LIVING EARTH SOLWAY SOFTWARE

As these are not considered to contribute to the network of MPAs they are not discussed here.

It is worth noting that there are several other designations on the coast of the Solway. Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) form the basis of, and are the underlying designation for, SPAs and SACs. If sites with one of the above designations have multiple different designations the overlapping designations are also described. In addition to these internationally recognised sites, a selection of the nationally recognised sites around the Solway will be highlighted Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the Heritage Coast designations. This section describes the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Biosphere, Ramsar sites, in addition to Special Protection Areas (SPAs), and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). The Solway is designated for unique and rare habitats, species, and features. There are a large number of land based designations in addition to marine sites with designated status, some of which can be seen in the image opposite (sites such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest have been limited to only those which contribute towards the network of Marine Protected Areas designations on land are omitted). Given the unique nature of the Solway, with extensive saltmarsh (merse), a fast and large tidal range, diverse landscapes, plants, animals, fossils, and many more features, this area has designations on both the Scottish and English sides. Designations seek to maintain or improve the status of natural, ecological, and/or cultural features which are deemed valuable. Story by Michael Carlowicz.Marine and coastal areas host a variety of ecosystems and habitats which have been the focus of various designations in recent years. NASA images by Norman Kuring/ NASA's Ocean Color Web, using Landsat data from the U.S. Along with its natural beauty, the region is rich with history-including the western end of Hadrian’s Wall, which terminates on the firth’s southern shore. The lands around the firth are mostly rural and agricultural. Solway Firth is the United Kingdom’s third-largest estuary, and it is lined by beaches, coastal dunes, and salt marshes, a few of which are special conservation areas. It can generate up to 174 megawatts of power, enough to supply 117,000 homes. Robin Rigg was Scotland’s first offshore wind farm, coming online in 2010. Sediment plumes make thin lines across the water toward the east-northeast, suggesting either strong winds blowing out of the southwest or the inflow of tidal currents toward the coast. On a sandy shoal offshore, a pattern of symmetrical white dots and shadows marks the location of the Robin Rigg wind farm. ( Click here for a natural-color view at lower resolution.) The swirls and streamers in Solway Firth are real, but Kuring has separated and enhanced certain shades and tones in the data to make the sediments and dissolved organic matter stand out.

LIVING EARTH SOLWAY SOFTWARE

Like a photographer who adjusts lighting and uses filters, Norman Kuring of NASA’s Ocean Biology group works with various software programs and color-filtering techniques to draw out the fine details in the water. The image above is a blend of art and science. The water changes color abruptly offshore where the shallower bay meets deeper waters of the Irish Sea. On that day, the waters along the coast of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, and Cumbria, England, were rich with sediment and dissolved organic matter (plant debris, soils, plankton) that was likely stirred up by the tides. That was the case in October 2019 when the Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 satellite captured the data for this image of Solway Firth.

This sloshing of water into and out of basins can produce visible surges of sediment and floating debris, turbulent mixing of fresh and salty waters, and sometimes distinct lines between different water masses. Fjords and funnel-shaped bays and inlets are often scenes of dramatic tidal changes the Bay of Fundy is perhaps the world’s most spectacular example.

Living earth solway