Investigation of interbasin exchange and interannual variability in <scp>L</scp>ake <scp>E</scp>rie using an unstructured‐grid hydrodynamic model

Abstract

Abstract Interbasin exchange and interannual variability in Lake Erie's three basins are investigated with the help of a three‐dimensional unstructured‐grid‐based Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM). Experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of grid resolutions and different sources of wind forcing on the lake dynamics. Based on the calibrated model, we investigated the sensitivity of lake dynamics to major external forcing, and seasonal climatological circulation patterns are presented and compared with the observational data and existing model results. It was found that water exchange between the western basin (WB) and the central basin (CB) was mainly driven by hydraulic and density‐driven flows, while density‐driven flows dominate the interaction between the CB and the eastern basin (EB). River‐induced hydraulic flows magnify the eastward water exchange and impede the westward one. Surface wind forcing shifts the pathway of hydraulic flows in the WB, determines the gyre pattern in the CB, contributes to thermal mixing, and magnifies interbasin water exchange during winter. Interannual variability is mainly driven by the differences in atmospheric forcing, and is most prominent in the CB.