Flushing time in the Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba
Abstract
We use a high-resolution numerical model to
analyze the hydrodynamical exchange processes of the Cienfuegos
Bay with the Caribbean Sea. Results show that freshwater
inputs and wind are the main factors controlling the water
exchange in the bay. Nine simulation case studies with three
wind conditions and three freshwater inputs were carried out.
The main conclusion is that the Cienfuegos Bay system has a
slow exchange rate, with an average flushing time of 39 days
during the rainy period and 50 days during the dry one, for
the most probable wind direction. Two new temporary scales
for Cienfuegos Bay are discussed: the local e-flushing time and
the flushing lag. The results obtained for these new variables
validate the slow exchange capacity of the bay.