About:

In my work, I study the different physical processes that are occurring in the North Sea. By doing (idealised) numerical model simulations, as well as field measurements, I hope to understanding the effects tides, wind, waves, fresh water inflow, and stratification can have on residual current patterns as well as peak current levels. Both of which will help me to identify the driving forces being the transport of different substances across the sea:

How much fine sediment is transported across the North Sea?

During the winter, coastal erosion along the East coast of the United Kingdom causes a fine-sediment plume to occur between the Norfolk-coast and the German Bight (passing North of Texel). To determine the quantity of sediment transported along this plume, we did over one week of field measurements in March 2013 (a description of the experiences during this cruise can be found in the cruise diary, additionally Fiona van der Burgt and Erwin Lambert (two Master students from Utrecht University who joinedthe cruise) wrote a nice article in the Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Natuurkunde (in Dutch)).

Secondly, a numerical model can describe the current patterns in the whole North Sea. I hope to use numerical model simulations to investigate the different influences (wind, waves, stratification) on the transport of sediment.

For more information please click here for a poster I presented this year on this topic. 

How do plaice fish eggs and larvae get to nursery areas, for instance in the Western Wadden Sea?

Plaice spawn in the Southern and Eastern North Sea and the English Channel. Subsequently, the developing larvae drift towards nursery areas (such as the Wadden Sea) where they settle to become adult fish. Yearly measurements of arriving juveniles in the Western Wadden Sea nursery area show a strong inter-annual variability. I study the drift of plaice eggs and larvae using a numerical mode to find physical causes behind this inter-annual variability. 

For more information about this, please click here. This will take you to a second poster, focussing specifically on my work conserning the drift of plaice eggs and larvae.