Hydrodynamique et transport de particules en suspension dans le lagon sud-ouest de Nouvelle-Calédonie

This thesis participates to a study that has been lead for several years by IRD which aims increased knowledge of hydrodynamics and transport of dissolved substances and particles on the South-West Lagoon of New Caledonia (SLNC). This work stands on field measurements and numerical modelling.The first step of this thesis is an attempt to synthesise the great amount of data produced by a numerical hydrodynamic model (MARS3D). Indexes having the dimension of time and related to the renewal of water masses were computed from numerical tools applied to the hydrodynamic model. The computation methods, the significance and the application of these indexes to the Southwest Lagoon of New-Caledonia (SLNC) are exposed. Examples ofapplication of these indexes aiming to quantify the influence of hydrodynamics on biological processes are shown.Out of flooding periods, the re-suspension of freshly deposited sediments is the main source of suspended particles on the SLNC. The combined actions of waves and currents induce a bottom shear stress that is responsible for particle re-suspension. In order to access the wave field characteristics, a wave model (WavewatchIII) was implemented over the SLNC. It was validated by in situ directional measurements of the wave field.The last part of this thesis focuses on the determination of physical properties of suspended particles such as particle size distributions, density, and fall velocity, are compulsory to model particle transport. This work stands on in situ measurements and laboratory experiences performed with laser particle size analyser. Results emphasise the importance of bioaggregation in a coral reef ecosystem.Cette thèse s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une étude conduite depuis plusieurs années par l’IRD qui vise à mieux connaître les processus de l’hydrodynamique et du transport d’éléments dissous et de particules dans le Lagon Sud-Ouest de Nouvelle Calédonie (SLNC). Les travaux présentés s’appuient sur des mesures de terrain et la modélisation numérique.Le premier volet de la thèse vise à synthétiser l’abondante information produite par un modèle numérique hydrodynamique (MARS3D). Des indices relatifs au renouvellement des masses d’eau et ayant la dimension d’un temps, communément appelés temps de résidence, sont élaborés à partir d’outils numériques. La signification de ces indices, leur mode de calcul et leur application au SLNC sont exposés. Plusieurs applications mettent en évidence les effets de l’hydrodynamique sur des processus biologiques et biochimiques.Hors période de crue, les sédiments fraîchement déposés constituent la principale source de particules en suspension. Les tensions de cisaillement provoquées par les effets combinés de la houle et du courant provoquent leur remise en suspension. Pour les calculer en tout point, il est nécessaire de simuler précisément le champ de vagues. La seconde partie de la thèse y est consacrée. Pour cela, le modèle de houle WaveWatchIII est adapté au SLNC et validé par des mesures directionnelles de vagues.Le troisième et dernier volet de la thèse est focalisé sur la détermination des propriétés physiques des particules en suspension. Ces paramètres (concentration par classe granulométrique, densité, vitesse de chute) sont nécessaires pour modéliser le transport desparticules. Ce travail s’appuie sur des mesures in situ et des expériences en laboratoire réalisées à l’aide d’un granulomètre laser

Water residence time : A regulatory factor of the DOM to POM transfer efficiency

The pools of dissolved (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) and of transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) were studied along two sampling gradients in the lagoon of New Caledonia in relation to the residence time of the water masses. The efficiency of the transfer of material from the dissolved to the particulate phase via TEP formation, indicating the physicochemical reactivity of organic matter, was investigated. DOM, POM, and TEP concentration increased along the sampling gradients, but their relative proportions varied. The contribution of the TEP pool to POM increased from 20% to 60%, from the most oligotrophic stations to the more anthropogenically affected bays. According to the low density of TEP and to the observed variations of the proportion of TEP compared with more conventional and solid particles, the aggregates formed inside the bays would be either neutrally or positively buoyant, whereas in the vicinity of the coral barrier, they would be negatively buoyant. As a result, the downward export of organic matter inside the bays might be greatly reduced, thereby prolonging the residence time of organic matter in the water column. The efficiency of the DOM/TEP transformation and the TEP turnover rate dropped drastically when the residence time increased from 0 to 50 d, suggesting that the reactivity of organic matter is reduced as it ages. The very high residence time of the water mass inside the bays, constrained by the hydrodynamic circulation inside the lagoon, favors the installation of a feedback system in which organic matter is not exported and is continuously degraded, leading to the formation of refractory DOM with a low physicochemical reactivity. In contrast, organic matter produced in areas in which water mass has a low residence time (i.e., near the coral barrier) is rapidly exported because of its high physicochernical reactivity

Hydrodynamique et transport de particules en suspension dans le lagon Sud-ouest de Nouvelle-Calédonie

TOULON-BU Centrale (830622101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Calculations of hydrodynamic time parameters in a semi-opened coastal zone using a 3D hydrodynamic model

Hydrodynamic time parameters (HTs) in a semi-opened aquatic ecosystem are synthetic indicators offering the opportunity to bring out the links between its physical functioning and its biology. The generic term "residence time" is frequently used through literature to mention HTs resulting in various calculation methods. This article presents different computing methods relying on the use of a 3D numerical hydrodynamic model and the HTs to which they give access. Several large-scale (water exchange time, average water export time, e-flushing time) and local time parameters (export time, flushing lag, local e-flushing time) are defined. The applications presented are carried out within the south-west lagoon of New Caledonia (SLNC), on three embedded control volumes. The definition of the control volume is more important for the values of local HTs than for their comparative distribution. The comparison of the global hydrodynamic time scales applied to a control volume provides information on the mixing processes inside the control volume. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Effects of waves on coastal water dispersion in a small estuarine bay

A three-dimensional wave-current model is used to investigate wave-induced circulations in a small estuarine bay and its impact on freshwater exchanges with the inner shelf, related to stratified river plume dispersion. Modeled salinity fields exhibit a lower salinity surface layer due to river outflows, with typical depth of 1 m inside the bay. The asymmetric wave forcing on the bay circulation, related to the local bathymetry, significantly impacts the river plumes. It is found that the transport initiated in the surf zone by the longshore current can oppose and thus reduce the primary outflow of freshwater through the bay inlets. Using the model to examine a high river runoff event occurring during a high-energy wave episode, waves are found to induce a 24 h delay in freshwater evacuation. At the end of the runoff event, waves have reduced the freshwater flux to the ocean by a factor 5, and the total freshwater volume inside the bay is increased by 40%. According to the model, and for this event, the effect of the surf zone current on the bay flushing is larger than that of the wind. The freshwater balance is sensitive to incident wave conditions. Maximum freshwater retention is found for intermediate offshore wave heights 1 m < Hs < 2 m. For higher-energy waves, the increase in the longshore current reduces the retention, which is two times lower for Hs = 4 m than for Hs = 2 m

Wind wave measurements and modelling in a fetch-limited semi-enclosed lagoon

The south-west reef lagoon of New Caledonia is a semi-enclosed basin where, on first approximation dominating sea state component corresponds to locally generated wind waves. This study aims to evaluate the ability of the wave model WAVEWATCH III to simulate wind wave distribution in this particular fetchlimited context, with a given parameterisation. In order to evaluate the consistency of the simulation results, wave parameters were measured in situ by a wave and tide recorder (WTR9 Aanderaa) and by an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV Sontek). This study underlines specific constrains for the deployment of instruments to assess the characteristic parameters of low amplitude and high frequency wind-waves. Special care was taken in the comparison step as, on one hand the wave model did not simulate the propagation of low-frequency oceanic waves inside the lagoon, and on the other hand the measured spectra bear an intrinsic limitation for high frequencies. The approximation of a sea state dominated by wind waves is verified on the study site. The accuracy of the simulation results is discussed with regards to the wind forcing applied to the model

Correspondence between the distribution of hydrodynamic time parameters and the distribution of biological and chemical variables in a semi-enclosed coral reef lagoon

Hydrodynamic modeling can be used to spatially characterize water renewal rates in coastal ecosystems. Using a hydrodynamic model implemented over the semi-enclosed Southwest coral lagoon of New Caledonia, a recent study computed the flushing lag as the minimum time required for a particle coming from outside the lagoon (open ocean) to reach a specific station [Jouon, A., Douillet, P., Ouillon, S., Fraunie, P., 2006. Calculations of hydrodynamic time parameters in a semi-opened coastal zone using a 3D hydrodynamic model. Continental Shelf Research 26, 1395-1415]. Local e-flushing time was calculated as the time requested to reach a local grid mesh concentration of 1/e from the precedent step. Here we present an attempt to connect physical forcing to biogeochemical functioning of this coastal ecosystem. An array of stations, located in the lagoonal channel as well as in several bays under anthropogenic influence, was sampled during three cruises. We then tested the statistical relationships between the distribution of flushing indices and those of biological and chemical variables. Among the variables tested, silicate, chlorophyll a and bacterial biomass production present the highest correlations with flushing indices. Correlations are higher with local e-flushing times than with flushing lags or the sum of these two indices. In the bays, these variables often deviate from the relationships determined in the main lagoon channel. In the three bays receiving significant riverine inputs, silicate is well above the regression line, whereas data from the bay receiving almost insignificant freshwater inputs generally fit the lagoon channel regressions. Moreover, in the three bays receiving important urban and industrial effluents, chlorophyll a and bacterial production of biomass generally display values exceeding the lagoon channel regression trends whereas in the bay under moderate anthropogenic influence values follow the regressions obtained in the lagoon channel. The South West lagoon of New Caledonia can hence be viewed as a coastal mesotrophic ecosystem that is flushed by oligotrophic oceanic waters which subsequently replace the lagoonal waters with water considerably impoverished in resources for microbial growth. This flushing was high enough during the periods of study to influence the distribution of phytoplankton biomass, bacterial production of biomass and silicate concentrations in the lagoon channel as well as in some of the bay areas

Spatio-temporal variability in suspended particulate matter concentration and the role of aggregation on size distribution in a coral reef lagoon

This paper presents the concentration and size distribution of suspended particles in the South-West Coral reef lagoon of the island of New Caledonia. Data are provided by filtration techniques, Optical BackScattering (OBS) measurements and in situ laser diffraction particle sizing. The concentration of suspended particles increased from reef to land. A bottom nepheloid layer occurred over the entire lagoon. and was more distinct on the nearshore area. Small particles were more abundant in the bottom nepheloid layer than in the overlying water column. The concentration of suspended particles showed more variability over space than over time. Conversely. the particle size distribution of suspended particles showed more variability at a given location over a month (time variability) than at a given moment over the lagoon (space variability). Analysis showed that aggregates represented a large fraction of suspended particles. Microscope visualization and chemical analysis of a sample suggest the inclusion of a transparent exopolymeric matrix. The relative abundance of aggregates over suspended particle volume concentration was found to increase as tire quantity of suspended particle decreased. The spatial distribution of the relative abundance of aggregates suggests more aggregates proximal to coral reefs. The high concentration of aggregates at low turbidity and the spatial distribution of the relative abundance, infer that aggregation is induced by the presence of organic ligands. Unlike optical backscattering and light attenuation measurements that are size sensitive measurements of suspended particle concentration, in situ laser diffraction particle sizing provides a relevant optical measurement of suspended particulate matter in such an aggregate-dominated system