Drift Patterns in Coastal Areas

Plastic pellets in the ocean are becoming an increasing environmental hazard all around the globe [1]. Modelling of drift patterns in coastal areas is a challenging task due to the complex topography causing a flow pattern that vary over short distances and during short periods in time. Due to increasing pollution, a need for accurate drift patterns is of great importance. In this project, a numerical ocean model is used together with a drift model in order to compute statistical results on where the pellets are most likely to accumulate on land with high accuracy. The statistical predictions compared with observations from an accident where 13 tonnes of plastic pellets were lost at sea during transit. The results were promising.