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
Related authors
No articles found.
Qibang Tang, Zhongya Cai, and Zhiqiang Liu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2995, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2995, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The South China Sea is the largest semi-enclosed marginal sea in the western Pacific, features with 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 analysis show that the enhanced upper currents increase the strength of middle and deep currents, driven by changes in bottom pressure and cross-slope movements.
Related subject area
Approach: Numerical Models | Properties and processes: Coastal and near-shore processes
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
Influence of river runoff and precipitation on the seasonal and interannual variability of sea surface salinity in the eastern North Tropical Atlantic
Coupling ocean currents and waves for seamless cross-scale modeling during Medicane Ianos
A three-quantile bias correction with spatial transfer for the correction of simulated European river runoff to force ocean models
Flow patterns, hotspots and connectivity of land-derived substances at the sea surface of Curaçao in the Southern Caribbean
High-resolution numerical modelling of seasonal volume, freshwater, and heat transport along the Indian coast
Mechanisms and intraseasonal variability in the South Vietnam Upwelling, South China Sea: the role of circulation, tides, and rivers
Exploring the tidal response to bathymetry evolution and present-day sea level rise in a channel–shoal environment
Wave-resolving Voronoi model of Rouse number for sediment entrainment equilibrium
Influence of stratification and wind forcing on the dynamics of Lagrangian residual velocity in a periodically stratified estuary
Fjord circulation permits a persistent subsurface water mass in a long, deep mid-latitude inlet
Salt intrusion dynamics in a well-mixed sub-estuary connected to a partially to well-mixed main estuary
Transport dynamics in a complex coastal archipelago
Modeling the interannual variability in Maipo and Rapel river plumes off central Chile
Short-term prediction of the significant wave height and average wave period based on the variational mode decomposition–temporal convolutional network–long short-term memory (VMD–TCN–LSTM) algorithm
Léo C. Aroucha, Joke F. Lübbecke, Peter Brandt, Franziska U. Schwarzkopf, and Arne Biastoch
Ocean Sci., 21, 661–678, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-661-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-661-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The west African coastal region sustains highly productive fisheries and marine ecosystems influenced by sea surface temperature. We use oceanic models to show that the freshwater input from land to ocean strengthens a surface northward (southward) coastal current north (south) of the Congo River mouth, promoting a transfer of cooler (warmer) waters to north (south) of the Congo discharge location. We highlight the significant impact of river discharge on ocean temperatures and circulation.
Pedro A. Figueroa, Gonzalo S. Saldías, and Susan E. Allen
Ocean Sci., 21, 643–659, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-643-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-643-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Sara Sirviente, Juan J. Gomiz-Pascual, Marina Bolado-Penagos, Sabine Sauvage, José M. Sánchez-Pérez, and Miguel Bruno
Ocean Sci., 21, 515–535, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-515-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-515-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The present study utilizes a 1D hydrodynamic model to examine the impact of anthropogenic pressures on saline intrusion in the Guadalquivir estuary. Water extraction by human activities has led to elevated salinity levels throughout the estuary, thereby disrupting its natural state. A more profound understanding of these effects is essential for the protection of the estuarine ecosystems.
Yuxi Wu, Enjin Zhao, Xiwen Li, and Shiyou Zhang
Ocean Sci., 21, 473–495, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-473-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-473-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Salvatore Causio, Seimur Shirinov, Ivan Federico, Giovanni De Cillis, Emanuela Clementi, Lorenzo Mentaschi, and Giovanni Coppini
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3517, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3517, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines how waves and ocean currents interact during severe weather, focusing on Medicane Ianos, one of the strongest storms in the Mediterranean. Using advanced modeling, we created a unique system to simulate these interactions, capturing effects like changes in water levels and wind impact on waves. We validated our approach with ideal tests and real data from the storm.
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Vesna Bertoncelj, Furu Mienis, Paolo Stocchi, and Erik van Sebille
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3112, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3112, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study explores ocean currents around Curaçao and how land-derived substances like pollutants and nutrients travel in the water. Most substances move northwest, following the main current, but at times, ocean eddies spread them in other directions. This movement may link polluted areas to pristine coral reefs, impacting marine ecosystems. Understanding these patterns helps inform conservation and pollution management around Curaçao.
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Johannes Lawen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2404.10878, https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2404.10878, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A new Voronoi mesh-borne coastal ocean model has been developed. Recent publications encouraged the development of models that work with different mesh types. Voronoi meshes exhibit less acute polygon angles and less numerical diffusion. The developed model is sufficiently generalized to work with any mesh type (Delaunay triangles, Voronoi, structured, mixed). The model is suitable for wave-resolving simulations for coastal developments to resolve intricate changes in erosion and deposition.
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Cited articles
Acha, E. M., Mianzan, H. W., Iribarne, O., Gagliardini, D. A., Lasta, C., and Daleo, P.: The role of the Rio de la Plata bottom salinity front in accumulating debris, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 46, 197–202, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0025-326X(02)00356-9, 2003.
Acha, E. M., Mianzan, H. W., Guerrero, R. A., Favero, M., and Bava, J.: Marine fronts at the continental shelves of austral South America: Physical and ecological processes, J. Marine Syst., 44, 83–105, 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2003.09.005, 2004.
Ascione Kenov, I., Garcia, A. C., and Neves, R.: Residence time of water in the Mondego estuary (Portugal), Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci., 106, 13–22, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2012.04.008, 2012.
Balachandran, K. K., Lalu Raj, C. M., Nair, M., Joseph, T., Sheeba, P., and Venugopal, P.: Heavy metal accumulation in a flow restricted, tropical estuary, Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci., 65, 361–370, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2005.06.013, 2005.
Banas, N. S. and Hickey, B. M.: Mapping exchange and residence time in a model of Willapa Bay, Washington, a branching, macrotidal estuary, J. Geophys. Res., 110, C11011, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JC002950, 2005.
Cai, Z., Liu, G., Liu, Z., and Gan, J.: Spatiotemporal variability of water exchanges in the Pearl River Estuary by interactive multiscale currents, Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci., 265, 107730, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2021.107730, 2022.
Chenillat, F., Blanke, B., Grima, N., Franks, P. J. S., Capet, X., and Rivière, P.: Quantifying tracer dynamics in moving fluids: a combined Eulerian-Lagrangian approach, Front. Environ. Sci., 3, 43, https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2015.00043, 2015.
Chu, N., Liu, G., Xu, J., Yao, P., Du, Y., Liu, Z., and Cai, Z.: Hydrodynamical transport structure and lagrangian connectivity of circulations in the Pearl River Estuary, Front. Mar. Sci., 9, 996551, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.996551, 2022a.
Chu, N., Liu, G., Xu, J., Yao, P., Du, Y., Liu, Z., and Cai, Z.: Hydrodynamical transport structure and lagrangian connectivity of circulations in the Pearl River Estuary, Front. Mar. Sci., 9, 996551, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.996551, 2022b.
Cui, L., Liu, Z., Chen, Y., and Cai, Z.: Three-Dimensional Water Exchanges in the Shelf Circulation System of the Northern South China Sea Under Climatic Modulation From ENSO, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 129, e2023JC020290, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JC020290, 2024.
Cui, Y., Wu, J., Ren, J., and Xu, J.: Physical dynamics structures and oxygen budget of summer hypoxia in the Pearl River Estuary, Limnol. Oceanogr., 64, 131–148, https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11025, 2019.
Dai, M., Guo, X., Zhai, W., Yuan, L., Wang, B., Wang, L., Cai, P., Tang, T., and Cai, W.-J.: Oxygen depletion in the upper reach of the Pearl River estuary during a winter drought, Mar. Chem., 102, 159–169, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marchem.2005.09.020, 2006.
Dawson, M. N., Sen Gupta, A., and England, M. H.: Coupled Biophysical Global Ocean Model and Molecular Genetic Analyses Identify Multiple Introductions of Cryptogenic Species, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 102, 11968–11973, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0503811102, 2005.
Defontaine, S., Sous, D., Tesan, J., Monperrus, M., Lenoble, V., and Lanceleur, L.: Microplastics in a salt-wedge estuary: Vertical structure and tidal dynamics, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 160, 111688, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111688, 2020.
Deng, Y., Liu, Z., Zu, T., Hu, J., Gan, J., Lin, Y., Li, Z., Quan, Q., and Cai, Z.: Climatic Controls on the Interannual Variability of Shelf Circulation in the Northern South China Sea, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 127, e2022JC018419, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JC018419, 2022.
Dippner, W.: Mathematical modeling of the transport of pollution in water, Hydrol. Syst. Model, 2, 204–246, 2009.
Dong, L., Su, J., Ah Wong, L., Cao, Z., and Chen, J.-C.: Seasonal variation and dynamics of the Pearl River plume, Cont. Shelf Res., 24, 1761–1777, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2004.06.006, 2004.
Drouin, K. L. and Lozier, M. S.: The Surface Pathways of the South Atlantic: Revisiting the Cold and Warm Water Routes Using Observational Data, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 124, 7082–7103, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015267, 2019.
Drouin, K. L., Lozier, M. S., Beron-Vera, F. J., Miron, P., and Olascoaga, M. J.: Surface Pathways Connecting the South and North Atlantic Oceans, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2021GL096646, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL096646, 2022.
Fairall, C. W., Bradley, E. F., Hare, J., Grachev, A. A., and Edson, J. B.: Bulk parameterization of air–sea fluxes: Updates and verification for the COARE algorithm, J. Climate, 16, 571–591, 2003.
Fok, L. and Cheung, P. K.: Hong Kong at the Pearl River Estuary: A hotspot of microplastic pollution, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 99, 112–118, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.07.050, 2015.
Gong, W., Shen, J., and Hong, B.: The influence of wind on the water age in the tidal Rappahannock River, Mar. Enviro. Res., 68, 203–216, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2009.06.008, 2009.
Harrison, P. J., Yin, K., Lee, J. H. W., Gan, J., and Liu, H.: Physical–biological coupling in the Pearl River Estuary, Cont. Shelf Res., 28, 1405–1415, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2007.02.011, 2008.
Haza, A. C., Özgökmen, T. M., and Hogan, P.: Impact of submesoscales on surface material distribution in a gulf of Mexico mesoscale eddy, Ocean Model., 107, 28–47, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2016.10.002, 2016.
He, C., Yin, Z.-Y., Stocchino, A., Wai, O. W. H., and Li, S.: The coastal macro-vortices dynamics in Hong Kong waters and its impact on water quality, Ocean Model., 175, 102034, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2022.102034, 2022.
He, C., Yin, Z.-Y., Stocchino, A., and Wai, O. W. H.: Generation of macro-vortices in estuarine compound channels, Front. Mar. Sci., 10, 1082506, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1082506, 2023.
He, Q., Zhan, H., Cai, S., He, Y., Huang, G., and Zhan, W.: A New Assessment of Mesoscale Eddies in the South China Sea: Surface Features, Three-Dimensional Structures, and Thermohaline Transports, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 123, 4906–4929, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JC014054, 2018.
Hinojosa, I. A., Rivadeneira, M. M., and Thiel, M.: Temporal and spatial distribution of floating objects in coastal waters of central–southern Chile and Patagonian fjords, Cont. Shelf Res., 31, 172–186, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2010.04.013, 2011.
Jalón-Rojas, I., Wang, X.-H., and Fredj, E.: Technical note: On the importance of a three-dimensional approach for modelling the transport of neustic microplastics, Ocean Sci., 15, 717–724, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-717-2019, 2019.
Jönsson, B. F. and Watson, J. R.: The timescales of global surface-ocean connectivity, Nat. Commun., 7, 11239–11239, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11239, 2016.
Lam, T. W. L., Fok, L., Lin, L., Xie, Q., Li, H.-X., Xu, X.-R., and Yeung, L. C.: Spatial variation of floatable plastic debris and microplastics in the Pearl River Estuary, South China, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 158, 111383, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111383, 2020.
Lane, R. R., Day, J. W., Marx, B. D., Reyes, E., Hyfield, E., and Day, J. N.: The effects of riverine discharge on temperature, salinity, suspended sediment and chlorophyll a in a Mississippi delta estuary measured using a flow-through system, Estuar., Coast. Shelf Sci., 74, 145–154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2007.04.008, 2007.
Lebreton, L. C. M., Greer, S. D., and Borrero, J. C.: Numerical modelling of floating debris in the world's oceans, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 64, 653–661, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.10.027, 2012.
Li, D., Gan, J., Hui, C., Yu, L., Liu, Z., Lu, Z., Kao, S.-J., and Dai, M.: Spatiotemporal Development and Dissipation of Hypoxia Induced by Variable Wind-Driven Shelf Circulation off the Pearl River Estuary: Observational and Modeling Studies, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 126, e2020JC016700, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JC016700, 2021.
Li, M.: Exploring water accumulation dynamics in the Pearl River estuary from a Lagrangian perspective, Zenodo [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12794299, 2024.
Li, T. and Li, T.-J.: Sediment transport processes in the Pearl River Estuary as revealed by grain-size end-member modeling and sediment trend analysis, Geo-Mari. Lett., 38, 167–178, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-017-0518-2, 2018.
Li, X., Lu, C., Zhang, Y., Zhao, H., Wang, J., Liu, H., and Yin, K.: Low dissolved oxygen in the Pearl River estuary in summer: Long-term spatio-temporal patterns, trends, and regulating factors, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 151, 110814–110814, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110814, 2020.
Liang, J.-H., Liu, J., Benfield, M., Justic, D., Holstein, D., Liu, B., Hetland, R., Kobashi, D., Dong, C., and Dong, W.: Including the effects of subsurface currents on buoyant particles in Lagrangian particle tracking models: Model development and its application to the study of riverborne plastics over the Louisiana/Texas shelf, Ocean Model., 167, 101879, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101879, 2021.
Lima, A. R. A., Costa, M. F., and Barletta, M.: Distribution patterns of microplastics within the plankton of a tropical estuary, Environ. Res., 132, 146–155, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.03.031, 2014.
Lima, A. R. A., Barletta, M., and Costa, M. F.: Seasonal distribution and interactions between plankton and microplastics in a tropical estuary, Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci., 165, 213–225, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2015.05.018, 2015.
Liu, Z., Zu, T., and Gan, J.: Dynamics of cross-shelf water exchanges off Pearl River Estuary in summer, Prog. Oceanogr., 189, 102465, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2020.102465, 2020.
Malli, A., Corella-Puertas, E., Hajjar, C., and Boulay, A.-M.: Transport mechanisms and fate of microplastics in estuarine compartments: A review, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 177, 113553–113553, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113553, 2022.
Mao, Q., Shi, P., Yin, K., Gan, J., and Qi, Y.: Tides and tidal currents in the Pearl River Estuary, Cont. Shelf Res., 24, 1797–1808, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2004.06.008, 2004.
Mellor, G. L. and Yamada, T.: Development of a turbulence closure model for geophysical fluid problems, Rev. Geophys., 20, 851–875, https://doi.org/10.1029/RG020i004p00851, 1982.
Mestres, M., Sanchéz-Arcilla, A., Sierra, J. P., Mösso, C., Tagliani, P., Möller, O., and Niencheski, L.: Coastal bays as a sink for pollutants and sediment, Jo. Coast. Res., 39, 1546–1550, 2006.
Miron, P., Beron-Vera, F. J., Olascoaga, M. J., Sheinbaum, J., Pérez-Brunius, P., and Froyland, G.: Lagrangian dynamical geography of the Gulf of Mexico, Sci. Rep.-UK, 7, 7021–7021, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-07177-w, 2017.
Miron, P., Beron-Vera, F. J., Olascoaga, M. J., Froyland, G., Pérez-Brunius, P., and Sheinbaum, J.: Lagrangian Geography of the Deep Gulf of Mexico, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 49, 269–290, https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-18-0073.1, 2019.
Miron, P., Beron-Vera, F. J., Helfmann, L., and Koltai, P.: Transition paths of marine debris and the stability of the garbage patches, Chaos, 31, 033101–033101, https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0030535, 2021.
North, E. W., Hood, R. R., Chao, S. Y., and Sanford, L. P.: Using a random displacement model to simulate turbulent particle motion in a baroclinic frontal zone: A new implementation scheme and model performance tests, J. Marine Syst., 60, 365–380, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2005.08.003, 2006.
North, E. W., Adams, E. E., Schlag, Z., Sherwood, C. R., He, R., Hyun, K. H., and Socolofsky, S. A.: Simulating Oil Droplet Dispersal From the Deepwater Horizon Spill With a Lagrangian Approach, in: Monitoring and Modeling the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: A Record-Breaking Enterprise, Geophysical Monograph Series, 217–226, 2011.
Pan, J., Lai, W., and Thomas Devlin, A.: Circulations in the Pearl River Estuary: Observation and Modeling, in: Estuaries and Coastal Zones – Dynamics and Response to Environmental Changes, 145–167, https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91058, 2020.
Paris, C. B., Hénaff, M. L., Aman, Z. M., Subramaniam, A., Helgers, J., Wang, D.-P., Kourafalou, V. H., and Srinivasan, A.: Evolution of the Macondo Well Blowout: Simulating the Effects of the Circulation and Synthetic Dispersants on the Subsea Oil Transport, Environ. Sci. Technol., 46, 13293–13302, https://doi.org/10.1021/es303197h, 2012.
Shchepetkin, A. F. and McWilliams, J. C.: The regional oceanic modeling system (ROMS): a split-explicit, free-surface, topography-following-coordinate oceanic model, Ocean Model., 9, 347–404, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2004.08.002, 2005.
Shen, P., Wei, S., Shi, H., Gao, L., and Zhou, W.-H.: Coastal Flood Risk and Smart Resilience Evaluation under a Changing Climate, Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research, 2, 0029, https://doi.org/10.34133/olar.0029, 2023.
Song, Y. and Haidvogel, D.: A Semi-implicit Ocean Circulation Model Using a Generalized Topography-Following Coordinate System, J. Computat. Phys., 115, 228–244, https://doi.org/10.1006/jcph.1994.1189, 1994.
Tao, W., Niu, L., Dong, Y., Fu, T., and Lou, Q.: Nutrient Pollution and Its Dynamic Source-Sink Pattern in the Pearl River Estuary (South China), Front. Mar. Sci., 8, 713907, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.713907, 2021.
van Sebille, E., Griffies, S. M., Abernathey, R., Adams, T. P., Berloff, P., Biastoch, A., Blanke, B., Chassignet, E. P., Cheng, Y., Cotter, C. J., Deleersnijder, E., Döös, K., Drake, H. F., Drijfhout, S., Gary, S. F., Heemink, A. W., Kjellsson, J., Koszalka, I. M., Lange, M., Lique, C., MacGilchrist, G. A., Marsh, R., Mayorga Adame, C. G., McAdam, R., Nencioli, F., Paris, C. B., Piggott, M. D., Polton, J. A., Rühs, S., Shah, S. H. A. M., Thomas, M. D., Wang, J., Wolfram, P. J., Zanna, L., and Zika, J. D.: Lagrangian ocean analysis: Fundamentals and practices, Ocean Model., 121, 49–75, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2017.11.008, 2018.
Vermeiren, P., Muñoz, C. C., and Ikejima, K.: Sources and sinks of plastic debris in estuaries: A conceptual model integrating biological, physical and chemical distribution mechanisms, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 113, 7–16, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.10.002, 2016.
Wang, A.-J., Kawser, A., Xu, Y.-H., Ye, X., Rani, S., and Chen, K.-L.: Heavy metal accumulation during the last 30 years in the Karnaphuli River estuary, Chittagong, Bangladesh, SpringerPlus, 5, 2079, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-3749-1, 2016.
Wang, T., Zhao, S., Zhu, L., McWilliams, J. C., Galgani, L., Amin, R. M., Nakajima, R., Jiang, W., and Chen, M.: Accumulation, transformation and transport of microplastics in estuarine fronts, Nat. Rev. Earth Environ., 3, 795–805, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-022-00349-x, 2022.
Wong, L. A., Chen, J. C., Xue, H., Dong, L. X., Su, J. L., and Heinke, G.: A model study of the circulation in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and its adjacent coastal waters: 1. Simulations and comparison with observations, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 108, 3156, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JC001451, 2003.
Ye, F., Huang, X., Zhang, D., Tian, L., and Zeng, Y.: Distribution of heavy metals in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary, Southern China: Implications for sources and historical changes, J. Environ. Sci., 24, 579–588, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-0742(11)60783-3, 2012.
Zhang, D., Zhang, X., Tian, L., Ye, F., Huang, X., Zeng, Y., and Fan, M.: Seasonal and spatial dynamics of trace elements in water and sediment from Pearl River Estuary, South China, Environ. Earth Sci., 68, 1053–1063, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1807-8, 2013.
Zhang, H. and Li, S.: Effects of physical and biochemical processes on the dissolved oxygen budget for the Pearl River Estuary during summer, J. Mar. Syst., 79, 65–88, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2009.07.002, 2010.
Zhang, L., Yin, K., Wang, L., Chen, F., Zhang, D., and Yang, Y.: The sources and accumulation rate of sedimentary organic matter in the Pearl River Estuary and adjacent coastal area, Southern China, Estuarine, Coast. Shelf Sci., 85, 190–196, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2009.07.035, 2009.
Zhong, L. and Li, M.: Tidal energy fluxes and dissipation in the Chesapeake Bay, Cont. Shelf Res., 26, 752–770, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2006.02.006, 2006.
Zu, T. and Gan, J.: A numerical study of coupled estuary–shelf circulation around the Pearl River Estuary during summer: Responses to variable winds, tides and river discharge, Deep-Sea Res. Pt. II, 117, 53–64, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.12.010, 2015.
Zu, T., Gan, J., and Erofeeva, S. Y.: Numerical study of the tide and tidal dynamics in the South China Sea, Deep-Sea Res. Pt. I, 55, 137–154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2007.10.007, 2008.
Zu, T., Wang, D., Gan, J., and Guan, W.: On the role of wind and tide in generating variability of Pearl River plume during summer in a coupled wide estuary and shelf system, J. Mar. Syst., 136, 65–79, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2014.03.005, 2014.
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...
