Variation of water mass exchange on tidal scale in Balikpapan Bay

Balikpapan Bay is enclosed water influenced by freshwater from river runoff and saline water from Makassar Strait. The exchange of water mass was examined by 3D numerical model simulation-Hamburg Shelf Ocean Model (HAMSOM) with horizontal resolutions approx. 150 m and 10 vertical layers applied in Balikpapan Bay. The thirteen tidal components, daily river runoff, atmospheric forcing, subsurface temperature, and Salinity in 3D used for model input. The tidal elevation from Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) model fits with this result from 01/03/2020 to 31/03/2020. It has coefficient correlation 0,99 with a significant level of 95% and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) is 0,1 m. The volume and salt transport in the mouth (Line-A) and middle (Line-B) of bay was examined. The maximum transport in Line-A during spring (neap) high to low tide and low to high tide is −18364.72 m3/s (−1717.57 m3/s) and −17532.27 m3/s (4258.86 m3/s) for volume. Then, 531,947,898.90 kg.psu./s (−45,127,135.38 kg.psu./s) and −536,410,944.50 kg.psu./s (140,700,437.97 kg.psu./s) for salinity. Positive (negative) of water transport is inflow (outflow) to Balikpapan Bay. The net transport in a day during the spring (neap) is −832.45 m3/s (5976.43 m3/s) for volume and −4,463,045.58 kg.psu./s (185,827,573.35 kg.pau./s) for salt. The vertical structure of net volume and salt transport bot in Line-A and Line-B shows the water goes to outer bay in surface and inner bay in subsurface. While in the spring tide the surface deeper than neap tide. It indicated that water mass exchange dominantly influenced by river in surface and tidal in subsurface. It also shows that water mass from inner bay more easy flushing during spring tide than neap tide and vice versa

Latest Miocene restriction of the Mediterranean Outflow Water: a perspective from the Gulf of Cádiz

The Mediterranean-Atlantic water mass exchange provides the ideal setting for deciphering the role of gateway evolution in ocean circulation. However, the dynamics of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) during the closure of the Late Miocene Mediterranean-Atlantic gateways are poorly understood. Here, we define the sedimentary evolution of Neogene basins from the Gulf of Cádiz to the West Iberian margin to investigate MOW circulation during the latest Miocene. Seismic interpretation highlights a middle to upper Messinian seismic unit of transparent facies, whose base predates the onset of the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC). Its facies and distribution imply a predominantly hemipelagic environment along the Atlantic margins, suggesting an absence or intermittence of MOW preceding evaporite precipitation in the Mediterranean, simultaneous to progressive gateway restriction. The removal of MOW from the Mediterranean-Atlantic water mass exchange reorganized the Atlantic water masses and is correlated to a severe weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and a period of further cooling in the North Atlantic during the latest Miocene.