Axis 1 leaders: 

• Alex Costa da Silva (UFPE),
• Ariane Koch-Larrouy (IRD-LEGOS)
• Vincent Vantrepotte (CNRS-LOG)

Axis 1 of TAPIOCA focuses on studying the impact of climate and human pressures on the physical processes driving coastal and oceanic water masses dynamics in the NE Brazil marine systems as well as the associated biogeochemical fluxes.

Problematic and Gaps

Gathering knowledge on changes in oceanic physical and biogeochemical properties is essential to understand how climate and anthropogenic pressures impact the structure and functioning of tropical marine ecosystems. It is essential to study the impact of recent changes in physical and biogeochemical properties of tropical oceanic domains, such as rising ocean temperature, alteration of current dynamics, modification of precipitation regime, and carbon stocks and fluxes. Specifically, the interactions between physical processes and biogeochemical fluxes at ocean-atmosphere interfaces, seafloor-water column, coast-offshore waters, and associated frontal structures remain poorly understood.

Main Objectives

Our main goal is to study the impact of climate and human pressures on the physical processes driving coastal and oceanic water masses dynamics and associated biogeochemical fluxes. For this purpose, an interdisciplinary approach is considering a variety of spatial and temporal scales, with a focus on sedimentology and paleoclimate.

Main Topics

We are addressing the dynamics of key physical processes such as tropical West Atlantic oceanic circulation, South American Monsoon, and the migration of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone. It also includes studies on the impact of climate and human pressures on the transfer of particulate and dissolved matters and associated biogeochemical fluxes along the land-sea continuum. Additionally, we are investigating the carbon export from coastal to offshore waters and the impact of internal tides on ocean-atmosphere heat transfer and biogeochemical vertical fluxes along the ocean water column.

Main tools

To address the different specific objectives of this Axis and cover the different spatial and temporal scales aimed here, a variety of observation and modelling tools will be considered. Some of these tools will represent new disciplines favouring the development of new expertise with the group including:

• Physical/marine optics/biogeochemistry/ sedimentology and Paleoclimate in situ observations
• Models (NEMO/PISCES/ROMS/ICHTYOPS)
• Satellite Observation (Altimetry/Ocean colour)