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Precipitation-evaporation driven estuarine circulation (PEEC) in tidal inlet systems. Hans Burchard 1 , Henk M. Schuttelaars 2 , Johannes Becherer 1 1. Leibniz Institute for B altic Sea Research, Warnemünde, Germany 2. Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands.
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Precipitation-evaporation driven estuarine circulation (PEEC) in tidal inlet systems Hans Burchard1, Henk M. Schuttelaars2, Johannes Becherer1 1. Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde, Germany 2. Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands Wadden Sea density thermohaline gradient climatology Is there residual thermohaline circulation in tidal inlet systems such as the Wadden Sea? Density (HW-LW) ? www.rapid.ac.uk Salinity (HW-LW) Temperature (HW-LW) The WaddenSeacirculation in a nutshell: WarmingPrecipitation Land Sea Burchard et al. (JPO, 2008) Seabed Observations of straining due to net precipitation Weaktidalmixing: verticallystratified River? Thermohalineestuarinecirculation Strong tidalmixing: horizontallystratified Global ocean: Spatiallyinhomogeneoussurfacebuoyancyfluxes plus internalmixingleadsto global overturningcirculation. WaddenSea: Spatiallyhomogenoussurfacebuoyancyfluxesoverslopingbathymetry plus tidalmixingshouldleadto residual overturningcirculation. 2DV numericalexperimentusing GETM: Becherer et al. (GRL, 2011) Net precipitation Geometry Impact of net precipitation on sediment transport E = P 3D GETM simulation: Net evaporation With density gradients Without density gradients Burchard et al. (JPO, 2008) Conclusion: Other than in tidal estuaries, the estuarine circulation in tidal inlet systems such as the Wadden Sea may be truly thermohaline, mainly driven by surface buoyancy fluxes, with a significant impact on sediment dynamics.