How to Measure the Stonehaven Coastal Currents

1. Where is Stonehaven?

Stonehaven is a lovely coastal town located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is situated along the coast of the North Sea, with a good location that has shaped its development and life of its inhabitants. The town has grown to become a place with a history of affinity towards the sea, which has impacted its economy to its culture.

The town has a lot of history. It has been a fishing harbour for centuries. It has grown and increased over the centuries and yet has preserved its unique character. The houses in Stonehaven are a combination of old and new. There are old - fashioned stone - built houses in the town centre. They have thick walls, small slim-paned windows, and steeply pitched roofs, all very typical Scottish-style. They all show signs of how things have been, though. Around the harbour, some of the new cafe eateries, together with a few small shops, have also appeared. They suit locals as well as the temporary tourist that sticks around town for one year, the full twelve months. The mix of old and new creates an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality.

There is a close-knit relationship of the people in Stonehaven with the sea. Fishing is an age-old industry that has been in existence for generations. Though the economy in the area has diversified, fishing is still at the center of the town. Locals who are fishermen venture out from the harbor and return with cod, haddock, and mackerel among others. The harbour provides more than just a home for fishing boats but also a hub of other water activity. It is also a popular point for boat tours, where tourists are exposed to the sea breeze and beautiful views of the North Sea.

The coast and beaches surrounding Stonehaven are extremely significant to the local ecosystem. The waters of the North Sea in this area are valuable for their rich variety of marine flora and fauna. Seals may often be seen on the sandbanks, with seabirds including gulls, terns, and cormorants. The seabed topography is intricate with sandy bottoms, rocky outcrops, and submarine channels. These regions all support a rich biodiversity and significantly impact the movement of water.

2. What is the Condition of Coastal Currents around Stonehaven?

Coastal currents near Stonehaven depend on several factors. Tidal forces are the dominant determinant. The North Sea has semi-diurnal tides, with two high waters and two low waters daily. The tidal range varies, and the tidal currents thus produced may reach speeds of up to 2 - 3 knots in some places, particularly at the mouth of small streams or where there is a pronounced coastal configuration. When the tide is high, water sweeps in bringing with it sediments and nutrients from the open sea. It enriches the surrounding ocean with minerals, accommodating the life and development of many marine animals. During low tide, water recedes and intertidal areas are exposed, revealing tiny crabs, sea anemones, and a number of seaweed varieties.

Wind is another substantial force. Preponderant south-westerly winds can push the surface waters into the coast and strengthen the coastal currents. The winds also create waves that respond to the currents, generating a more complex regime of flow. The northerly winds have the potential to push the water off the shore. The geometry of the coastline with headlands and bays and the peculiar shape of the area causes the currents to converge in some areas and diverge in others. Underwater sandbars and rocky outcrops also make it more difficult to outline the patterns of the current. They can be channels or barriers, deflecting the water stream and creating areas of turbulent or calm water. The incoming freshwater from the small rivers which drain into the sea off Stonehaven may also affect local patterns of the current. The new water, being lighter in density than that of the sea, forms a surface layer and flows seawards, meeting the tidal and wind - induced currents.

3. How to Measure the Coastal Water Flow of Stonehaven?

Surface Drifting Buoy Method

Surface drifting buoys are a highly effective but simple means for recording surface - level currents off Stonehaven. The buoys are equipped with GPS or satellite - based tracking systems. After they are released into the water, they drift with the surface currents. Scientists can track their trajectory over time. From the trajectory of the buoy, scientists can estimate surface water speed and direction. This method is limited to the upper couple of meters of the water column. It does not necessarily show what is happening in the more internal areas of water, where the currents could be complex depending on factors like temperature and variations in salinity.

Moored Ship Method

In the moored ship method, a vessel is anchored at a specific location near Stonehaven's shore. Then, current-measuring instruments like electromagnetic current meters are dropped. These instruments can measure the flow of water at different depths. They provide a true vertical representation of the instantaneous velocity and direction. The method is limited to a point, though. Once more, the presence of the ship will disrupt the free movement of water. The shape of the hull of the ship and how it is anchored will create turbulent flow in water, which will affect the validity of the observations.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Method

ADCPs have made a fundamental impact on the monitoring of coastal currents off Stonehaven. ADCPs are capable of measuring the velocity profile of the entire water column from the surface down to the seabed. ADCPs measure the water flow non-intrusively with sound waves. ADCPs send out acoustic pulses and measure the Doppler shift of the echo signals returned by suspended sediment, plankton, or small bubbles. They can then calculate the current velocity at different depths using this. It gives a integrated view of the current regime and is thus very suitable for exploring the complex coastal current dynamics in the vicinity of Stonehaven.

4. What Is Needed for High-Quality Measurement of Stonehaven Coastal Currents?

Material Reliability of Equipment

For high-quality measurement of coastal currents off Stonehaven, equipment material reliability is needed. The casing of ADCP meter must be made of a material that can withstand the harsh marine environment of the North Sea. Titanium alloy would be an excellent option. Its high strength can withstand the power of high water currents, potential impact with floating debris, and seawater corrosiveness. Its low elastic modulus provides it with flexibility to reduce mechanical stress damage. Moreover, its high corrosion resistance enables the ADCP to remain in the water for long-term observation without significant degradation.

Low Power, Lightweight, Low Cost, and Small Size

It is easy to mount and run a light ADCP profiler, and it is small too. You can mount it on a little research vessel, anchor it to a buoy, or mount it on the bottom. It also generates less interference with natural flow, leading to higher-quality readings. Low power consumption is essential in long-term autonomous monitoring, especially when the systems are battery - powered. Low-cost ADCP enables large-scale deployment. This is important in fully understanding the complex coastal current behavior around Stonehaven. With more ADCPs spread out in different positions, we can better understand how the currents vary within the area.

5. Selecting the Proper Equipment for Current Measurement?

Based on Use

• Shipborne ADCP: Applicable for obtaining real-time current data along a voyage near Stonehaven. It can be used for oceanographic surveys, monitoring the overall circulation of the area, and for routing optimization, if any are present in the area.
• Bottom-mounted ADCP: Ideal for long - term, fixed - point monitoring of seabed currents. It is beneficial in studying long - term trends in the coastal current, say the impact of climate change on the regional marine environment.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: Particularly well adapted to follow surface - level currents over a wide area as the buoy travels with the water. It helps in comprehending the spatial variation of the surface currents and how the coastal waters exchange information with the open North Sea.

Based on Water Depth

• 600kHz ADCP: Ideal for water depths of a maximum of about 70m, which is ideal for high-resolution measurements in the relatively shallow waters near Stonehaven.
• 300kHz ADCP: Ideal for water depths of approximately 110m, which will be useful where slightly deeper areas are encountered in the North Sea near the town.
• 75kHz ADCP: Designed for deep-water applications. Even though the waters near Stonehaven are generally not extremely deep, it can be used for studies related to the deeper - layer currents or for areas with deeper channels, capable of measuring currents at depths of up to 1000m.

There are also several leading ADCP brands in the global market, such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. If you are in need of an affordable solution, China Sonar PandaADCP, made of all - titanium alloy, is an excellent balance of quality and price. You can learn more about it at (https://china-sonar.com/).

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