Flow patterns, hotspots, and connectivity of land-derived substances at the sea surface of Curaçao in the southern Caribbean

Bertoncelj, Vesna; Mienis, Furu; Stocchi, Paolo; van Sebille, Erik

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-945-2025

Articles | Volume 21, issue 3

https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-945-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-945-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 21, issue 3

Research article

|

27 May 2025

Research article |

| 27 May 2025

Flow patterns, hotspots, and connectivity of land-derived substances at the sea surface of Curaçao in the southern Caribbean

Vesna Bertoncelj, Furu Mienis, Paolo Stocchi, and Erik van Sebille

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-945-2025-supplement

Data sets

ADCP data for model validation Vesna Bertoncelj https://doi.org/10.25850/nioz/7b.b.xh

Detailed bathymetry around Curaçao Data portal: EMODnet; Data collected during research expedition 64PE500 https://doi.org/10.12770/ff3aff8a-cff1-44a3-a2c8-1910bf109f85

SCARIBOS hydrodynamic model outputs Vesna Bertoncelj https://doi.org/10.25850/nioz/7b.b.7h

Model code and software

SCARIBOS analysis Vesna Bertoncelj https://github.com/OceanParcels/SCARIBOS_ConnectivityCuracao/

OceanParcels simulation scripts and analysis Vesna Bertoncelj https://github.com/OceanParcels/SCARIBOS_ConnectivityCuracao/

SCARIBOS configuration scripts Vesna Bertoncelj https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14697794

OceanParcels/SCARIBOS_ConnectivityCuracao: SCARIBOS scripts V 1.0 (1.0) Vesna Bertoncelj https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15488598

Short summary

This study explores ocean currents around Curaçao and how land-derived substances like pollutants and nutrients travel in the water. Most substances move northwest, following the main current, but at times, ocean eddies spread them in other directions. This movement may link polluted areas to pristine coral reefs, impacting marine ecosystems. Understanding these patterns helps inform conservation and pollution management around Curaçao.