The underestimated impact of large ships: In the shallow western Baltic Sea, container ships not only affect the surface, but also alter the water column and the seabed. (Photo: Ralf Prien / IOW)
Shipping traffic has a significant impact on the Baltic Sea floor. The AI graphic illustrates one of the findings of the current study: Wake turbulence stirs up fine sediments, while erosion around larger stones creates depressions. (Graphic: S. Ahmerkamp)
Using echo sounder measurements, as shown here, researchers were able to demonstrate the extent to which large cargo ships alter the water column in the Baltic Sea: The turbulence of their wake disrupts the natural water stratification and often reaches all the way down to the seabed. (Graphic: Jens Schneider von Deimling, CAU)
Underestimated #wake 🌊🌊: #Shipping traffic causes more turmoil🌀in the #Baltic Sea than expected: Especially in heavily trafficked areas, it significantly alters the water stratification and leads to marked #erosion on the #seabed. More: tinyurl.com/mwureexy