title: Hydrodynamic properties of San Quintin Bay, Baja California: Merging models and observations.
abstract: We investigated the physical dynamics of San Quintin Bay, a coastal lagoon located on the Pacific coast of northern Baja California, Mexico. We implemented, validated and used a finite element 2-D hydrodynamic model to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of the hydrodynamic of the bay in response to variability in the tidal regime and in meteorological forcing patterns. Our analysis of general circulation, residual currents, residence times, and tidal propagation delays allowed us to characterize spatial variability in the hydrodynamic basin features. The eulerian water residence time is -on average and under reference conditions- approximately 7days, although this can change significantly by region and season and under different tidal and meteorological conditions. Ocean upwelling events that bring colder waters into the bay mouth affect hydrodynamic properties in all areas of the lagoon and may affect ecological dynamics. A return to pre-upwelling conditions would take approximately 10days.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Donata
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Melaku Canu
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy; ICTP, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics - Strada Costiera, 11I-34151 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aveytua-Alcázar
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, km 103 Autopista Tijuana-Ensenada, 22860, Baja California, Mexico.
authors.forename: Victor F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Camacho-Ibar
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Querin
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, 34010, Sgonico, Trieste, Italy; ICTP, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics - Strada Costiera, 11I-34151 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Solidoro
mesh_terms: D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry*; D002140:California; D004463:Ecology; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D008800:Mexico; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Coastal lagoon; Modeling; SHYFEM; San Quintin Bay; Tidal advection; Upwelling