1. Explaining the Statistical Properties of Salt Intrusion in Estuaries Using a Stochastic Dynamical Modeling Approach.
- Author
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Dijkstra, Henk A., Biemond, Bouke, Lee, Jiyong, and de Swart, Huib E.
- Subjects
STOCHASTIC models ,PROBABILITY density function ,ESTUARIES - Abstract
Determining the statistical properties of salt intrusion in estuaries on sub‐tidal time scales is a substantial challenge in environmental modeling. To study these properties, we here extend an idealized deterministic salt intrusion model to a stochastic one by including a stochastic model of the river discharge. In the river discharge model, two types of stochastic forcing are used: one independent (additive noise) and one dependent (multiplicative noise) on the river discharge state. Each type of forcing results in a non‐Gaussian response in the salt intrusion length, which we consider here as the distance of the 2 psu isohaline contour to the estuary mouth. The salt intrusion model including both types of stochastic forcing in the river discharge provides a satisfactory explanation of the multi‐year statistics of observed salt intrusion lengths in the San Francisco Bay estuary, in particular for the skewness of its probability density function. Key Points: A stochastic dynamical model is developed to explain the statistics of salt intrusion in estuariesAdditive (multiplicative) noise in river discharge induces a positive (negative) skewness in the salt intrusion length statisticsBoth additive and multiplicative noise in river discharge are important forthe salt intrusion statistics in the San Francisco Bay estuary [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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