Measuring Maryport's Coastal Currents: A Guide

1. Where is Maryport?

Maryport is a quaint sea - side town in Cumbria, England, along the Irish Sea coast. Its location has endowed it with a long - standing and profound connection to the sea, one which has influenced many aspects of the town, from its historical development to its modern - day economy and the daily lives of the people.

The town is steeped in history. It was once a main port for the export of iron ore and coal. Over time, it has evolved but retained its historical beauty. Maryport's architecture is a mix of tradition and modernity. There are traditional stone houses with characteristic features at the town center. They have thick solid walls, small framed windows, and steeply pitched roofs, exuding classic English seaside ambiance. There are also some extremely well-preserved Georgian-period buildings, with their elegant facades and symmetrical design, which add to the historic charm of the town. New establishments such as shops, cafes, and lodging houses have emerged around the harbor and along the main streets to serve the local residents as well as the tourists who visit here throughout the year.

The people of Maryport have an age - old relationship with the sea. Fishing has been a traditional occupation for generations. Though the fishing industry's size has decreased, there remain a few local fishermen who set out from the harbor. They bring back cod, haddock, and mackerel catches. The harbor also serves as a boat trips center in addition to being a fishing hub. Tourists get to enjoy the salty sea air, the crying gulls above, and the breathtaking Irish Sea scenery.

The beaches and waters off Maryport are crucial for the local wildlife. The Irish Sea waters here are home to a large array of marine life. Seals are regular visitors to the sandbanks, and seabirds such as gulls, terns, and cormorants are regular visitors. The sea bed has a mixed terrain, with sandy areas, solitary rocky outcrops, and underwater channels. These features support high biodiversity and play a significant role in the movement of the water.

2. What's the State of the Coastal Currents Around Maryport?

The coastal currents around Maryport are governed by a number of factors. The tidal forces are a major determinant. There are semi - diurnal tides in the Irish Sea, with two high tides and two low tides a day. The tidal range is irregular, and the resulting tidal currents have velocities of up to 2 - 3 knots in some places, especially near the mouths of small inlets or where there is a well-defined coastal geometry. Water rushes towards land at high tide, bringing sediment and nutrients from the open sea. This fertilizes the local marine ecosystem, providing food and habitats for a great variety of sea creatures. At low tide, the water recedes and the intertidal zones are left exposed, containing small crabs, sea anemones, and other seaweeds.

Wind is another significant factor. Prevailing south-westerly winds can push surface waters in the direction of the shore, supplementing the coastal currents. These winds also generate waves that interact with the currents, resulting in a more complex pattern of flow. North winds are able to drive the water away from the shore. The shape of the coastline, along with its headlands, bays, and the specific features of the Cumbrian coastline, causes the currents to converge and diverge at different points. Underwater rocky outcrops and sandbanks also contribute to the currents' complexity. These can act as barriers or channels, deflecting the direction of the water flow and creating areas of still or turbulent water. Additionally, the influx of freshwater from small surrounding streams can affect the patterns of the currents locally. The freshwater, being less dense than seawater, forms a layer on the surface and drifts towards the sea and combines with the tidal and wind - driven currents.

3. How to Observe the Coastal Water Flow of Maryport?

Surface Drifting Buoy Method

Surface drifting buoys are an effective and inexpensive means of tracking the surface - level currents near Maryport. The buoys have GPS or satellite - based trackers. Once they are in the water, the surface currents move them. The researchers track the drift of the buoys over time. By charting the course of the buoy, scientists estimate the direction and velocity of the surface waters. This method, however, is limited to the upper few meters of the water column. It might not be representative of what is happening in the deeper waters, where the currents could be different due to, say, temperature and salinity gradients.

Moored Ship Method

In the moored ship method, a ship is moored at a fixed location off the coast of Maryport. Then, contemporary-measuring instruments like electromagnetic current meters are utilized. These instruments can record the flow of water at different depths. They provide a very good vertical profile of the direction and velocity of the current. But this method is restricted to a single location. Also, the presence of the ship can disrupt the natural water flow. The ship's hull and the way it is moored can create turbulence in the water, which can affect the accuracy of the measurements.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Method

ADCPs have revolutionized the measurement of coastal currents in the area around Maryport. They can measure the velocity profile of the entire water column from the surface to the seafloor. ADCPs use sound waves to quantify the water flow non-invasively. They emit acoustic pulses and measure the Doppler shift of the reflected signals from particles suspended in the water, such as sediment, plankton, or small bubbles. From this, they can calculate the current velocity at different depths. This gives a high level of detail about the current structure and is thus ideally suited to examining the complex coastal current patterns in the area around Maryport.

4. What's Needed for High-Quality Measurement of Maryport Coastal Currents?

Equipment Material Reliability

For high-quality measurement of the coastal currents in Maryport, the material of the equipment used must be reliable. The casing of the ADCP flow meter should be one that can withstand the harsh marine environment of the Irish Sea. Titanium alloy would be an excellent choice. Its high strength qualifies it to resist the impact of high water currents, any collision with floating items, and also the corrosiveness of sea water. Its low elastic modulus qualifies it to be flexible and thus not susceptible to damage by mechanical stress. Additionally, its very good corrosion resistance qualifies it for use in water for long-term monitoring without its degradation.

Low Size, Light Weight, Low Power Consumption, and Low Cost

A smaller, lighter ADCP current profiler is easier to install and operate. You can mount it on a small research vessel, mount it on a buoy, or sit it on the ocean floor. It also gets in the way of the natural water flow less, leading to more accurate measurements. Low power consumption is essential for independent monitoring over long periods, especially with battery-powered systems. Low cost of ADCP allows large-scale deployment. This is necessary in order to completely grasp the complex coastal current patterns in the vicinity of Maryport. With more ADCPs deployed in different locations, we can comprehend the currents better across the region.

5. Choice of the Appropriate Equipment for Current Measurement?

Based on Purpose

• Shipborne ADCP: Ideal for real-time measurement of current along a ship's track in the Maryport area. It can be used for oceanographic surveys, for studying the general circulation in the area, and for optimizing shipping routes, if any, in the area.
• Bottom-mounted ADCP: Suitable for long-term, fixed-point measurement of the currents at the seafloor. This is suitable for studying long-term trends in the coastal currents, for instance, the impact of climate change on the local marine ecosystem.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: Perfectly designed for monitoring surface-level currents over a wide region since the buoy drifts with the water. It helps in understanding the spatial variability of the surface currents and the interaction between the coastal waters and the open Irish Sea.

Based on Water Depth

• 600kHz ADCP: Ideal for water depths up to about 70m, which provides high-resolution measurements in the relatively shallow waters near Maryport.
• 300kHz ADCP: Ideal for water depths of about 110m, which can be used in the slightly deeper regions in the Irish Sea near the town.
• 75kHz ADCP: Applicable for deep - water application. Even though waters in Maryport are not generally very deep, it can be used for research purposes on the deeper - layer currents or for areas composed of deeper channels, with the capability of measuring currents at depths of up to 1000m.

A few of the top ADCP brands available in the global market are Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. If you would like an economical option, China Sonar PandaADCP, made from all-titanium alloy, is a very good balance of quality and price. You can learn more at (https://china-sonar.com/).

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