Lagrangian Simulations (2012-2023) and Coastal Tracer Observations (1930-2023) for Analyzing the Interannual Variability of Water Mass Inflow to the Salish Sea

This dataset includes setup files and simulation results for ten years of quantitative Lagrangian analysis using Ariane, an offline Lagrangian tool capable of calculating 3D parcel trajectories and volume transport, used in Beutel et al. (2025). The simulations are based on the output from LiveOcean, a physical-biogeochemical ocean model developed by the University of Washington Coastal Modelling Group. The simulation results were used to quantify the interannual variability in tracer flux into the Salish Sea, and to assess whether this variability is driven by changes in the volume contribution of water masses to Salish Sea inflow or changes in the properties of said water masses. This dataset also includes collated observations of tracers along the BC, Alaska, Washington, and Oregon coasts (shallower than 500 m, east of 145.5 W, and between 40 and 50.8 N) from 1930 to the end of 2023. This data was used to extend the tracer flux analysis beyond the tracers available in LiveOcean, such that the water mass transport of trace metals, and additional nutrients and carbonate chemistry constituents could be discussed. Knowledge on the connection between the inflow of biogeochemical tracers and water mass transport is crucial for understanding the vulnerability of the Salish Sea to future water mass dynamical and property variation under a changing climate.