Observations of inshore water exchange forced by a fluctuating offshore density field

In recent years it has become increasingly obvious that circulation driven by density fluctuations in the coastal water is the dominating mode of water exchange in most fjords, bays and archipelagoes along the Scandinavian coasts. The observed fluctuating density field at the Norwegian Skagerrak coast is briefly presented and also a simple formula to estimate water exchange in inshore waters driven by offshore fluctuating density field. A field programme aimed at testing the formula has been undertaken and the results are presented and discussed.