Dynamics and water structures in the estuary of the Partizanskaya river (Nakhodka Bay, Sea of Japan)

Abstract

Herein, we report field studies of the seasonal and daily dynamics of the mixing zone in the micro-tidal mouth of the Partizanskaya river. The position of the mixing zone was determined according to the volume of river run-off. The upper boundary of the mixing zone was observed at 5 (at a river run-off of 73.67 m3/s) to 12.5 km (at 7.7 m3/s) from the mouth bar. The estuary is characterized by a two-layer circulation of water, which results in a halocline with a salinity gradient of up to 30% per 1 m. Variations of salinity in the rifts caused by tides reaches 27% over 3 h.