LPCO developments
25/11/2024:
Manos Potiris presented his PhD Thesis entitled «Variability of dense water formation and dispersion mechanisms in the Aegean Sea».
29/1/2024:
Dimitra Marmara successfully presented her PhD Thesis entitled: «Study on microplastic particles ingestion and the occurrence of related chemical additives in commercial fish species across different habitats of North Aegean Sea»
Laboratory of Physical and Chemical Oceanography
The research of the Laboratory of Physical & Chemical Oceanography is related to physical and chemical processes determining the characteristics of the World Ocean, regional seas and marine ecosystems, and their variability.
Processes related to anthropogenic climatic change, as well as their impact on the determination of the physico-chemical characteristics of the sea are increasingly becoming a subject of this Laboratory's research. Although a significant part of the research is conducted through research projects, the provision of services to the public and private sector also contributes to the purchase of new and service of older equipment.
Personnel | Equipment | Projects | Publications | Cooperation | Products
Parallel to the oceanographic research through collection and analysis of observations and conducting of numerical simulations, a significant part of this group's research activity is directed to the development of methodologies and the design of new instruments, specialized for specific use, as oil-spill monitoring and the evaluation of coastal HF radar measurements.
Research activities
Support of Blue Growth
The Laboratory has developed the necessary infrastructure and knowhow to provide information in the form of marine observations and continuous, free provision of operational forecasts about the North / Central Aegean Sea, the coastal area around Lesvos island, and the bays of Gera, Kalloni and Moudros. Το Εργαστήριο έχει αναπτύξει τις απαραίτητες υποδομές και τεχνογνωσία για να παρέχει την απαραίτητη πληροφορία υπό μορφή παρατηρήσεων στο θαλάσσιο περιβάλλον αλλά και συνεχή και ελεύθερη διάθεση επιχειρησιακών προγνώσεων στο διαδίκτυο για το Βόρειο και Κεντρικό Αιγαίο, την θαλάσσια περιοχή γύρω από τη Λήμνο και τους κόλπους Γέρας, Καλλονής και Μούδρου. Η προσπάθεια αυτή εντάσσεται στο Παρατηρητήριο Παράκτιου Περιβάλλοντος AEGIS, η υλοποίηση του οποίου έχει υποστηριχθεί από τα έργα AEGIS και AEGIS+, ενώ συνεχίζεται με αυτοχρηματοδότηση. Παράλληλα, σημαντική δραστηριότητα έχει αφιερωθεί στην εκτίμηση των επιπτώσεων της ναυτιλίας στη θαλάσσια ρύπανση (μέσω του έργου EMERGE), στα πλαίσια της οποίας αλλά και του παρατηρητηρίου AEGIS έχουμε αναπτύξει και τη χρήση μοντέλου προσομοίωσης βιογεωχημικών διεργασιών στη θάλασσα, ιδιαίτερα ρήσιμου για την εκτίμηση των επιπτώσεων ανθρωπογενών παρεμβάσεων στην παράκτια ζώνη.
Mediterranean Thermohaline Circulation and interaction with the Black Sea
The Laboratory of Physical & Chemical Oceanography has been studying the variability of the Mediterranean overturning circulation with emphasis on the Aegean Sea thermohaline functioning, as it is determined by the exchanges with the atmosphere and adjacent basin, as well as climate change. Several research projects (MedEcos, MedEX, SESAME, PERSEUS and CCSEWAVS-THALES), and doctoral research (Angeliki Sampatakaki, Stamatis Petalas, Manos Potiris) have been conducted within this activity.
HF radar use
Aiming in the long term to generate a time-series of exchange between the Aegean and the Black Sea, we installed and operate the HF radar "Dardanos" on the east coast of Lemnos island. This move introduced us to a new, very interesting research field, the operational monitoring of surface circulation for better coastal protection in case of marine pollution. Within the same research activity we apply and develop our already existing expertise on Lagrangian methods. This activity has been supported by the research projects CORI, DIAVLOS and TOSCA and largely constituted Ζoi Kokkini's doctoral research. At present, the HF radar DARDANOS is undergoing upgrade and re-installation in the framework of the project HIMIOFoTS.
Lagrangian Methods and Instruments
Accumulated expertise in the application of Lagrangian methodologies in the marine environment (since the mid-1990s with V. Zervakis' participation to the project Eurofloat) has gradually led to the design and application of new Lagrangian instruments (see products), supported through various research projects (DIAVLOS, TOSCA and STRING), the undertaking of new doctoral research subjects (Agisilaos-Alexandros Dimitrakopoulos) as well as the work of postdoctoral researchers (Alkiviadis (Alkis) Kalampokis).
Oceanographic use of underwater telephone cables
The laboratory is the first oceanographic organization in Greece to make use of an underwater telephone cable to monitor water volume trasnports. This has taken place in the framework of the project Kalloni Model, and involves the cooperation of several students, faculty and foreign collaborators such as the team of prof. Ayal Anis, from Texas A&M University.
Physical - Biological Interactions
Physical-biological interactions are part of the research activities of this group through the study of the N. Aegean ecosystem fertilization mechanisms like the interaction with the Black Sea and coastal upwelling. This research has been icorporated in two doctoral theses (Anastasia Papadopoulou, Ioannis Mamoutos) with the support of two research projects (AegeanMarTech - THALES and HERACLITUS ΙΙ).
Small-scale processes and mixing
Our research activities are complemented by the contribution to the study of turbulent mixing and double diffusion in the marine environment. This research activity is funded by projects like PERSEUS and is realized through the doctoral research of Sotiris Kioroglou and Ioannis Mamoutos.
Microplastics in the sea
Fianlly, our lab studies the effects of microplastics dispersion in the marine environment, through Doctoral Research projects (Dimitra Marmara).
.. read more on Projects and Products