Sensitivity of hypoxia predictions for the northern Gulf of Mexico to sediment oxygen consumption and model nesting

• DOI: 10.1002/jgrc.20077
• Publication Date: 2013-04-30T10:48:32Z
• Authors: Katja Fennel; Jiatang Hu; Arnaud Laurent; Martinho Marta‐Al...; Robert Hetland
• Keywords: Hypoxia; Stratification (seeds)

Every summer, a large area (15,000 km 2 on average) over the Texas–Louisiana shelf in northern Gulf of Mexico turns hypoxic due to decay organic matter that is primarily derived from nutrient inputs Mississippi/Atchafalaya River System. Interannual variability size zone large. The 2008 Action Plan put forth by Mississippi River/Gulf Watershed Nutrient Task Force, an alliance multiple state and federal agencies tribes, calls for reduction through management watershed. Comprehensive models help build mechanistic understanding processes underlying hypoxia formation are thus indispensable tools devising efficient strategies building reasonable expectations as what responses can be expected given reduction. Here we present such model, evaluate its simulations against monitoring observations, assess sensitivity model resolution, variations sediment oxygen consumption, choice physical horizontal boundary conditions. We find very sensitive parameterization result fact conditions restricted relatively thin layer above bottom most shelf. show strength vertical stratification important predictor dissolved concentration waters modification have effect because it affect strength.