the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
The influence of a submarine canyon on the wind-driven downwelling circulation over the continental shelf
Abstract. The response of a coastal ocean model, simulating a typical Eastern Boundary system, to downwelling-favorable winds with and without the presence of a submarine canyon is studied. Three contrasting bathymetric configurations, considering shelves with different depth and slopes, are evaluated. Experiments without a submarine canyon represent the well-known downwelling circulation and cross-shore structure with a downwelling front and the development of frontal instabilities generating density anomalies in the bottom layer. The presence of the submarine canyon drives important changes in cross-shore flows, with opposing velocities on either side of the canyon. Onshore (offshore) and downward (upward) velocities develop in the upstream side of the canyon in the time-dependent and advective phases. Instabilities developed and are modified principally downstream of the canyon. Overall, the net impact of the canyon is to enhance offshore and downward transport. However, particle tracking experiments reveal that particles can become trapped inside the canyon in an anticyclonic circulation when the particles pass the canyon over the continental slope or when particles inside the canyon are affected by downwelling conditions. Overall, ~20–23 % (~15–18 %) of particles released directly upstream (in the canyon) at mid-depths become trapped inside the canyon until the end of the simulations (15 days).
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RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2386', Anonymous Referee #1, 13 Sep 2024
“The influence of a submarine canyon on the wind-driven downwelling circulation over the continental shelf” by Pedro A. Figueroa, Gonzalo S. Saldías, and Susan E. Allen
General comments
This paper presents a numerical modeling effort to extend existing knowledge regarding the hydrodynamic response of a coastal ocean with a continental shelf incised by a submarine canyon. Through a series of process-oriented modeling experiments, the authors investigated the hydrodynamic response to a uniform downwelling-favorable wind acting on continental shelves of three different depths and slopes, with and without a submarine canyon. They analyzed upwelling/downwelling and onshore/offshore transports, as well as the fate of non-buoyant particles released around and within the submarine canyon. The introduction clearly states the problem addressed and includes relevant literature. However, the methodology needs some more information to be replicable (see specific comments). The number of figures and tables is sufficient, and their quality is satisfactory. In general, the manuscript is well written and easy to read. I think that the paper needs only minor changes to be published in Ocean Science. Finally, as the flow is strongly influenced by the presence of the submarine canyon, I think the authors should discuss the importance of an adequate resolution of the sigma layers at the bottom. This is an aspect of great relevance when performing realistic numerical simulations (see, for example, Clavel-Henry et al. 2019, Ocean Science, 15, 1745-1759).
Specific comments
L96-97: Since the numerical results depend on the correct definition of the bottom and surface Ekman layers, it is important to specify the scheme used to define the distribution of the sigma layers, indicating the values used for the relevant parameters, i.e. θa, θb, etc.
L103-104: Include the wind direction for clarity.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2386-RC1 -
AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Gonzalo Saldías, 29 Oct 2024
The comment was uploaded in the form of a supplement: https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2024/egusphere-2024-2386/egusphere-2024-2386-AC1-supplement.pdf
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AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Gonzalo Saldías, 29 Oct 2024
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RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2386', Anonymous Referee #2, 20 Sep 2024
The comment was uploaded in the form of a supplement: https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2024/egusphere-2024-2386/egusphere-2024-2386-RC2-supplement.pdf
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AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Gonzalo Saldías, 31 Oct 2024
The comment was uploaded in the form of a supplement: https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2024/egusphere-2024-2386/egusphere-2024-2386-AC2-supplement.pdf
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AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Gonzalo Saldías, 31 Oct 2024
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RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2386', Jochen Kämpf, 26 Sep 2024
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AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Gonzalo Saldías, 02 Nov 2024
The comment was uploaded in the form of a supplement: https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2024/egusphere-2024-2386/egusphere-2024-2386-AC3-supplement.pdf
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AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Gonzalo Saldías, 02 Nov 2024
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