The Relative Importance of Recirculated Seawater on Submarine Groundwater Discharge

While rivers are an important and highly visible pathway for freshwater to reach the ocean, another less noticeable, but also important, pathway is the discharge of groundwater from the sea floor. This phenomenon, known as Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD), is significant to the coastal ocean because it can carry water-based nutrients and pollutants into the sea, which then mix with the water and affect the surrounding sea life. The extent and mechanisms of this mixing depends heavily on how much of the discharge is fresh groundwater, and how much is recirculated seawater. This project aims to get a better understanding of this balance by combining groundwater theory with numerical models of the ocean, as well as by taking measurements using a novel technique. It is expected that the resulting tool will provide valuable insights into the drivers of this balance, as well as improve understanding of it under different conditions.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ruth Musgrave

Student:

Partner:

National Institutes for the Humanities

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Water; Sustainability & the Environment; Natural Resources

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: