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Circulation in Enewetak Atoll lagoon 1
Author(s) -
Atkinson M.,
Smith S. V.,
Stroup E. D.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1981.26.6.1074
Subject(s) - atoll , oceanography , reef , flushing , circulation (fluid dynamics) , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , residence time (fluid dynamics) , mechanics , medicine , physics , geotechnical engineering , endocrinology
Currents at Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands, were measured on the reef margins, in the channels, and in the lagoon. Lagoon circulation is dominated by wind‐driven downwind surface flow and an upwind middepth return flow. This wind‐driven flow has the characteristics of an Ekman spiral in an enclosed sea. Lagoon flushing is accomplished primarily by surf‐driven water input over the windward (eastern) reefs and southerly drift out the South Channel. Mean water residence time is 1 month, while water entering the northern portion of the atoll takes about 4 months to exit.