Dumas F., Le Gendre R., Thomas Y., Andréfouët Serge. (2012). Tidal flushing and wind driven circulation of the Ahe atoll lagoon (Tuamotu archipelago, French Polynesia) from in situ observations and numerical modelling. In :
Andréfouët Serge (ed.), Charpy Loïc (ed.). Ahe atoll and pearl oyster aquaculture in the Tuamotu archipelago. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 65 (10-12), p. 425-440. ISSN 0025-362X.
Titre du document
Tidal flushing and wind driven circulation of the Ahe atoll lagoon (Tuamotu archipelago, French Polynesia) from in situ observations and numerical modelling
Dumas F., Le Gendre R., Thomas Y., Andréfouët Serge
In
Andréfouët Serge (ed.), Charpy Loïc (ed.), Ahe atoll and pearl oyster aquaculture in the Tuamotu archipelago
Source
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2012,
65 (10-12), p. 425-440 ISSN 0025-362X
Hydrodynamic functioning and water circulation of the semi-closed deep lagoon of Ahe atoll (Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia) were investigated using 1 year of field data and a 3D hydrodynamical model. Tidal amplitude averaged less than 30 cm, but tide generated very strong currents (2 m s-1) in the pass, creating a jet-like circulation that partitioned the lagoon into three residual circulation cells. The pass entirely flushed excess water brought by waves-induced radiation stress. Circulation patterns were computed for climatological meteorological conditions and summarized with stream function and flushing time. Lagoon hydrodynamics and general overturning circulation was driven by wind. Renewal time was 250 days, whereas the e-flushing time yielded a lagoon-wide 80-days average. Tide-driven flush through the pass and wind-driven overturning circulation designate Ahe as a wind-driven, tidally and weakly wave-flushed deep lagoon. The 3D model allows studying pearl oyster larvae dispersal in both realistic and climatological conditions for aquaculture applications.
