Digital Information System for Polish maritime areas CSI-POM II
Science For Society II

Building on the global ecosystem model (Moore et al., 2001) and based on the 3D CEMBS model for the Baltic Sea (Dzierzbicka-Głowacka et al., 2013b), the biochemical component for the Southern Baltic will be implemented. The project will define the spatiotemporal distributions of key marine ecosystem parameters, such as phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass, chlorophyll-a concentration, dissolved oxygen (O2) concentration, and chemical parameters including concentrations of nutrients like nitrates (NO3), phosphates (PO4), and silicates (SiO3). These will allow the study of the structure, dynamics, and variability of biochemical processes in the studied marine area.

Data from the biochemical module of the 2 km 3D CEMBS model for the Baltic Sea, operating in real-time (www.cembs.pl), will be used to determine boundary conditions at the water-water interface in the 3D CEMBS-PolSea biogeochemical model. Meteorological data will be sourced from the numerical weather prediction model UM ICM of the University of Warsaw through collaboration. Additionally, the 3D CEMBS-PolSea model will utilize data from GIOŚ on the inflow of nutrients from rivers discharging into the study area and flow data from these rivers provided by IMGW. The biochemical module of the 3D CEMBS-PolSea model, with a high horizontal resolution of 1/192 degree (approximately 575 m), will also feature a satellite data assimilation module for surface chlorophyll-a concentration.

A novel aspect of this project will be the development of new tools for studying the structure, dynamics, and variability of biochemical and hydrodynamic processes in the southern Baltic, including:

1. Quantitative and qualitative determination of primary production and its limiting factors.
2. Spatiotemporal analysis of water column structure for parameters such as chlorophyll-a concentration, dissolved oxygen (O2) concentration, and nutrient concentrations like nitrates (NO3), phosphates (PO4), and silicates (SiO3).
3. Spatiotemporal analysis of nutrient dispersion from rivers.
4. Automatic detection of cyanobacterial blooms.
5. Detection of areas/habitats with defined parameters.
6. Trajectory tracking of passive elements/units in the surface layer.
7. Spatiotemporal analysis of wind field impact on the stability of sea surface microlayer enrichment (SML) with organic matter.

An integral part of the expanded Digital Information System for the Polish marine environment will be the visualization of results and their availability to the public. The system, expanded within this project (CSI-POM 2), will allow for the creation of maps and spatiotemporal and point characteristics for the studied parameters and biochemical processes. Results will be presented on a web portal in real-time and as forecasts for the next 48 hours, informing about the current physical and biochemical state of the environment and potential threats in the open sea and Polish coastal zone. Scientists, the public, and the state are also required to protect the natural environment of the Baltic and comply with applicable international conventions and regulations, such as the Water Framework Directive, the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), and others.

The efficiency of numerical research is incomparably higher than that of field research using buoys, ships, or satellite measurements. This explains the widespread use of mathematical models and computer simulations as new methods of understanding the laws governing the natural world in the digital age. This is especially true for issues at the intersection of multiple disciplines, which is typical in oceanographic research.

The service will be available in December 2025.