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An international science team conducted a tidal-cycle study across a Destin, Fla., inlet to better understand currents and the transport of dissolved and suspended materials between an estuary and the coastal ocean. They observed salinity and water temperature fronts at low and high tide. The high tide front transported oceanic buoyant material into the estuary throughout the water column.
In contrast, a plume-like front at low tide moved material seaward near the surface. These plume-like fronts may prevent buoyant material from entering an estuary during most of the tidal cycle. After a tidal cycle, water density gradients in the water column were the main drivers of residual flows.Image credit: Valle-Levinson, University of Florida
