A numerical model for circulation in the Halifax Harbour estuary system

Estuaries are coastal regions where a freshwater source meets the ocean. The influence of tides, wind, and the shape of the estuary can lead to complicated flows of water that are difficult to predict. The purpose of this project is to develop a computer simulation of the Halifax Harbour estuary. We will use the General Estuarine Transport Model (GETM), which will simulate physical phenomena at smaller scales than have previously been modelled. To confirm that the model adequately represents real physical processes, the simulations will be compared with field observations of temperature, salinity, and currents. This project is partly motivated by the ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) experiments are currently being conducted in Halifax Harbour. OAE is a climate change mitigation method where water containing dissolved alkaline minerals is added to the ocean, initiating an air-to-sea transport of carbon dioxide. A deep understanding of the circulation will be established using GETM, so that the transport of the dissolved alkaline minerals can be predicted. This project is a collaboration between Dalhousie University and IOW in Germany; Dalhousie researchers will receive training on a state-of-the-art estuary model, while IOW researchers will benefit by further testing and refining GETM for a new estuary.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ruth Musgrave

Student:

Partner:

Universität Rostock

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Education

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: