Introduction - On the Effect of Offshore Wind Farms on the Atmosphere and Ocean Dynamics - page 3

Besides technical analysis, some studies deal with the effects on biosphere and
ecosystem and human life, for example Zettler and Pollehne ( 2006 ), Lange
et al. ( 2010 ), Nunneri et al. ( 2008 ), and Wolsink ( 2000 ).
These studies underline issues regarding beards, bats, sea mammals or lobsters,
and other sea animals, as well as noise and shadow effects (Nimby-Effect) bother-
ing humans.
If we refrain from the medical and biosphere causes of wind turbines and have a
closer look at other studies regarding wind turbines, then these studies concentrates
on the effect of wind turbines on their surroundings. The focus of these studies is the
change in wind field and energy and their effects on the atmosphere , like changes in
temperature and wind field on higher scales (Baidya Roy and Traiteur 2010 ;
Christiansen and Hasager 2005 ; Hasager et al. 2013 ; Zhou et al. 2012 ) and small
scales (Jimenez et al. 2007 ; Port´-Agel et al. 2011 ; Wu and Port´-Agel 2010 ;
Lu and Port´-Agel 2011 ).
There exist studies on how strong a wind farm can influence meteorological
situations and changing weather (Fiedler and Bukovsky 2011 ; Fitch et al. 2012 ;
Baidya Roy 2004 ; Kirk-Davidoff and Keith 2008 ; Keith et al. 2004 ).
Experiments were done dealing with the question as to what happens to global
energy distribution by demanding big wind farms everywhere (Wang and Prinn
2010 ). The overall aspects of these studies are a reduction in wind speed behind
wind farms in wind direction, the so-called wind wake, a mostly cooling at offshore
and warming at onshore, as well as possible dynamical changes in the atmosphere
due to the wind wake.
Studies dealing with dynamical effects on the ocean, like this dissertation, are
quite new and rarely documented. First, Brostr ¨ m( 2008 ) indicates a change on sea
surface elevation due to wind farms, which is even documented in Paskyabi and
Fer ( 2012 ).
Nerge and Lehnhart picked up Brostr ¨ m

s concept. Their results are summarized
in the LOICZ 2010 report, which shows the effect of wind farms on oceans in
various scientific areas. Here, it becomes clear that offshore wind farms have an
important influence on oceans. That is why this topic uptakes Nerge and Lehnhart
first results to engross and discuss important physical aspects of offshore wind farm
effects roundly.
This topic concentrates on whether and in what manner the dynamics will
change if we extract energy from the atmosphere over a big areal domain. Based
on listed known studies and considering the political situation, the core question of
this topic is analyzed in adaption to Germany

'

s situation in the North Sea. But all
results can be also associated with other coastal regions. The focusing on Germany
and the North Sea follows practicable reasons, the strong interests of Germans in
this subject, as well as the work

'

s frame, including financial and scientific support
by German institutions, namely the IMPRS for Maritime Affairs, the University of
Hamburg, and the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH).
In this connection, the aims are to analyze and explain the dynamical effects that
offshore wind farms have on oceans due to the mentioned wind reduction and wake
production and to provide this information for further studies with an economical
background to answer the question of the possibility of reef building, mussel

'