Articles | Volume 20, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-931-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-931-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
26 Jul 2024
Research article |
| 26 Jul 2024
| 26 Jul 2024
Exploring water accumulation dynamics in the Pearl River estuary from a Lagrangian perspective
Mingyu Li
State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City, Department of Ocean Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, 999078, China
Alessandro Stocchino
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
Center for Ocean Research in Hong Kong and Macau (CORE), Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City, Department of Ocean Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, 999078, China
Center for Ocean Research in Hong Kong and Macau (CORE), Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
Tingting Zu
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
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Qibang Tang, Zhongya Cai, and Zhiqiang Liu
Ocean Sci., 21, 1291–1301, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1291-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1291-2025, 2025
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The South China Sea is the largest semi-enclosed marginal sea in the western Pacific, featuring unique layered circulation with rotating currents in its upper, middle, and deep layers. This study uses simulations to explore how stronger currents in the upper layer influence circulation across the entire basin. The vorticity analyses show that the enhanced upper currents increase the strength of middle and deep currents, driven by changes in bottom pressure and cross-slope movements.
Yunping Song, Yunxin Lin, Peng Zhan, Zhiqiang Liu, and Zhongya Cai
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2712, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2712, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Ocean Science (OS).
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Our research investigates year-to-year changes in the Northern South China Sea's shelf currents, which are influenced by climate patterns like El Niño and freshwater discharge from the Pearl River Estuary. Using long-term observations and computer models , we analyzed these dynamic shifts. Our findings reveal that El Niño generates distinct sea-level patterns, intensifying currents and altering large-scale ocean flows, while increased river runoff reduces coastal salinity.
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Approach: Numerical Models | Properties and processes: Coastal and near-shore processes
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Wave-resolving Voronoi model of the Rouse number for sediment entrainment
River discharge impacts coastal southeastern tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature and circulation: a model-based analysis
The influence of a submarine canyon on the wind-driven downwelling circulation over the continental shelf
Alongshore sediment transport analysis for a semi-enclosed basin: a case study of the Gulf of Riga, the Baltic Sea
Anthropogenic pressures driving the salinity intrusion in the Guadalquivir estuary: insights from 1D numerical simulations
Application of wave–current coupled sediment transport models with variable grain properties for coastal morphodynamics: a case study of the Changhua River, Hainan
Dynamics of salt intrusion in complex estuarine networks: an idealised model applied to the Rhine–Meuse Delta
Extreme sensitivity of the northeastern Gulf of Lion (western Mediterranean) to subsurface heatwaves: Physical processes and devastating impacts on ecosystems in the summer of 2022
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Salt intrusion dynamics in a well-mixed sub-estuary connected to a partially to well-mixed main estuary
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Ocean Sci., 21, 1105–1123, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1105-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1105-2025, 2025
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Vesna Bertoncelj, Furu Mienis, Paolo Stocchi, and Erik van Sebille
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Johannes Lawen
Ocean Sci., 21, 877–896, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-877-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-877-2025, 2025
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Léo C. Aroucha, Joke F. Lübbecke, Peter Brandt, Franziska U. Schwarzkopf, and Arne Biastoch
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Submarine canyons are topographic features found along the continental slope worldwide. Here we use numerical simulations to study how a submarine canyon influences the circulation near the coast when winds moving poleward influence the region. Our results show that submarine canyons modify the circulation near the coast, causing strong velocities perpendicular to the coast. These changes can trap particles inside the canyon, an important mechanism to explain its role as a biological hotspot.
Tarmo Soomere, Mikołaj Zbigniew Jankowski, Maris Eelsalu, Kevin Ellis Parnell, and Maija Viška
Ocean Sci., 21, 619–641, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-619-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-619-2025, 2025
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Seemingly interconnected beaches are often separated by human-made obstacles and natural divergence areas of sediment flux. We decompose the sedimentary shores of the Gulf of Riga into five naturally almost isolated compartments based on the analysis of wave-driven sediment flux. The western, southern, and eastern shores have quite different and fragmented sediment transport regimes. The transport rates along different shore segments show extensive interannual variations but no explicit trends.
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Ocean Sci., 21, 515–535, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-515-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-515-2025, 2025
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Yuxi Wu, Enjin Zhao, Xiwen Li, and Shiyou Zhang
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A comprehensive sand transfer model is proposed to study sediment dynamics in the lower reaches of the Changhua River on the island of Hainan. It captures the complex relationship between wave action, ocean currents, and sediment transport. Validated on the basis of on-site measurements, the model reveals significant sediment deposits which are significantly affected by coastal ocean currents and geological structures.
Bouke Biemond, Wouter M. Kranenburg, Ymkje Huismans, Huib E. de Swart, and Henk A. Dijkstra
Ocean Sci., 21, 261–281, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-261-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-261-2025, 2025
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We study salinity in estuaries consisting of a network of channels. To this end, we develop a model that computes the flow and salinity in such systems. We use the model to quantify the mechanisms by which salt is transported into estuarine networks, the response to changes in river discharge, and the impact of depth changes. Results show that when changing the depth of channels, the effects on salt intrusion into other channels in the network can be larger than the effect on the channel itself.
Claude Estournel, Tristan Estaque, Caroline Ulses, Quentin-Boris Barral, and Patrick Marsaleix
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During the summer of 2022 in the eastern Gulf of Lion (NW Mediterranean), exceptionally warm temperatures were observed down to depths of 30 m, along with massive mortality of benthic species. It has been shown that these deep marine heatwaves are linked to south-easterly wind episodes, which induce deep plunges of surface water overheated by the atmospheric heatwave. These events are rare in summer, but their impact on ecosystems is dramatic and will only increase with climate change.
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3751, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3751, 2024
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Clovis Thouvenin-Masson, Jacqueline Boutin, Vincent Échevin, Alban Lazar, and Jean-Luc Vergely
Ocean Sci., 20, 1547–1566, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-1547-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-1547-2024, 2024
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We focus on understanding the impact of river runoff and precipitation on sea surface salinity (SSS) in the eastern North Tropical Atlantic (e-NTA) region off northwestern Africa. By analyzing regional simulations and observational data, we find that river flows significantly influence SSS variability, particularly after the rainy season. Our findings underscore that a main source of uncertainty representing SSS variability in this region is from river runoff estimates.
Stefan Hagemann, Thao Thi Nguyen, and Ha Thi Minh Ho-Hagemann
Ocean Sci., 20, 1457–1478, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-1457-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-1457-2024, 2024
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We have developed a methodology for the bias correction of simulated river runoff to force ocean models in which low, medium, and high discharges are corrected once separated at the coast. We show that the bias correction generally leads to an improved representation of river runoff in Europe. The methodology is suitable for model regions with a sufficiently high coverage of discharge observations, and it can be applied to river runoff based on climate hindcasts or climate change simulations.
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3384, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3384, 2024
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Coastal zones are crucial ecological areas, yet our understanding of groundwater-ocean interactions remains limited. Ocean and groundwater models typically operate independently, with ocean models ignoring submarine groundwater discharge and groundwater models viewing the ocean as a static boundary. This separation impedes accurate simulations. By integrating these models, we can capture real-time water flow and salt movement while considering factors such as tides.
Lianne C. Harrison, Jennifer A. Graham, Piyali Chowdhury, Tiago A. M. Silva, Danja P. Hoehn, Alakes Samanta, Kunal Chakraborty, Sudheer Joseph, T. M. Balakrishnan Nair, and T. Srinivasa Kumar
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3096, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3096, 2024
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Kunal Madkaiker, Ambarukhana D. Rao, and Sudheer Joseph
Ocean Sci., 20, 1167–1185, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-1167-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-1167-2024, 2024
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Using a high-resolution model, we estimated the volume, freshwater, and heat transports along Indian coasts. Affected by coastal currents, transport along the eastern coast is highly seasonal, and the western coast is impacted by intraseasonal oscillations. Coastal currents and equatorial forcing determine the relation between NHT and net heat flux in dissipating heat in coastal waters. The north Indian Ocean functions as a heat source or sink based on seasonal flow of meridional heat transport.
Marine Herrmann, Thai To Duy, and Patrick Marsaleix
Ocean Sci., 20, 1013–1033, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-1013-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-1013-2024, 2024
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In summer, deep, cold waters rise to the surface along and off the Vietnamese coast. This upwelling of water lifts nutrients, inducing biological activity that is important for fishery resources. Strong tides occur on the shelf off the Mekong Delta. By increasing the mixing of ocean waters and modifying currents, they are a major factor in the development of upwelling on the shelf, accounting for ~75 % of its average summer intensity.
Robert Lepper, Leon Jänicke, Ingo Hache, Christian Jordan, and Frank Kösters
Ocean Sci., 20, 711–723, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-711-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-711-2024, 2024
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Most coastal environments are sheltered by tidal flats and salt marshes. These habitats are threatened from drowning under sea level rise. Contrary to expectation, recent analyses in the Wadden Sea showed that tidal flats can accrete faster than sea level rise. We found that this phenomenon was facilitated by the nonlinear link between tidal characteristics and coastal bathymetry evolution. This link caused local and regional tidal adaptation with sharp increase–decrease edges at the coast.
Fangjing Deng, Feiyu Jia, Rui Shi, Shuwen Zhang, Qiang Lian, Xiaolong Zong, and Zhaoyun Chen
Ocean Sci., 20, 499–519, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-499-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-499-2024, 2024
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Southwesterly winds impact cross-estuary flows by amplifying the eddy viscosity component during smaller tides. Moreover, they modify along-estuary gravitational circulation by diminishing both the barotropic and baroclinic components. Stratification results in contrasting sheared flows, distinguished by different dominant components compared to destratified conditions. Additionally, the eddy viscosity component is governed by various subcomponents in diverse stratified waters.
Laura Bianucci, Jennifer M. Jackson, Susan E. Allen, Maxim V. Krassovski, Ian J. W. Giesbrecht, and Wendy C. Callendar
Ocean Sci., 20, 293–306, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-293-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-293-2024, 2024
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While the deeper waters in the coastal ocean show signs of climate-change-induced warming and deoxygenation, some fjords can keep cool and oxygenated waters in the subsurface. We use a model to investigate how these subsurface waters created during winter can linger all summer in Bute Inlet, Canada. We found two main mechanisms that make this fjord retentive: the typical slow subsurface circulation in such a deep, long fjord and the further speed reduction when the cold waters are present.
Zhongyuan Lin, Guang Zhang, Huazhi Zou, and Wenping Gong
Ocean Sci., 20, 181–199, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-181-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-181-2024, 2024
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From 2021 to 2022, a particular sub-estuary (East River estuary) suffered greatly from an enhanced salt intrusion. We conducted observation analysis, numerical simulations, and analytical solution to unravel the underlying mechanisms. This study is of help in the investigation of salt dynamics in sub-estuaries connected to main estuaries and of implications for mitigating salt intrusion problems in the regions.
Elina Miettunen, Laura Tuomi, Antti Westerlund, Hedi Kanarik, and Kai Myrberg
Ocean Sci., 20, 69–83, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-69-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-69-2024, 2024
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We studied circulation and transports in the Archipelago Sea (in the Baltic Sea) with a high-resolution hydrodynamic model. Transport dynamics show different variabilities in the north and south, so no single transect can represent transport through the whole area in all cases. The net transport in the surface layer is southward and follows the alignment of the deeper channels. In the lower layer, the net transport is southward in the northern part of the area and northward in the southern part.
Julio Salcedo-Castro, Antonio Olita, Freddy Saavedra, Gonzalo S. Saldías, Raúl C. Cruz-Gómez, and Cristian D. De la Torre Martínez
Ocean Sci., 19, 1687–1703, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1687-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1687-2023, 2023
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Considering the relevance and impact of river discharges on the coastal environment, it is necessary to understand the processes associated with river plume dynamics in different regions and at different scales. Modeling studies focused on the eastern Pacific coast under the influence of the Humboldt Current are scarce. Here, we conduct for the first time an interannual modeling study of two river plumes off central Chile and discuss their characteristics.
Qiyan Ji, Lei Han, Lifang Jiang, Yuting Zhang, Minghong Xie, and Yu Liu
Ocean Sci., 19, 1561–1578, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1561-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-1561-2023, 2023
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Accurate wave forecasts are essential to marine engineering safety. The research designs a model with combined signal decomposition and multiple neural network algorithms to predict wave parameters. The hybrid wave prediction model has good robustness and generalization ability. The contribution of the various algorithms to the model prediction skill was analyzed by the ablation experiments. This work provides a neoteric view of marine element forecasting based on artificial intelligence.
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Short summary
In this study, we explored how water accumulates in a coastal estuary, a key factor affecting the estuary's environmental health and ecosystem. We revealed significant bottom accumulations influenced by plume fronts and velocity convergence, with notable seasonal variability. By analyzing trajectories, we identified subregions with distinct accumulation patterns and examined their interconnections, highlighting the substantial impact of tides and river discharge on these dynamics.
In this study, we explored how water accumulates in a coastal estuary, a key factor affecting...
