The aim of the project was to map cluster activities in the North Atlantic, compare best practices, build relationships between countries around the North Atlantic and start working on joint projects between the collaborating countries. The main results are several ongoing projects such as 'The Green Fishing Vessel', development of 'Arctic Oil & Gas Clusters' and 'Project Sharing' in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Other results of the cooperation include great media coverage of marine related businesses in the North Atlantic, government recognition of the importance of the ocean clusters and collaboration between countries in the North Atlantic.
Abstract. In winter of 2009–2010 south-western Europe was hit by several destructive windstorms. The most important was Xynthia (26–28 February 2010), which caused 64 reported casualties and was classified as the 2nd most expensive natural hazard event for 2010 in terms of economic losses. In this work we assess the synoptic evolution, dynamical characteristics and the main impacts of storm Xynthia, whose genesis, development and path were very uncommon. Wind speed gusts observed at more than 500 stations across Europe are evaluated as well as the wind gust field obtained with a regional climate model simulation for the entire North Atlantic and European area. Storm Xynthia was first identified on 25 February around 30° N, 50° W over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. Its genesis occurred on a region characterized by warm and moist air under the influence of a strong upper level wave embedded in the westerlies. Xynthia followed an unusual SW–NE path towards Iberia, France and central Europe. The role of moist air masses on the explosive development of Xynthia is analysed by considering the evaporative sources. A lagrangian model is used to identify the moisture sources, sinks and moisture transport associated with the cyclone during its development phase. The main supply of moisture is located over an elongated region of the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean with anomalously high SST, confirming that the explosive development of storm Xynthia had a significant contribution from the subtropics.
Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências do Mar, especialidade em Ecologia Marinha. ; [.]. Os Açores e o Canhão de Andøya (ao largo de Andenes no norte da Noruega) são habitats para os cachalotes. Os Açores são uma zona de reprodução e alimentação que é caracterizada pela presença de cachalotes fêmea, juvenis e crias e, ocasionalmente, machos adultos. O Canhão de Andøya é uma zona de alimentação em latitudes elevadas, onde os machos de grande porte passam a maior parte do seu tempo em alimentação. Neste estudo utilizaram-se diferentes tipos de marcas (computadores de mergulho, "TDRs"; e marcas digitais acústicas, "Dtags") para estudar o comportamento alimentar, de repouso e social dos cachalotes nos Açores e ao largo de Andenes. Desta forma, pretendeu-se fornecer novos contributos para o conhecimento da ecologia comportamental desta espécie. [.]. ; ABSTRACT: [.]. The Azores and the Andøya Canyon (off Andenes, northern Norway) are known habitats for sperm whales. The former is a breeding and foraging ground, characterized by the presence of groups of females, immatures and calves, where mature males occur occasionally. The second location is a high latitude foraging ground where mature males spend the majority of their time feeding. In the present study we used different types of tags (time-depth recorders and digital acoustic recording tags) to investigate the foraging, resting and social behaviours of sperm whales both at the Azores and off Andenes, with the ultimate goal of providing new insights into the behavioural ecology of the species. [.]. ; Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) through my PhD fellowship SFRH/BD/37668/2007 and the research project TRACE-PTDC/MAR/74071/2006, Fundo Regional da Ciência, Tecnologia (FRCT) for funding the research project MAPCET-M2.1.2/F/012/2011 [FEDER, the Competitiveness Factors Operational (COMPETE), QREN European Social Fund, and Proconvergencia Açores/EU Program], Danish Research Council, the Carlsberg Foundation, and the support from Department of Oceanography and Fisheries (University of the Azores), Centro do IMAR da Universidade dos Açores, University of Southern Denmark, Aarhus University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and University of La Laguna. I also acknowledge funds provided by FCT to LARSyS Associated Laboratory & IMAR-University of the Azores/the Thematic Area D & E of the Strategic Project PEst-OE/EEI/LA0009/2011-1012 and 2013-2014 (OE & Compete) and by the FRCT – Government of the Azores pluriannual funding.
