Articles | Volume 22, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-1311-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-22-1311-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
The impact of suspended sediments on exchange flow in a macrotidal, hyperturbid estuary
Cristian M. Rojas
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University Of Maine, Maine, USA
Lauren Ross
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University Of Maine, Maine, USA
Betty John Kaimathuruthy
Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, 33600, Pessac, France
Isabel Jalón-Rojas
Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, 33600, Pessac, France
Aldo Sottolichio
Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, 33600, Pessac, France
Nicolas Huybrechts
Cerema Risques, Eaux et Mer (CEREMA REM), RHITME Research Team, 60280, Margny-les-Compiegne, France
Universite Rouen Normandie, Universite Caen Normandie, CNRS, Normandie Universite, M2C, UMR 6143, 60280, Margny Les Compiegne, France
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Débora Barros, Lauren Ross, and Carlos A. F. Schettini
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1840, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1840, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Ocean Science (OS).
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Coastal waters often show vertical stratification because lighter freshwater overlies denser seawater. Mixing requires kinetic energy, generating turbulence that is difficult to quantify. We investigate the transition from a confined channel to the adjacent coast, where outflow spreads over denser water. Measurements of velocity, salinity, and turbulence show that small geometric changes enhance mixing, especially near the mouth, reaching levels comparable to tide-dominated systems.
Betty John Kaimathuruthy, Isabel Jalón-Rojas, and Damien Sous
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 7227–7255, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-7227-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-7227-2025, 2025
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Studies on plastic pollution have emerged as a rapidly growing field of research. Modelling microplastic transport in estuaries stems from their complex hydrodynamics and diverse particle behaviours affecting the dispersion and retention of microplastics. We review key modelling approaches applied in estuaries analysing their set-ups and parameterizations. We provide recommendations and future directions to improve the accuracy and modelling strategies for estuarine microplastic research.
Elias Pinilla and Lauren Ross
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4893, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4893, 2025
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Fjords connect land and ocean, exchanging nutrients and oxygen that sustain ecosystems. As climate shifts alter rainfall and winds, we probed what drives water renewal in Patagonian fjords. Using computer models that switched rivers, wind, and tides on and off, we measured their roles in exchange. Rivers provide about half of the circulation, while winds and tides modulate this baseline. As rainfall and winds change, these patterns help predict renewal failures and low-oxygen risk.
Isabel Jalón-Rojas, Damien Sous, and Vincent Marieu
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 319–336, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-319-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-319-2025, 2025
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This study presents a novel modeling approach for understanding microplastic transport in coastal waters. The model accurately replicates experimental data and reveals key transport mechanisms. The findings enhance our knowledge of how microplastics move in nearshore environments, aiding in coastal management and efforts to combat plastic pollution globally.
Dirk S. van Maren, Christian Maushake, Jan-Willem Mol, Daan van Keulen, Jens Jürges, Julia Vroom, Henk Schuttelaars, Theo Gerkema, Kirstin Schulz, Thomas H. Badewien, Michaela Gerriets, Andreas Engels, Andreas Wurpts, Dennis Oberrecht, Andrew J. Manning, Taylor Bailey, Lauren Ross, Volker Mohrholz, Dante M. L. Horemans, Marius Becker, Dirk Post, Charlotte Schmidt, and Petra J. T. Dankers
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 53–73, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-53-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-53-2023, 2023
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This paper reports on the main findings of a large measurement campaign aiming to better understand how an exposed estuary (the Ems Estuary on the Dutch–German border) interacts with a tidal river (the lower Ems River). Eight simultaneously deployed ships measuring a tidal cycle and 10 moorings collecting data throughout a spring–neap tidal cycle have produced a dataset providing valuable insight into processes determining exchange of water and sediment between the two systems.
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Short summary
Although estuaries typically exhibit high suspended sediment concentrations (SSC), only a few studies have investigated how the impact of SSC on density can affect the exchange between rivers and coastal waters. Here, we use numerical models to quantify the impact of SSC on water exchange based on an estuary with large SSC and tidal range. We found that the non-consideration of SSC leads to large differences in the exchange of water that could lead to the over-quantification of water transport.
Although estuaries typically exhibit high suspended sediment concentrations (SSC), only a few...