The influence of wind stress and river runoff on a shelf-sea front.

Abstract

The paper presents some theoretical considerations on the runoff from land producing a front jet system. Separating fresher coastal waters from the more saline offshore water, as occurs in the Mid Atlantic Bight in winter. The three characteristics of such fronts, the anchor depth, where the front intersects the bottom, the stretch i.e. distances between surface and bottom intersections, and the buoyancy contrast across the front may be determined from the cross front property transfer rate, the along front momentum balance, and the turbulence energy dissipation rate. The results are analysed for the Mid Atlantic Bight and the South Atlantic Bight. (from paper)