Circulation and Lagrangian Dispersal in the Gulf of Vlora (Albania)

Abstract Hydrodynamic and pollutant transport models are useful tools for evaluating remediation options for polluted water bodies. In this work, a Lagrangian-partide approach is used to simulate the three-dimensional pollutants transport in the Gulf of Vlora (Albania) coming from the fresh water outflow from the Vjosa River located in the northern sector of the gulf. Results indicate that the sedimentation processes are strongly dependent on the local meteorology, which is able to modify considerably the circulation of the gulf. Numerical simulations were used to estimate the water circulation and the fate of pollutants in different meteo-oceanographic scenarios identified by the analysis of the oceanographic data collected during two oceanographic cruises carried on during the Centro Internazionale di Scienze del Mare (CISM) project. Suspended sediments are simulated by a large number of Lagrangian elements, the trajectories of which are drawn on the basis of the sea current, settling velocity, and disp...