WP3.AZ3 - Design of relocatable observational emergency systems

The action aims to design, implement and test operatively a relocatable observing system and the functional organization of an emergency task force for sea emergencies and for the Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA), making system with the other components of the Subproject.

A relocatable observing system is composed of a number of anchorages with oceanographic instruments to be placed in a specific area, even in emergency situations, for a long time but defined, in order to capture the maximum of the spatial and temporal variability. As a consequence, this could resolve scientific problems, monitor the effects of natural and/or anthropic events, more or less catastrophic (e.g. Haven disaster, Genoa flood, Cinque Terre, thermal vents of Panarea, Stromboli tsunami, environmental monitoring for marine works, etc..) or choose new permanent sites of environmental monitoring. An example of a possible application of a relocatable observing system is the study of the dense water cascading of platform in Southern Adriatic Sea. The dense water of platform (NAdDW) is formed in the North Adriatic Sea during cold and dry winters. After its formation, it moves south along the Italian coast, partly it fills the pit of Pomo, 230m deep, and 1-2 months after it reaches the Southern Adriatic Sea where it sinks through cascading events, transferring large amounts of nutrients, organic substance, dissolved oxygen, CO2 and pollutants to the deep sea ecosystems. This morphobathimetric map shows the relocatable fixed sites whose positions have been chosen on the basis of the distribution of the bottom forms. The arrows indicate the directions of currents obtained by the orientation of sedimentary structures.

Action leader Leonardo Langone - ISMAR