Solar radiation penetration in biogeochemical model of the coastal ocean. Numerical experiments.

This study focus on the analysis of different algorithms used to describe underwater light attenuation in the coastal ocean and their impact on primary production processes in a numerical coupled model of the marine biogeochemical dynamics. Light parameterizations (novel and literature based) were embedded into the BFM-POM one dimensional modelling system. Results indicated that better representation of the light vertical profiles are obtained with a double exponential formulation, particu- larly when parameterized on the basis of extensive in situ data. Better representation of the light environment impacted positively on the quality of the marine ecosystem biogeochemical dynamics simulation.