The impact of marine biogeochemistry on physics and its consequences for the modelling of North-West European shelf seas

We introduced feedback from the simulated biogeochemistry to physics in the framework of the CMEMS operational physical-biogeochemical model of the North-West European Shelf. Using this development we demonstrate that light attenuation by the biogeochemical tracers has a significant impact on ocean heating in the upper 200m of the water column. We also show that the simulated temperature is sensitive to the modelling scheme representing the underwater light attenuation, i.e in how it resolves spectra, direction and the optically active tracers. We will discuss in detail the impact of these developments on the research version of the CMEMS operational model that includes assimilation of temperature, salinity and chlorophyll.