Topic Review
Τhe “GPS/GNSS on Boat” Technique
The opening up of the global positioning system (GPS) for non-military uses provided a new impetus for the study of the sea surface topography (SST) and geoid, especially in coastal areas which are important from the viewpoint of the climate crisis. The application of the “GPS/GNSS on boat” method, as an alternative to traditional (indirect and direct) methods, has provided detailed SST maps in coastal and oceanic areas with an accuracy of up to few centimeters.
  • 483
  • 06 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Wave Energy Generation in Brazil
Seas and oceans offer great potential as a widely available source of clean and renewable energy near high energy consumption centers. This source of energy is a valuable option in the energy transition and in energy matrix decarbonization. Wave energy and an oscillating water column (OWC) device stand out as the types of ocean energy with the most potential. An onshore OWC requires locations with rocky outcrops and steeper slopes as the device needs to be physically installed and has lower energy dissipation due to friction with the seabed. However, Brazil has approximately 7490 km of coastlines, with various shoreline geometries and geomorphologies, some of which are very suitable for OWC implementation.
  • 218
  • 27 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Upwelling in Marginal Seas
Upwelling refers to the upward movement of deep nutrient-rich and low-temperature waters to the surface, resulting in colder surface or near-surface waters with low dissolved oxygen, high density, and high salinity. Upwelling is economically and ecologically significant in the coastal marine system, making it high-priority research. Although representing <1% of the total surface area of the ocean, upwelling regions provide approximately 8% of the global marine primary production and more than 20% of the world’s capture fisheries. With an increase in offshore transport, strong upwelling usually transports phytoplankton and zooplankton towards the convergence offshore frontal system rapidly, relative to a weaker upwelling that limits the nutrient enrichment in the photic zone. Apart from boosting primary productivity and fishery production, upwelling is also crucial for the atmosphere-ocean carbon dioxide exchange and carbon recycling processes.
  • 335
  • 04 Aug 2023
Topic Review
The Tyrrhenian Sea Circulation
Knowledge about marine circulation and its variability is a basic requirement for the correct management of activities aimed at exploiting marine resources and for the prevention and eventual mitigation of the risks involved. The activities of the Marine Hazard Project, to which this special number of Sustainability is dedicated, focus on geothermal resources connected with some submerged volcanic systems located in the Tyrrhenian Sea. This sea hosts delicate coastal and marine ecosystems, and is characterized by rich dynamics, both driven by the interaction of the local forcing with the complex morphology and bathymetry of the basin, and by exchanges with adjacent sub-basins which take place at all depths. 
  • 1.4K
  • 17 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Single Point Mooring (SPM) Systems with Buoys
The SPM system consists of four main components, namely, the body of the buoy, the anchoring and mooring components, the fluid transfer system and the ancillary elements. Static legs linked to the seabed underneath the surface keep the buoy body in place. Above the water level, the body has a spinning portion that is attached to the offloading/loading tanker. A roller bearing, referred to as the main bearing, connects these two portions. Due to this array, the anchored tanker can easily weather-vane around the buoy and find a steady position. The concept of the buoy is determined by the type of bearing utilized and the divide between the rotating and geostatic sections. The buoy’s size is determined by the amount of counter buoyancy required to keep the anchor chains in place, and the chains are determined by environmental conditions and vessel size.
  • 9.1K
  • 19 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Shipowners’ Choices of Alternative Marine Fuels
It is interesting to find that alternative fuels (e.g., liquefied natural gas) are the most attractive choice for gas ships and ro-ro carriers; others prefer to use conventional fuels. Furthermore, shipowners’ choices of new fuels significantly correlate with their nationality is revealed. While it is well-established that economic factors influence shipowners’ choices for new ship fuel solutions, the impacts of bunker costs, freight rates, and CO2 emission allowance prices remain relatively limited. It is evident that the policies of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reduce carbon emissions have increased the demand for building new energy ships. 
  • 138
  • 23 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Shallow Marine Sediments
Geological structure changes, including deformations and ruptures, developed in shallow marine sediments are well recognized but were not systematically reviewed in previous studies. These structures, generally developed at a depth less than 1000 m below seafloor, are considered to play a significant role in the migration, accumulation, and emission of hydrocarbon gases and fluids, and the formation of gas hydrates, and they are also taken as critical factors affecting carbon balance in the marine environment.
  • 1.3K
  • 25 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Seabed Mapping
Over the last few centuries, mapping the ocean seabed has been a major challenge for marine geoscientists. Knowledge of seabed bathymetry and morphology has significantly impacted our understanding of our planet dynamics. The history and scientific trends of seabed mapping can be assessed by data mining prior studies. Here, we have mined the scientific literature using the keyword “seabed mapping” to investigate and provide the evolution of mapping methods and emphasize the main trends and challenges over the last 90 years. An increase in related scientific production was observed in the beginning of the 1970s, together with an increased interest in new mapping technologies. The last two decades have revealed major shift in ocean mapping. The future of seabed mapping brings high expectations, considering that this is one of the main research and development themes for the United Nations Decade of the Oceans. We may expect a new higher resolution ocean seafloor map that might be as influential as The Floor of the Oceans map.
  • 773
  • 25 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Satellite Altimetry for Ocean and Coastal Applications
More than 30 years of observations from an international suite of satellite altimeter missions continue to provide key data enabling research discoveries and a broad spectrum of operational and user-driven applications. These missions were designed to advance technologies and to answer scientific questions about ocean circulation, ocean heat content, and the impact of climate change on these Earth systems. They are also a valuable resource for the operational needs of oceanographic and weather forecasting agencies that provide information to shipping and fishing vessels and offshore operations for route optimization and safety, as well as for other decision makers in coastal, water resources, and disaster management fields. This time series of precise measurements of ocean surface topography (OST)—the “hills and valleys” of the ocean surface—reveals changes in ocean dynamic topography, tracks sea level variations at global to regional scales, and provides key information about ocean trends reflecting climate change in our warming world. Advancing technologies in new satellite systems allows measurements at higher spatial resolution ever closer to coastlines, where the impacts of storms, waves, and sea level rise on coastal communities and infrastructure are manifest. 
  • 172
  • 24 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Resistivity Logging Progress of Marine Gas Hydrate
Marine gas hydrate has accumulated special characteristics, such as greater water depth, non-diagenesis, and irregular and uneven distribution. These characteristics lead to great challenges in gas hydrate evaluation and exploitation. The free gas layer is often developed below the bottom boundary of the submarine hydrate stability zone.
  • 418
  • 26 May 2022
  • Page
  • of
  • 4