Water fluxes at an ocean margin in the presence of a submarine canyon

A 3-D, unsteady, nonlinear, high-resolution model is used to estimate shelf/slope exchanges through Calvi Canyon (NW Corsica, Mediterranean Sea) in various regimes of stratification and wind patterns. To evaluate the alongshore and cross-shore fluxes within the canyon area as well as the water exchanges between the canyon and Calvi Bay, volume transports are computed at the sides of two closed, interconnected boxes encompassing the canyon on the shelf and slope domains. Model results show that water transports between Calvi Bay and the open sea are determined by flow modifications in the canyon area. The mean horizontal flow deviates southwestward upstream of the canyon, generating an onshore transport in the western part of Calvi Bay. Within the canyon, the circulation is cyclonic and is responsible for an offshore transport downstream of the canyon and in the eastern part of the bay. The effect of stratification is shown to limit the vertical extent of the influence of canyon topography so that the alongshore flow above the canyon is quasi-undisturbed in strong stratified conditions, resulting in weak cross-shore exchange. Wind events are shown to be responsible for a strong increase of cross-shore transports between the bay and the canyon area. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.