomly sampling the environmental conditions over 2018-2020. The main oil drift was found to be directed southwesterly towards the outlet to the open sea. When oil is transported by highly variable currents, waves and turbulent mixing, it is exposed to multiple strandings and washing-offs from concrete constructions in the port. Consequently, oil tends to be dispersed almost isotropically over the Mar Grande, indicating low to moderate pollution indices.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2020

In response to the oil spill caused by the collision between the Ro-Ro ship Ulysse and CSL Virgin... more In response to the oil spill caused by the collision between the Ro-Ro ship Ulysse and CSL Virginia on 7 th October 2018, the Lagrangian oil spill model MEDSLIK-II was utilized to predict spill transport and fate. Oil drift was forced by the high-resolution sea circulation provided by CMEMS and the ECMWF wind. Successive model runs were restarted 5 times with the distinct overflight-and satellite-derived observations provided by REMPEC and the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission. The results were verified based on the ability to predict the first oil-beaching event that happened near Saint-Tropez (France) in the early afternoon of 16 th October. Despite the general consistency among the runs, only the last initialization was able to forecast the oil beaching. Stochastic MEDSLIK-II simulations forced by the historical meteo-oceanographic datasets 2014-2018 revealed that the coastlines between Cap Lardier and the Gulf of Saint-Tropez were among the most impacted areas.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2018

Drift of floating debris is studied with a 2D Lagrangian model with stochastic beaching and sedim... more Drift of floating debris is studied with a 2D Lagrangian model with stochastic beaching and sedimentation of plastics. An ensemble of >1010 virtual particles is tracked from anthropogenic sources (coastal human populations, rivers, shipping lanes) to environmental destinations (sea surface, coastlines, seabed). Daily analyses of ocean currents and waves provided by CMEMS at a horizontal resolution of 1/16° are used to force the plastics. High spatio-temporal variability in sea-surface plastic concentrations without any stable long-term accumulations is found. Substantial accumulation of plastics is detected on coastlines and the sea bottom. The most contaminated areas are in the Cilician subbasin, Catalan Sea, and near the Po River Delta. Also, highly polluted local patches in the vicinity of sources with limited circulation are identified. An inverse problem solution, used to quantify the origins of plastics, shows that plastic pollution of every Mediterranean country is caused primarily by its own terrestrial sources.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2016

Sea surface concentrations of plastics and their fluxes onto coastlines are simulated over 2009-2... more Sea surface concentrations of plastics and their fluxes onto coastlines are simulated over 2009-2015. Calculations incorporate combinations of terrestrial and maritime litter inputs, the Lagrangian model MEDSLIK-II forced by AFS ocean current simulations, and ECMWF wind analyses. With a relatively short particle half-life of 43.7 days, the Adriatic Sea is defined as a highly dissipative basin where the shoreline is, by construction, the main sink of floating debris. Our model results show that the coastline of the Po Delta receives a plastic flux of approximately 70 kg(km day)-1. The most polluted sea surface area (N10 g km-2 floating debris) is represented by an elongated band shifted to the Italian coastline and narrowed from northwest to southeast. Evident seasonality is found in the calculated plastic concentration fields and the coastline fluxes. Complex source-receptor relationships among the basin's subregions are quantified in impact matrices.

Journal of Marine Research, 2017

This paper reviews the historical development of concepts and practices in the science of ocean p... more This paper reviews the historical development of concepts and practices in the science of ocean predictions. It begins with meteorology, which conducted the first forecasting experiment in 1950, followed by wind waves, and continuing with tidal and storm surge predictions to arrive at the first successful ocean mesoscale forecast in 1983. The work of Professor A. R. Robinson of Harvard University, who produced the first mesoscale ocean predictions for the deep ocean regions is documented for the first time. The scientific and technological developments that made accurate ocean predictions possible are linked with the gradual understanding of the importance of the oceanic mesoscales and their inclusion in the numerical models. Ocean forecasting developed first at the regional level, due to the relatively low computational requirements, but by the end of the 1990s, it was possible to produce global ocean uncoupled forecasts and coupled ocean-atmosphere seasonal forecasts.

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2016

SANIFS (Southern Adriatic Northern Ionian coastal Forecasting System) is a coastal-ocean operatio... more SANIFS (Southern Adriatic Northern Ionian coastal Forecasting System) is a coastal-ocean operational system based on the unstructured-grid finite-element three-dimensional hydrodynamic SHYFEM model and providing short-term forecasts. The operational chain is based on a downscaling approach starting from the large-scale system for the entire Mediterranean basin (MFS, Mediterranean Forecasting system), which provides initial and boundary condition fields to the nested system. The model is configured to provide hydrodynamics and active tracer forecasts both in open ocean and coastal waters of Southeastern Italy using a variable horizontal resolution from 3-4 km in the open sea to 500-50 m in the coastal areas. Given that the coastal fields are driven by a combination of both local/coastal and deep ocean forcings propagating along the shelf, the performance of SANIFS was verified both in forecast and simulation mode, first (i) at the large and shelf-coastal scales by comparing with a large scale survey CTD in the Gulf of Taranto and then (ii) at the coastal-harbour scale (Mar Grande of Taranto) by comparison with CTD, ADCP and tide gauge data. Sensitivity tests were performed on initialization conditions (mainly focused on spin-up procedures) and on surface boundary conditions by assessing the reliability of two alternative datasets at different horizontal resolution (12.5 and 6.5 km). The SANIFS forecasts at a lead-time of one day were compared with the MFS forecasts highlighting that SANIFS is able to retain the large scale dynamics of MFS. Those get correctly propagated to the shelf-coastal scale improving the forecast accuracy (+17% for temperature and +6% for salinity compared to MFS). Moreover the added value of SANIFS was assessed at coastal-harbour scale, which is not covered by the coarse resolution of MFS, where the SANIFS forecasted fields well reproduced the observations (temperature RMSE equal to 0.11°C). Furthermore SANIFS simulations were compared with hourly time-series of temperature, sea level and velocity measured at the coastal-harbour scale showing a good agreement. Simulations in the Gulf of Taranto described a circulation mainly characterized by an anticyclonic gyre with the presence of cyclonic vortexes in shelf-coastal areas. A surface water inflow from open sea to Mar Grande characterizes the coastal-harbour scale.

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 2016

In the Mediterranean sea the risk from oil spill pollution is high due to the heavy traffic of me... more In the Mediterranean sea the risk from oil spill pollution is high due to the heavy traffic of merchant vessels for transporting oil and gas, especially after the recent enlargement of the Suez canal and to the increasing coastal and offshore installations related to the oil industry in general. The basic response to major oil spills includes different measures and equipment. However, in order to strengthen the maritime safety related to oil spill pollution in the Mediterranean and to assist the response agencies, a multi-model oil spill prediction service has been set up, known as MEDESS-4MS (Mediterranean Decision Support System for Marine Safety). The concept behind the MEDESS-4MS service is the integration of the existing national ocean forecasting systems in the region with the Copernicus Marine Environmental Monitoring Service (CMEMS) and their interconnection, through a dedicated network data repository, facilitating access to all these data and to the data from the oil spill monitoring platforms, including the satellite data ones, with the well established oil spill models in the region. The MEDESS-4MS offer a range of service scenarios, multi-model data access and interactive capabilities to suite the needs of REMPEC (Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea) and EMSA-CSN (European Maritime Safety Agency-CleanseaNet).

Journal of Operational Oceanography, 2016

In this paper we show that operational oceanography products can be used to develop indicators as... more In this paper we show that operational oceanography products can be used to develop indicators as required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). We present a mixing indicator that is calculated using MyOcean Marine Service reanalysis products. Seasonal climatology data of the Brunt-Väisäla frequency (BVF) were computed for 2001-2010 and the vertical mixing coefficient was defined. A vertical mixing indicator was then computed in order to differentiate between different mixing conditions depending on the seasons and differentiating between the shelf and the open ocean in the central Mediterranean Sea.

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2016

A new web-based and mobile Decision Support System (DSS) for Search-And-Rescue (SAR) at sea is pr... more A new web-based and mobile Decision Support System (DSS) for Search-And-Rescue (SAR) at sea is presented, and its performance is evaluated using real case scenarios. The system, named OCEAN-SAR, is accessible via the website <a href="http://www.OCEAN-SAR.com"target="_blank">http://www.OCEAN-SAR.com</a&gt;. In addition to the website, dedicated applications for iOS and Android have been created to optimise the user experience on mobile devices. OCEAN-SAR simulates drifting objects at sea, using as input ocean currents and wind data provided, respectively, by the CMEMS and ECMWF. The modelling of the drifting objects is based on the Leeway model, which parameterises the wind drag of an object using a series of coefficients. These coefficients have been measured in field experiments for different types of objects, ranging from a person in the water to a coastal freighter adrift. OCEANSAR provides the user with an intuitive interface to run simulations and t...

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 2016

VISIR (discoVerIng Safe and effIcient Routes) is an operational Decision Support System (DSS) for... more VISIR (discoVerIng Safe and effIcient Routes) is an operational Decision Support System (DSS) for ship routing designed and implemented in the frame of the TESSA (TEchnology for Situational Sea Awareness) project. The system is aimed to increase safety and efficiency of navigation through the use of forecast environmental fields and route optimization. VISIR can be accessed through both a web interface (<a href="http://www.visir-nav.com"target="_blank">www.visir-nav.com</a>) and mobile applications for both iOS and Android devices. This paper focuses on the technological infrastructure developed for operating VISIR as a DSS. Its main components are described, the major challenges faced by the operational system are highlighted, and its potential for interoperability is outlined.

Annales Geophysicae, 2003

In this paper we show results from numerical simulations carried out with a complex biogeochemica... more In this paper we show results from numerical simulations carried out with a complex biogeochemical fluxes model coupled with a one-dimensional high-resolution hydrodynamical model and implemented at three different locations of the northern Adriatic shelf. One location is directly affected bythe Po River influence, one has more open-sea characteristics and one is located in the Gulf of Trieste with an intermediate behavior; emphasis is put on the comparison with observations and on the functioning of the northern Adriatic ecosystem in the three areas. The work has been performed in a climatological context and has to be considered as preliminary to the development of three-dimensional numerical simulations. Biogeochemical model parameterizations have been ameliorated with a detailed description of bacterial substrate utilization associated with the quality of the dissolved organic matter (DOM), in order to improve the models capability in capturing the observed DOM dynamics in the basin. The coupled model has been calibrated and validated at the three locations by means of climatological data sets. Results show satisfactory model behavior in simulating local seasonal dynamics in the limit of the available boundary conditions and the one-dimensional implementation. Comparisons with available measurements of primary and bacterial production and bacterial abundances have been performed in all locations. Model simulated rates and bacterial dynamics are in the same order of magnitude of observations and show a qualitatively correct time evolution. The importance of temperature as a factor controlling bacteria efficiency is investigated with sensitivity experiments on the model parameterizations. The different model behavior and pelagic ecosystem structure developed by the model at the three locations can be attributed to the local hydrodynamical features and interactions with external inputs of nutrients. The onset of the winter/spring bloom in the climatological simulations is primarily driven by local stratification conditions. During summer the major carbon-transfer pathway developed by the model

2010 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2010

Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2011

Marine pollution bulletin, Jan 15, 2015

An assessment of hazard stemming from operational oil ship discharges in the Southern Adriatic an... more An assessment of hazard stemming from operational oil ship discharges in the Southern Adriatic and Northern Ionian (SANI) Seas is presented. The methodology integrates ship traffic data, the fate and transport oil spill model MEDSLIK-II, coupled with the Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS) ocean currents, sea surface temperature analyses and ECMWF surface winds. Monthly and climatological hazard maps were calculated for February 2009 through April 2013. Monthly hazard distributions of oil show that the zones of highest sea surface hazard are located in the southwestern Adriatic Sea and eastern Ionian Sea. Distinctive "hot spots" appear in front of the Taranto Port and the sea area between Corfu Island and the Greek coastlines. Beached oil hazard maps indicate the highest values in the Taranto Port area, on the eastern Greek coastline, as well as in the Bari Port area and near Brindisi Port area.

TransNav, the International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation, 2013

A prototype for an operational ship routing Decision Support System using time-dependent meteo-oc... more A prototype for an operational ship routing Decision Support System using time-dependent meteo-oceanographic fields is presented. The control variable is ship course, which is modified using a directional resolution of less than 27 degrees. The shortest path is recovered using a modified Dijkstra's algorithm. Safety restrictions for avoiding surfriding and parametric rolling according to the guidelines of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are implemented. Numerical experiments tailored on a mediumsize vessel are presented and perspectives of development of the system are outlined.

PLoS ONE, 2012

Successfully enforced marine protected areas (MPAs) have been widely demonstrated to allow, withi... more Successfully enforced marine protected areas (MPAs) have been widely demonstrated to allow, within their boundaries, the recovery of exploited species and beyond their boundaries, the spillover of juvenile and adult fish. Little evidence is available about the so-called 'recruitment subsidy', the augmented production of propagules (i.e. eggs and larvae) due to the increased abundance of large-sized spawners hosted within effective MPAs. Once emitted, propagules can be locally retained and/or exported elsewhere. Patterns of propagule retention and/or export from MPAs have been little investigated, especially in the Mediterranean. This study investigated the potential for propagule production and retention/export from a Mediterranean MPA (Torre Guaceto, SW Adriatic Sea) using the white sea bream, Diplodus sargus sargus, as a model species. A multidisciplinary approach was used combining 1) spatial distribution patterns of individuals (post-settlers and adults) assessed through visual census within Torre Guaceto MPA and in northern and southern unprotected areas, 2) Lagrangian simulations of dispersal based on an oceanographic model of the region and data on early life-history traits of the species (spawning date, pelagic larval duration) and 3) a preliminary genetic study using microsatellite loci. Results show that the MPA hosts higher densities of larger-sized spawners than outside areas, potentially guaranteeing higher propagule production. Model simulations and field observation suggest that larval retention within and long-distance dispersal across MPA boundaries allow the replenishment of the MPA and of exploited populations up to 100 km down-current (southward) from the MPA. This pattern partially agrees with the high genetic homogeneity found in the entire study area (no differences in genetic composition and diversity indices), suggesting a high gene flow. By contributing to a better understanding of propagule dispersal patterns, these findings provide crucial information for the design of MPAs and MPA networks effective to replenish fish stocks and enhance fisheries in unprotected areas.