A model study of the circulation in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and its adjacent coastal waters: 1. Simulations and comparison with observations

Wong, Lai Ah

doi:10.1029/2002jc001451

Cited by 110 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Here, we show two more examples to briefly explain how sediment depositions around a river estuary can be influenced by ocean tides, ocean currents and ocean bottom topography. First, the Pearl River estuary is predominated by ebb flows (about 2 m/s) that have strong speeds and long durations [52]. The ebb flows trap sediments transported by the Pearl River, allowing sediments to form around its estuary and resulting in the potential MAR signal seen in Figure 10e.…”

Section: Discussion: Can We Detect Mars By Grace In the World's Majormentioning

confidence: 99%

Sediment-Mass Accumulation Rate and Variability in the East China Sea Detected by GRACE

et al. 2016

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Abstract:The East China Sea (ECS) is a region with shallow continental shelves and a mixed oceanic circulation system allowing sediments to deposit on its inner shelf, particularly near the estuary of the Yangtze River. The seasonal northward-flowing Taiwan Warm Current and southward-flowing China Coastal Current trap sediments from the Yangtze River, which are accumulated over time at rates of up to a few mm/year in equivalent water height. Here, we use the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity products from three data centres to determine sediment mass accumulation rates (MARs) and variability on the ECS inner shelf. We restore the atmospheric and oceanic effects to avoid model contaminations on gravity signals associated with sediment masses. We apply destriping and spatial filters to improve the gravity signals from GRACE and use the Global Land Data Assimilation System to reduce land leakage. The GRACE-derived MARs over April 2002-March 2015 on the ECS inner shelf are about 6 mm/year and have magnitudes and spatial patterns consistent with those from sediment-core measurements. The GRACE-derived monthly sediment depositions show variations at time scales ranging from six months to more than two years. Typically, a positive mass balance of sediment deposition occurs in late fall to early winter when the southward coastal currents prevail. A negative mass balance happens in summer when the coastal currents are northward. We identify quasi-biennial sediment variations, which are likely to be caused by quasi-biennial variations in rain and erosion in the Yangtze River basin. We briefly explain the mechanisms of such frequency-dependent variations in the GRACE-derived ECS sediment deposition. There is no clear perturbation on sediment deposition over the ECS inner shelf induced by the Three Gorges Dam. The limitations of GRACE in resolving sediment deposition are its low spatial resolution (about 250 km) and possible contaminations by land hydrological and oceanic signals. Potential GRACE-derived sediment depositions in six major estuaries are presented.

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Section: Discussion: Can We Detect Mars By Grace In the World's Majormentioning

confidence: 99%

Sediment-Mass Accumulation Rate and Variability in the East China Sea Detected by GRACE

et al. 2016

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“…However, global tidal models are often not very accurate near the coast, so regional models may require some adjustment in the boundary conditions either by optimization or manually (e.g., Chen and Mellor 1999;Wong et al 2003). Here, we manually adjusted the open boundary conditions to better fit the tidal observations analyzed by Kjerfve (1981).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

On the variability of the flow along the Meso-American Barrier Reef system: a numerical model study of the influence of the Caribbean current and eddies

et al. 2005

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A high resolution (3-8 km grid), 3D numerical ocean model of the West Caribbean Sea (WCS) is used to investigate the variability and the forcing of flows near the Meso-American Barrier Reef System (MBRS) which runs along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. Mesoscale variations in velocity and temperature along the reef were found in seasonal model simulations and in observations; these variations are associated with meandering of the Caribbean current (CC) and the propagation of Caribbean eddies. Diagnostic calculations and a simple assimilation technique are combined to infer the dynamically adjusted flow associated with particular eddies. The results demonstrate that when a cyclonic eddy (negative sea surface height anomaly (SSHA)) is found near the MBRS the CC shifts offshore, the cyclonic circulation in the Gulf of Honduras (GOH) intensifies, and a strong southward flow results along the reef. However, when an anticyclonic eddy (positive SSHA) is found near the reef, the CC moves onshore and the flow is predominantly westward across the reef. The model results help to explain how drifters are able to propagate in a direction opposite to the mean circulation when eddies cause a reversal of the coastal circulation. The effect of including the Meso-American Lagoon west of the Belize Reef in the model topography was also investigated, to show the importance of having accurate coastal topography in determining the variations of transports across the MBRS. The variations found in transports across the MBRS (on seasonal and mesoscale time scales) may have important consequences for biological activities along the reef such as spawning aggregations; better understanding the nature of these variations will help ongoing efforts in coral reef conservation and maintaining the health of the ecosystem in the region.

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“…8 and 1 . 7 m (Wong et al, 2003;Zhao, 1990). The tidal cycle is mainly a semi-diurnal mixed tidal regime with daily inequality in range and time between the highs and lows (Mao et al, 2004).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling study on environmental indicators in an estuary

Sun

Lin

Jiang

et al. 2014

Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Water Manag

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This paper reports on an investigation of the spatial and temporal variation of main environmental indicators in the Pearl River estuary using a numerical water quality model. An integrated field survey was undertaken in 2006 and 2007, and the data obtained were used to set up and verify the model. The water quality model was driven by a hydrodynamic model in which the monthly average freshwater discharges from eight major entrances were taken into account and the seaward boundary elevations were specified based on eight major tidal constituents. Two environmental indicators -dissolved inorganic nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand -were chosen as nutrient and pollution indicators, respectively, according to the actual pollution conditions. Both land-based sources (carried by the discharges) and air-based sources (wet and dry atmospheric depositions) were included in the water quality model and the processes of advection, diffusion and degradation were also modelled. The model predictions generally agreed well with the sampling data, and existing field and model results. The present contributions of the main sources were investigated and prospective scenarios of pollution reductions were predicted.

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A model study of the circulation in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and its adjacent coastal waters: 1. Simulations and comparison with observations

Cited by 110 publications

References 13 publications

Sediment-Mass Accumulation Rate and Variability in the East China Sea Detected by GRACE

Sediment-Mass Accumulation Rate and Variability in the East China Sea Detected by GRACE

On the variability of the flow along the Meso-American Barrier Reef system: a numerical model study of the influence of the Caribbean current and eddies

Modelling study on environmental indicators in an estuary

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