A three-dimensional numerical simulation of Hudson Bay summer ocean circulation: topographic gyres, separations, and coastal jets

Abstract

The Blumberg-Mellor model with a 27.5 km × 27.5 km horizontal grid and a realistic bottom topography is used. While the overall simulated circulation in Hudson Bay is cyclonic, the strong steering of the flow by the bathymetry is particularly noticeable. Mesoscale topographic gyres are simulated, and the separation of the coastal current due to topographic bumps occurs in several locations. The simulated circulation also has well-developed vorticity features and narrow, density-driven coastal jets along the W, S, and E shores of Hudson Bay, which enhance the wind-driven alongshore current. From various sensitivity experiments, the wind-driven, density-driven and inflow/outflow induced transport is estimated. A one-dimensional version of the model is also used to simulate the thermohaline vertical structure over a seasonal cycle. -from Authors