Estuarine Circulation, Mixing, and Residence Times in the Salish Sea

A realistic numerical model is used to study the circulation and mixing of Salish Sea, a large, complex estuarine system on United States Canadian west coast. The Sea biologically productive supports many important fisheries but threatened by recurrent hypoxia ocean acidification, so clear understanding its patterns residence times value. exchange flow quantified at 39 sections over 3 years (2017–2019) using Total Exchange Flow method. Vertical in 37 segments between as opposing vertical transports: efflux reflux. Efflux refers rate which deep, landward-flowing water mixed up become part shallow, seaward-flowing layer. Similarly, reflux upper layer down form landward inflow. These horizontal transports are create box explore number different sub-volumes, seasons, years. Residence from generally found be longer than those based simpler calculations flushing time. partly due reflux, incomplete tracer homogenization sub-volumes. methods presented here broadly applicable other estuaries.