STARDUST II - Spatial and Temporal Assessment
of high Resolution Depth profiles Using novel Sampling Technologies The fate of pollutants in fluvial and marine sediments in cross-border zones
Residence time, exposure time and connectivity in the Scheldt Estuary
de Brauwere, A.; de Brye, B.; Blaise, S.; Deleersnijder, E. (2011). Residence time, exposure time and connectivity in the Scheldt Estuary. J. Mar. Syst. 84(3-4): 85-95. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2010.10.001
In: Journal of Marine Systems. Elsevier: Tokyo; Oxford; New York; Amsterdam. ISSN 0924-7963; e-ISSN 1879-1573
Residence times and exposure times are computed for 13 boxes in the Scheldt Estuary, using the high-resolution tracer-transport model SLIM. The concepts are clearly defined and related to how they should be computed. First, the timescale values are compared with results published previously that were obtained with a simple box model, and an unexpected difference is revealed. This may suggest that a high-resolution model is necessary, even for the computation of such integrated quantities as residence or exposure times. Secondly, the newly computed residence times are compared to the exposures times to illustrate their intrinsic differences. From this difference, it is possible to propose a return coefficient, expressing the fraction of the exposure time that is due to “returning water”, i.e. water which has already left the estuary at least once. Finally, the estuarine exposure times are decomposed into the different box exposure times, resulting in a connectivity matrix. This matrix expresses how much time is spent in each of the estuarine subdomains during the water parcels' journey through the estuary.
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STARDUST II is a project funded by the INTERREG III A programme (France/Walloon Region/Flanders
French-Flemish subprogramme) of the European Community's Regional Development Fund.
Hosted by the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)
