Next Generation Hydro Software

A few years ago Deltares started a large multidisciplinary project named Next Generation Hydro Software. The main focus of the project is to improve, harmonize and integrate existing hydro software that has been developed throughout the years. Important technological innovations include development of the new computational core D-Flow Flexible Mesh, as well as the user-friendly, open modelling environment Delta Shell. The project involves more than 40 scientists and software engineers. The new integrated system will allow both water managers and modellers to do their work better and faster. The unique characteristic of the project is that it focuses on the possibility of setting up integrated models of the whole aquatic chain from the source to the sea, resulting in complex model configurations. The challenges further increase because of the involvement of experts from many different fields within the aforementioned aquatic chain. Furthermore, the project addresses the complete workflow of a modeller, including model setup, calibration and validation. For this purpose the system includes new scientific visualization, analysis and interactive modeling tools that enable users to improve their understanding of the modelled processes. Applications of the system show the successful integration of 0D (lumped hydrological models and real-time control rules), 1D (river flow and water quality models) and 2D/3D model components (river, estuary and coastal areas). In this paper some of the preliminary results of the project are demonstrated, as well as its current status and a preview of possible future developments

The Distribution of Nickel in the West-Atlantic Ocean, Its Relationship With Phosphate and a Comparison to Cadmium and Zinc

Nickel (Ni) is a bio-essential element required for the growth of phytoplankton. It is the least studied bio-essential element, mainly because surface ocean Ni concentrations are never fully depleted and Ni is not generally considered to be a limiting factor. However, stimulation of growth after Ni addition has been observed in past experiments when seemingly ample ambient dissolved Ni was present, suggesting not all dissolved Ni is bio-available. This study details the distribution of Ni along the GEOTRACES GA02 Atlantic Meridional section. Concentrations of Ni were lowest in the surface ocean and the lowest observed concentration of 1.7 nmol kg(-1) was found in the northern hemisphere (NH). The generally lower surface concentrations in the NH subtropical gyre compared to the southern hemisphere (SH), might be related to a greater Ni uptake by nitrogen fixers that are stimulated by iron (Fe) deposition. The distribution of Ni resembles the distribution of cadmium (Cd) and also features a so called kink (change in the steepness of slope) in the Ni-PO4 relationship. Like for Cd, this is caused by the mixing of Nordic and Antarctic origin water masses. The overall distribution of Ni is driven by mixing with an influence of regional remineralization. This influence of remineralization is, with a maximum remineralization contribution of 13% of the highest observed concentration, smaller than for Cd (30%), but larger than for zinc (Zn; 6%). The uptake pattern in the formation regions of Antarctic origin water masses is suggested to be more similar to Zn than to Cd, however, the surface concentrations of Ni are never fully depleted. This results in a North Atlantic concentration distribution of Ni where the trends of increasing and decreasing concentrations between water masses are similar to those observed for Cd, but the actual concentrations as well as the uptake and remineralization patterns are different between these elements

Developing a crowdsourcing application for responsible production in Africa

With modern supply chains spanning the globe, materials or components that companies use in their products may be sourced from areas prone to injustice and human rights abuse. A major challenge stakeholders face is the gathering of accurate data regarding producers in these areas. In this paper we introduce CARPA, a web application designed to gather reports on incidents and initiatives related to responsible production through crowd-sourcing. We describe its user-centric iterative process of development as well as its design and how this is influenced by the application context. Finally we discuss the challenges faced and the way forward