抄録
A model for simulating the behavior of sediment plumes from deepwater mining and their re
sulting environmental effect is presented. This paper contains the complete model formulation
and scenario simulations. The sediment transport model includes both the near field (plume dy
namics) and the far-field (passive advection-diffusion) phases. The model can handle both up
ward and downward releases. The model also takes into account the possible separation of
sediments from the main plume. The model is three-dimensional and takes ambient current
variations and stratification into account. For simulating the behavior of chemicals attached to
sediments, three types of chemicals are considered: heavy metal, organic chemical, and mineral.
The main difference between the different types is how they partition between being attached
to the sediments and dissolved in water. The model simulates the transport of chemicals at
tached to the sediment as well as the chemicals dissolved in water. The scenario simulations as
sess the effect on biological life due to entombment by deposited sediments. The lightattenuation
and the resulting effect on photosynthesis in the water column due to sediments are
also simulated.
