The wind- and wave-driven inner-shelf circulation

The inner continental shelf, which spans water depths ofa few meters to tens of meters, is a dynamically defined region that lies between the surf zone (where waves break) and the middle continental shelf (where the along-shelf circulation is usually in geostrophic balance). Many types of forcing th...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inAnnual review of marine science Vol. 4; p. 317
Main Authors Lentz, Steven J, Fewings, Melanie R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.01.2012
Subjects
Environmental Monitoring
Models, Theoretical
Oceans and Seas
Time Factors
Water Movements
Wind
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:The inner continental shelf, which spans water depths ofa few meters to tens of meters, is a dynamically defined region that lies between the surf zone (where waves break) and the middle continental shelf (where the along-shelf circulation is usually in geostrophic balance). Many types of forcing that are often neglected over the deeper shelf-such as tides, buoyant plumes, surface gravitywaves, and cross-shelfwind stress-drive substantial circulations over the inner shelf. Cross-shelf circulation over the inner shelf has ecological and geophysical consequences: It connects the shore to the open ocean by transporting pollutants, larvae, phytoplankton, nutrients, and sediment. This review of circulation and momentum balances over the inner continental shelf contrasts prior studies, which focused mainly on the roles of along-shelfwind and pressure gradients, with recent understanding of the dominant roles of cross-shelf wind and surface gravity waves.
ISSN:1941-1405
DOI:10.1146/annurev-marine-120709-142745