How do we measure the coastal currents of Nueva Gerona?

1. Where is Nueva Gerona?

Nueva Gerona is the capital of Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth), a Cuban island situated on the southern coast of Cuba. The island, formerly known as the Isle of Pines, is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. The city sits on a gently sloping terrain, which is a mixture of low hills and flat coastal plains. It hosts around 46,000 inhabitants, and its inhabitants engage in varied activities like agriculture (pineapple fruit production), fishing, and tourism.

Because it is near the Caribbean Sea, it is warm throughout the year and tropical in nature. Its coastal area possesses beautiful beaches, and the water with its sparkling quality encourages an ample variety of marine life to grow. Nueva Gerona's geographical location, being on an island, makes it a hub for local and regional naval activities. It has a port that is a critical point of contact for the movement of goods and people to and from Cuba's mainland.

2. What is the state of the coastal currents around Nueva Gerona?

The coastal currents around Nueva Gerona are dictated by a number of factors. The tidal currents are one of the significant determinants. Semi - diurnal tides prevail in the Caribbean Sea, that is, there are two daily high tides and two daily low tides. These variations in tides make water run in and out of the bays and coves along the island, which influences the local coastal currents. The island shape and the depth of the adjacent waters also have an influence. Narrow island channels or coastal channels can reduce the speed of the water, hence increasing the speed of the currents in the region.

Currents caused by the wind are also important. Trade winds that blow from the northeast in the Caribbean can force the surface waters and create the coastal currents on the surface level. As hurricane season, typically June to November, advances, the power of tropical storm winds can have a profound impact on both speed and direction of current in existence. The Caribbean Current, being part of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, can also influence general oceanic flow within the domain of Nueva Gerona, although its influence on island coastal currents is moderated by the existence of the island itself.

3. How to track the coastal water current of Nueva Gerona?

Surface Drift Buoy Method

Surface drift buoys are simple and effective instruments for tracking coastal water current. Surface drift buoys are designed to stay on the surface of water and are equipped with tracking devices, commonly GPS. When they are deployed in the water along the coast of Nueva Gerona, they follow the surface currents. By measuring the position of the buoy at regular intervals, the direction and velocity of the flow of surface-layer water can be calculated. However, this technique provides information only about the topmost part of the column of water and is extremely sensitive to wind-wave influences.

Anchored Ship Method

In the anchored ship technique, a ship is anchored seaward at a fixed location off the coast of Nueva Gerona. Current meters are subsequently dropped off the ship at various depths. The meters take measurements of the speed and direction of the current at each depth. While the method can produce a vertical profile of the currents, it is limited to a single point. The presence of the ship will also disrupt the natural flow of the water, which can have an effect on the accuracy of the readings.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Method

ADCP has been more advanced and at the same time, more accessible in measuring Nueva Gerona's coastal currents. ADCPs are able to provide real - time, high - resolution observations with a substantial vertical range over the water column. This makes them highly competent to study complex coastal current structures surrounding the island.

4. On what principle are Doppler-principle ADCPs based and how do they operate?

ADCPs are based on the Doppler principle. They broadcast acoustic signals into the water. When the acoustic signals encounter particles in the water, such as sediment or microscopic marine life, the signals get reflected back to the ADCP flow meter. The returned signals have a different frequency compared to the sent frequency. This Doppler shift, or variation, is proportional to the velocity of the particles and thus the water flow. By measuring this Doppler shift at multiple depths, the ADCP current profiler can calculate the speed and direction of the water flow at various levels within the water column. This allows for a complete understanding of the coastal current structure off Nueva Gerona.

5. What are the requirements for high-quality measurement of Nueva Gerona coastal currents?

High-quality measurement of Nueva Gerona's coastal currents demands that the measurement equipment meet a series of requirements. Material reliability is most important. With the corrosive seawater in the Caribbean, the equipment must be made from materials that can withstand long-term saltwater corrosion. Compactness is preferable because it reduces interference with natural flow of water. Light weight is also essential, especially for scenarios where the equipment has to be rapidly deployed in different locations. Low power requirements are essential, especially for unmanned, long-term monitoring in coastal offshore regions. Cost - effectiveness is also vital, as this enables large - scale deployment of measuring equipment.

In the case of ADCPs, the material for casing is extremely important. The application of titanium alloy to ADCP casings is ideal. Titanium alloy is highly corrosion resistant, a factor that is necessary for utilization in the long term in the salty conditions of the sea encircling Nueva Gerona. It offers a high strength - to - weight ratio as well, and thus it is light yet strong. This helps the ADCP withstand physical forces and pressure under oceanic conditions.

6. Choosing proper equipment for current measurement?

According to Use

• Ship-borne ADCP: This is the optimum one to utilize for coastal-wide surveys of the waters off Nueva Gerona. Mounted on research vessels, it can span a wide distance as the vessel moves, providing good information about the spatial structure of coastal currents.
• Bottom-mounted ADCP: Installed on the seafloor, it is suitable for point - scale observation over a long period of time. It is applicable for the continuous monitoring of current data for extended durations, which can be useful in the analysis of long - term properties and tendencies of coastal currents surrounding Nueva Gerona.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: It is mounted on floating buoys and employed to measure surface and near-surface currents. It is convenient for deployment in inaccessible locations with a ship or where there is a need for unattended, long-term observation.

Based on Frequency

The frequency of the ADCPs also matters. A 600kHz ADCP is suitable for water depths of up to about 70m. It provides high-resolution information and is therefore well adapted to the comparatively shallow waters off Nueva Gerona. A 300kHz ADCP can be used to depths of up to 110m, sacrificing some resolution in favor of penetration depth. For deeper depths, to 1000m, a 75kHz ADCP is preferable since it can penetrate deeper but with less resolution than the higher-frequency models.

There are a number of well-known ADCP manufacturers available in the market, including Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. But for the one who wants an economic choice but without a compromise on quality, ADCP manufacturer China Sonar PandaADCP of Chinese origin is the best option. It is an economic ADCP constructed with all - titanium alloy materials that will ensure high - quality corrosion resistance and longevity. With its amazing cost - performance ratio, it is a very suitable choice for researchers and organizations who must take bulk coastal current measurements around Nueva Gerona. For more information about them, visit their website at https://china-sonar.com/.

Here is a table with some well known ADCP instrument brands and models.