Journal article
Characterizing the Crosswind Structure of Artificial Seawater Droplet Plumes during a Sea Trial on the Great Barrier Reef
Environmental science & technology, Vol.First online
05/12/2025
PMID: 41347912
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Abstract
Shading coral from high solar irradiance has been suggested as an effective approach to reduce the risk of coral mortality due to bleaching. Spraying seawater droplets is potentially an effective way to provide shading at the scale of a single reef or a collection of reefs. For the first time, we provide in situ characterizations of artificially made seawater droplet plumes over coral reefs. Here, we analyzed 21 crosswind transects at the surface level carried out at multiple downwind distances of 1.5 km or less from the prototype seawater droplet generator. The average particle number size distribution of the sprayed seawater droplets showed a primary mode of 124 nm dry diameter and agreed with that collected in laboratory experiments. The observed particle number concentration of seawater droplet aerosols ranged from 103 to 105cm-3 and exhibited a monotonic decreasing trend with increasing plume transport time downwind of the seawater droplet generator. With a downwind transport time scale of up to 200 s, the estimated plume width can expand from 50 m to nearly 500 m. The results of this study will assist in estimating the shading provided by the seawater droplet plume and inform future scale-up of the technique on target reef areas.
Details
- Title
- Characterizing the Crosswind Structure of Artificial Seawater Droplet Plumes during a Sea Trial on the Great Barrier Reef
- Creators
- Zijun Li - Queensland University of TechnologyLuke Harrison - The University of SydneyJoel Alroe - Queensland University of TechnologyHolly Scoble - Queensland University of TechnologyCheng Chen - Sydney Institute of Marine ScienceChris Medcraft - Southern Cross UniversityCeylena Holloway - Southern Cross UniversityRichard Brown - Queensland University of TechnologyPaul Baker - Sydney Institute of Marine ScienceDaniel P Harrison - Southern Cross UniversityZoran Ristovski - Queensland University of Technology
- Publication Details
- Environmental science & technology, Vol.First online
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society; WASHINGTON
- Grant note
- Australian Governments Reef Trust: NA Great Barrier Reef Foundation: NA
The Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program is funded by the partnership between the Australian Governments Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. All of the authors acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef, particularly the Gidarjil Development Corporation, for organizing permission to undertake research in their traditional sea country and for participating in the research. This research was conducted under a permit issued by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (G23/47556.1).
- Identifiers
- 991013334915002368
- Copyright
- © 2025 American Chemical Society.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; National Marine Science Centre; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article