Multiphysics modelling of photon, mass and heat transfer in coral microenvironments

Parkins, SKT; Murthy, S; Picioreanu, C; Kühl, M

Multiphysics modelling of photon, mass and heat transfer in coral microenvironments

Parkins, SKT Murthy, S Picioreanu, C Kühl, M

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Publisher:: The Royal Society
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 2021, 18, (182), pp. 20210532
Issue Date:: 2021-09-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Parkins, SKT
dc.contributor.author	Murthy, S
dc.contributor.author	Picioreanu, C
dc.contributor.author	Kühl, M
dc.date.accessioned	2022-02-17T05:04:31Z
dc.date.available	2022-02-17T05:04:31Z
dc.date.issued	2021-09-01
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 2021, 18, (182), pp. 20210532
dc.identifier.issn	1742-5689
dc.identifier.issn	1742-5662
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/154643
dc.description.abstract	<jats:p> Coral reefs are constructed by calcifying coral animals that engage in a symbiosis with dinoflagellate microalgae harboured in their tissue. The symbiosis takes place in the presence of steep and dynamic gradients of light, temperature and chemical species that are affected by the structural and optical properties of the coral and their interaction with incident irradiance and water flow. Microenvironmental analyses have enabled quantification of such gradients and bulk coral tissue and skeleton optical properties, but the multi-layered nature of corals and its implications for the optical, thermal and chemical microenvironment remains to be studied in more detail. Here, we present a multiphysics modelling approach, where three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations of the light field in a simple coral slab morphology with multiple tissue layers were used as input for modelling the heat dissipation and photosynthetic oxygen production driven by photon absorption. By coupling photon, heat and mass transfer, the model predicts light, temperature and O <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> gradients in the coral tissue and skeleton, under environmental conditions simulating, for example, tissue contraction/expansion, symbiont loss via coral bleaching or different distributions of coral host pigments. The model reveals basic structure–function mechanisms that shape the microenvironment and ecophysiology of the coral symbiosis in response to environmental change. </jats:p>
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	The Royal Society
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of The Royal Society Interface
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1098/rsif.2021.0532
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	General Science & Technology
dc.title	Multiphysics modelling of photon, mass and heat transfer in coral microenvironments
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	18
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - C3 - Climate Change Cluster
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-02-17T05:04:29Z
pubs.issue	182
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	18
utslib.citation.issue	182

Abstract:

Coral reefs are constructed by calcifying coral animals that engage in a symbiosis with dinoflagellate microalgae harboured in their tissue. The symbiosis takes place in the presence of steep and dynamic gradients of light, temperature and chemical species that are affected by the structural and optical properties of the coral and their interaction with incident irradiance and water flow. Microenvironmental analyses have enabled quantification of such gradients and bulk coral tissue and skeleton optical properties, but the multi-layered nature of corals and its implications for the optical, thermal and chemical microenvironment remains to be studied in more detail. Here, we present a multiphysics modelling approach, where three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations of the light field in a simple coral slab morphology with multiple tissue layers were used as input for modelling the heat dissipation and photosynthetic oxygen production driven by photon absorption. By coupling photon, heat and mass transfer, the model predicts light, temperature and O 2 gradients in the coral tissue and skeleton, under environmental conditions simulating, for example, tissue contraction/expansion, symbiont loss via coral bleaching or different distributions of coral host pigments. The model reveals basic structure–function mechanisms that shape the microenvironment and ecophysiology of the coral symbiosis in response to environmental change.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/154643