How to Measure the Montrose Coastal Currents

1. Where is Montrose?

Montrose is a lovely seaside town in Angus, Scotland. It is located on the south coast of the Firth of Tay, which borders the North Sea. This advantageous location has provided it with a long-standing and intimate connection with the sea, which has contributed heavily to the history of the town and the lifestyle of its inhabitants.

The town has a centuries-old affluent history. It used to be a small fishing village. With the growth in fishing and trade with time, it became a thriving town. The architecture of Montrose is a blend of traditional and modern architecture. There are old - fashioned stone - constructed houses with common Scottish features in the town center. These houses typically have tight, solid walls, little-framed windows, and highly pitched roofs, exuding timeless and traditional elegance. Near the harbor and the main roads, there are newer buildings. These have new shops, cafes, and accommodation centers, catering to both the local population and the travelers that frequent the city all year round. The mix of old - world charm and modern amenities is a winning combination.

Montrose residents are staunch admirers of the sea. Fishing has been a well - established profession for centuries. Although the scale of the fishing industry has ebbed and flowed through the centuries, some of the harbour's local fishermen still sail out. They bring back catches such as cod, haddock, and mackerel. The harbor is not only a hub for fishing but also a popular destination for locals and tourists to take boat tours. People can feel the ocean breeze, observe seabirds flying overhead, and experience the beautiful landscape of the Firth of Tay.

The beaches and marine areas around Montrose are of gigantic importance to the local ecosystem. The Firth of Tay is an unusual estuarine habitat in which the freshwater from the rivers mixes with the saltwater from the sea. This creates a highly productive and diverse marine community. The waters contain a variety of fish, seals, and even the occasional dolphin. The seabed is also topographically diverse, with sandy areas, scattered rocky outcrops, and underwater channels. These features do not just fuel an extravagant biodiversity but are vital aspects of the water's movement as well.

2. What is the Condition of the Coastal Currents along Montrose?

The coastal currents along Montrose have been affected by various factors. The tidal forces are significant among them. Firth of Tay experiences semi-diurnal tides with two high and two low waters every day. Tidal range may vary, and attendant tidal currents of up to 2 - 3 knots have been found in some sections of the firth, mainly at the mouth of rivers or along sections having a distinct coastal edge. In high tide, the water sweeps inward into the firth carrying over nutrients and sediments from the open sea. It enlivens the local sea to sustain many living things in the area for nutrition and habitats. As the tide recedes, the water falls away and the intertidal regions are exposed. The regions are alive with life, including tiny crabs, sea anemones, and different seaweeds.

Wind also plays a role. South-westerly winds dominate and can push surface waters along the shore, causing the coastal currents to be stronger. The winds also generate waves that mix with the currents, providing a more complex flow pattern. Northerly winds will drive the water off the beach. The shape of the coastline, including headlands and bays, and the unique features of the Firth of Tay, cause the currents to converge and diverge in many places. Submerged rocky outcrops and sandbars create complexity in the flow of the currents. These can be channels or barriers, deflecting the flow of water and creating areas of still or turbulent water. Apart from that, the freshwater supply from the rivers that empty into the Firth of Tay might affect the flow patterns locally. The freshwater being less dense compared to the sea water and consequently forming a surface layer, gets driven seawards and mixes up with the wind and tidal flow.

3. Observing the Coastal Water Flow of Montrose.

Surface Drifting Buoy Method

Surface-drifting buoys are a good but simple method of observing the surface-level currents at Montrose. The buoys are equipped with GPS or satellite-tracking devices. When released into the sea, the surface waters carry them along. Researchers can track their path over time. The speed and direction of the surface waters can be estimated by studying the trajectory covered by the buoy. But this method is only for the upper few meters of the water column. It might not be representative of what is happening in the deeper parts of the water, where the currents might be changing depending on changes in temperature and salinity.

Moored Ship Method

In the moored ship method, a ship is moored at a point near Montrose's shore. Then, present-measuring instruments like electromagnetic current meters are employed. They can measure the water flow at different depths. They provide an accurate vertical profile of the direction and velocity of the current. But this method is restricted to a single point. Moreover, the presence of the ship can be able to disrupt the natural flow of water. The ship's hull and anchoring will disturb the water, leading to turbulence in the water, which can affect the accuracy of the measurements.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Method

ADCPs have revolutionized coastal currents off Montrose measurements. ADCPs can measure the velocity profile of the entire water column from the bottom to the surface. ADCPs use sound waves to non-intrusively measure water flow. They release sound pulses and measure the Doppler shift of the backscattered signals from suspended material in the water, such as sediment, plankton, or fine bubbles. They can then calculate current velocity at several depths. This gives a comprehensive description of the current structure and is therefore highly suitable for the observation of complex coastal current patterns near Montrose.

4. What Must Be in Place for High-Quality Measurement of Montrose Coastal Currents?

Equipment Material Reliability

Equipment material reliability is critical for high-quality measurement of the coastal currents off Montrose. The ADCP profiler casing should be constructed from a material capable of withstanding the harsh marine environment in the Firth of Tay and North Sea. Titanium alloy is a suitable choice. Its hardness is also high, resisting the force of strong currents of water, potential impact from floating debris, and corrosive action of seawater. Its low elastic modulus provides elasticity, which reduces the impact of mechanical strain damage. In addition, its high corrosion resistance provides the guarantee that the ADCP flow meter can be submerged in the water for long-term monitoring without significant degradation.

Lightweight, Compact Size, Low Cost, and Low Power

Installation and operation are easier with a light and small ADCP meter. You can use it on a small research vessel, attach it to a buoy, or even fix it at the seabed. It is also less disrupting to the original flow of the water, thereby providing more accurate measurements. Low power consumption is important for long-term autonomous monitoring, especially for battery - operated systems. Low-cost ADCP allows mass deployment. This is necessary in order to have a complete understanding of the complex coastal current dynamics surrounding Montrose. With more ADCPs installed at different locations, we are able to comprehend better how the currents vary over the area.

5. How to Choose the Right Equipment for Current Measurement?

Based on Application

• Shipborne ADCP: Most appropriate for obtaining real - time current measurements along a ship track near Montrose. It can be used for oceanographic surveys, studying the overall circulation in the area, and for shipping route optimization, if any, around the region.
• Bottom-mounted ADCP: Suits best for long - term fixed - point observations of the bottom currents. Useful in tracking long - term trends in coastal currents, for example, the local marine environment under the impact of climate change.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: Particularly designed to record surface-level currents over a wide area or region since the buoy moves with the water. This is advantageous when observing the spatial distribution of the surface currents and how the coastal waters interact with the open North Sea.

Based on Water Depth

• 600kHz ADCP: Effective for water depths up to about 70m, and high-resolution measurement being available in the relatively shallow waters off Montrose.
• 300kHz ADCP: A suitable depth of about 110m can be useful where slightly deeper areas are found in the Firth of Tay off the town.
• 75kHz ADCP: Optimized for use in deep-water applications. Despite the waters at Montrose commonly not being overwhelmingly deep, it can be applied to deeper-layer current studies or deeper channel locations, and has the ability to measure up to 1000m of depths.

There are several well-known ADCP brands on the global market, such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. For budget-sensitive buyers, China Sonar PandaADCP, made of all-titanium alloy, is an excellent compromise between price and quality. You can learn more about it at (https://china-sonar.com/).

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