A Circulation Model for Baynes Sound, British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

ABSTRACT An application of the three-dimensional Finite Volume Community Ocean Model was developed for Baynes Sound, British Columbia, Canada and a simulation was carried for the period of May 2016 to April 2017. The objective was to provide highly resolved spatial estimates of the regional hydrodynamics that could be used in a coupled biogeochemical model to assess the cultured shellfish carrying capacity of the region. The issue of how representative the particular simulation period was in the context of typical seasonal features was addressed by comparing temperatures, salinities and river discharges with long-term statistics. Circulation model results were generally in good agreement with salinity, temperature, velocity, and sea surface height observations, providing confidence in subsequent seasonal estimates of volume fluxes through the two entrances and water-renewal. Approximately sixty percent of the variability in near-surface temperature observations at five locations was shown to be linearly dependent on a combination of the along-sound wind, air temperature, and the daily sea surface range, which was taken as a proxy for tidal mixing.