Mesoscale structures, fluxes and water mass variability in the German Bight as exemplified in the KUSTOS- experiments and numerical models

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In this article, the hydrographic conditions are described which prevailed in the German Bight during the three KUSTOS experiments carried out in summer 1994, spring 1995, and winter 1996. It presents the physical background for the companion articles of this volume and provides insight into the complicated and highly variable hydrodynamics of the German Bight. Typically for the German Bight, the distribution of temperature and salinity in the near-bottom layer was found to relate strongly to the topography in all experiments, and variability in the vertical structure showed the expected seasonal pattern. The thermal and haline stratification were found to coincide in most cases, indicating a clear marking of surface and bottom water masses. Between the three KUSTOS experiments, the intensity of salinity fronts varied strongly, with stronger fronts in spring and weaker gradients in summer and winter, but from the limited number of observations this pattern cannot be generalised. The observed temperature and/or salinity patterns differ strongly from the average long-term situation, as expected in a highly variable area. To a large degree, this variability is caused by mesoscale features which - owing to their transient nature - are not well resolved by in-situ observations during the experiments and, therefore, numerical models are used to complement the observations. Finally, the overall mass transport through the German Bight during the KUSTOS experiments, estimated from a North Sea circulation model and a salt water budget and freshwater balance, ranges between 34 (strong cyclonic circulation) and -3 km3/d (weak anticyclonic circulation). North Sea water advection into the German Bight dominates river runoff by a factor of ∼15 (spring 1995) to ∼49 (winter 1996). However, in situations with a low through-flow in combination with a high ratio of freshwater inflow, residence times of river water can be high, thereby aggravating any harmful effects of riverine contaminants.