Mechanisms driving stratification in Delaware Bay estuary

An observational study in the middle reach of Delaware Bay shows that vertical stratification is often enhanced during flood tide relative to ebb tide, contrary to the tidal variability predicted by the tidal straining mechanism. This tidal period variability was more pronounced during times of high river discharge when the tidally mean stratification was higher. This tidal variability in stratification is caused by two reinforcing processes. In the along-channel direction, the upstream advection of a salinity front at mid-depth causes an increase of the vertical stratification during the flood tide and a decrease during the ebb tide. In the cross-channel direction, the tilting of isohalines during the ebb reduces vertical stratification, and the subsequent readjustment of the salinity field during the flood enhances the water column stability. A diagnosis of the cross-channel momentum balance reveals that the lateral flows are driven by the interplay of Coriolis forcing and the cross-channel pressure gradient. During the flood tide, these two forces mostly reinforce each other, while the opposite occurs during the ebb tide. This sets up a lateral circulation that is clockwise (looking landward) during the first half of the flood and then reverses and remains counterclockwise during most of the ebb tide. Past maximum ebb, the cross-channel baroclinic term, overcomes Coriolis and reverses the lateral flows.     

The impact of internal waves on upper continental slopes: insights from the Mozambican margin (southwest Indian Ocean)

Evidences of sedimentation affected by oceanic circulation, such as nepheloid layers and contourites are often observed along continental slopes. However, the oceanographic processes controlling sedimentation along continental margins remain poorly understood. Multibeam bathymetry and high-resolution seismic reflection data revealed a contourite depositional system in the Mozambican upper continental slope composed of a contourite terrace (a surface with a gentle seaward slope dominated by erosion) and a plastered drift (a convex-shape sedimentary deposit). A continuous alongslope channel and a field of sand dunes (mainly migrating upslope), formed during Holocene, were identified in the contourite terrace at the present seafloor. Seismic reflection data of the water column show internal waves and boluses propagating in the pycnocline near the upper slope. The channel and the dunes are probably the result of the interaction of the observed internal waves with the seafloor under two different conditions. The alongslope channel is located in a zone where intense barotropic tidal currents may arrest internal solitary waves, generating a hydraulic jump and focused erosion. However, upslope migrating dunes may be formed by bottom currents induced by internal solitary waves of elevation propagating landwards in the pycnocline. These small-scale sedimentary features generated by internal waves are superimposed on large-scale contouritic deposits, such as plastered drifts and contourite terraces, which are related to geostrophic currents. These findings provide new insights into the oceanographic processes that control sedimentation along continental margins that will help interpretation of palaeoceanographic conditions from the sedimentary record. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

Modelling Internal Solitary Waves in the Coastal Ocean

In the coastal oceans, the interaction of currents (such as the barotropic tide) with topography can generate large-amplitude, horizontally propagating internal solitary waves. These waves often occur in regions where the waveguide properties vary in the direction of propagation. We consider the modelling of these waves by nonlinear evolution equations of the Korteweg–de Vries type with variable coefficients, and we describe how these models are used to describe the shoaling of internal solitary waves over the continental shelf and slope. The theories are compared with various numerical simulations.     

Internal waves over the shelf in the western Bay of Bengal: a case study

Generation and propagation of internal waves (IWs) in the coastal waters of the extended shelf of the western Bay of Bengal are investigated for late winter by using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Circulation Model (MITgcm). The model is forced with astronomical tides and daily winds. Monthly climatological temperature and salinity fields are used as initial conditions. The simulations are compared with time series observations of temperature and currents from acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) and conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) moored at three locations south of Gopalpur: two at a local depth of 100 m and another at 400-m depth during 19–21 February 2012. The comparison of the spectral estimates for the time series of temperature from the model and observations are in reasonable agreement for the near-tidal frequency waves. The peak of temperature spectra is always found near the shelf break region which steadily lost its intensity over the continental shelf. The calculation of Richardson number reflected the presence of local mixing due to density overturning in the shelf region. To understand further the generation and propagation of internal tides in the region, energy flux and conversion of barotropic-to-baroclinic M₂ tidal energy are examined. The model simulations suggest that the internal tide is generated all along the shelf slope. The energy flux analysis shows that the internal tides propagate to either side of the generation sites.     

A climatology of nonmigrating semidiurnal tides from TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI) wind data

With the launch of the TIMED satellite in December 2001, continuous temperature and wind data sets amenable to MLT tidal analyses became available. The wind measuring instrument, the TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI), is operating since early 2002. Its day- and nighttime capability allows to derive tidal winds over a range of MLT altitudes. This paper presents climatologies (June 2002–June 2005) of monthly mean amplitudes and phases for six nonmigrating semidiurnal tidal components between 85 and 105 km altitude and between 45°S and 45°N latitude (westward propagating wave numbers 4, 3, 1; the standing oscillation s0; and eastward propagating wave numbers 1, 2) in the zonal and meridional wind directions.Amplitude errors are 15–20% (accuracy) and 0.8 m/s (precision). The phase error is 2 h. The TIDI analysis agrees well with 1991–1994 UARS results at 95 km. During boreal winter, amplitudes of a single component can reach 10 m/s at latitudes equatorward of 45°. Aggregate effects of nonmigrating tides can easily reach or exceed the amplitude of the migrating tide. Comparisons with the global scale wave model (GSWM) and the thermosphere–ionosphere–mesosphere–electrodynamics general circulation model (TIME-GCM) are partly inconclusive but they suggest that wave–wave interaction and latent heat release in the tropical troposphere both play an important role in forcing the semidiurnal westward 1, westward 3, and standing components. Latent heat release is the leading source of the eastward propagating components.     

Suspended sediment transport in the German Wadden Sea—seasonal variations and extreme events

The German Wadden Sea (southern North Sea) sediments are composed of both cohesive and non-cohesive deposits. The spatial distribution patterns are mainly driven by wind-induced waves and tidal currents. Transport intensity and duration depend on the hydrodynamic conditions, which vary over time. In this paper, the transport of suspended sediment was investigated on seasonal, tidal and hourly time scales in the back-barrier system of Spiekeroog Island. Long- and short-term data of fair weather periods and two storm events were investigated based on stationary and mobile measurements of currents and waves by Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), in situ particle size and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) measurements by laser in situ scattering and transmissometry (LISST) as well as wind records. The ADCP backscatter intensities were calibrated by means of LISST volume concentration data in order to quantify longer term SSCs and fluxes in the back-barrier system. Values up to 120 mg l⁻¹ were recorded, but concentrations more commonly were below 60 mg l⁻¹. The long-term results confirm former observations of a balanced budget during low-energy (fair weather) conditions in the study area. In general, SSCs were higher during spring tides than during neap tides. The data also clearly show the remobilisation of sediment by tidal current entrainment. The records include two severe storm events, “Britta” (1st November 2006) and “Kyrill” (18th January 2007). The data reveal very complex temporal flow and transport patterns. During both storm events, the export of material was mainly controlled by the interaction of wind, waves and tidal phase. The typical ebb-dominance occurring during fair-weather conditions was temporarily neutralised and even reversed to a flood-dominated situation. During “Kyrill”, the wind and high-waves setup in conjunction with the tidal phase was even able to compress the duration of two successive ebb cycles by over 70%. Although SSCs increased during both storms and higher turbulence lifted particle clouds upwards, an export of suspended matter towards the North Sea was only observed under the conditions taking place during “Britta”. Such fluxes, however, are currently still difficult to quantify because the backscatter intensity during high energy events includes a substantial amount of noise produced by the high turbulence, especially near the water surface.     

Seasonal variation of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> tide

The seasonal cycle of the main lunar tidal constituent M ₂ is studied globally by an analysis of a high-resolution ocean circulation and tide model (STORMTIDE) simulation, of 19 years of satellite altimeter data, and of multiyear tide-gauge records. The barotropic seasonal tidal variability is dominant in coastal and polar regions with relative changes of the tidal amplitude of 5–10 %. A comparison with the observations shows that the ocean circulation and tide model captures the seasonal pattern of the M ₂ tide reasonably well. There are two main processes leading to the seasonal variability in the barotropic tide: First, seasonal changes in stratification on the continental shelf affect the vertical profile of eddy viscosity and, in turn, the vertical current profile. Second, the frictional effect between sea-ice and the surface ocean layer leads to seasonally varying tidal transport. We estimate from the model simulation that the M ₂ tidal energy dissipation at the sea surface varies seasonally in the Arctic (ocean regions north of 60°N) between 2 and 34 GW, whereas in the Southern Ocean, it varies between 0.5 and 2 GW. The M ₂ internal tide is mainly affected by stratification, and the induced modified phase speed of the internal waves leads to amplitude differences in the surface tide signal of 0.005–0.0150 m. The seasonal signals of the M ₂ surface tide are large compared to the accuracy demands of satellite altimetry and gravity observations and emphasize the importance to consider seasonal tidal variability in the correction processes of satellite data.     

The evolution of an internal bore at the Malin shelf break

Observations of internal waves were made at the Malin shelf edge during SESAME (Shelf Edge Studies Acoustic Measurement Experiment), a part of the NERC LOIS-SES experiment, in August-September 1996. These measurements provide a high resolution dataset demonstrating internal wave generation and propagation. This note presents observations of the evolution of an internal bore. The process is shown clearly in a sequence of thermistor chain tows across the shelf break covering a complete tidal cycle, as the double-sided bore transforms into a group of undulations and eventually into more distinct solitary waveforms. Current structures associated with the bore and waves were also observed by ship-mounted ADCP. Analysis of the waveforms in terms of the linear modes and empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) indicate the dominance of the first mode, which is typical of a shallow water seasonal thermocline environment. Determination of the phase speed of the waves from the consecutive ship surveys enabled the Doppler shift in the towed data to be removed, allowing analysis of the real length scales of the waves. The bore evolution has been modelled using a first order non-linear KdV model for the first mode, initialised with the waveform in the first survey. Comparison of the model and the observations show close agreement in the amplitudes, length scales, phase speeds and separations of the leading internal waves as they evolve. Finally, analysis of the observed internal wave shapes indicates that, within the uncertainties of measurement, the wave-lengths lie between those predicted by first and second order soliton theory.     

Seasonal circulation and influence factors of the Bohai Sea: a numerical study based on Lagrangian particle tracking method

Seasonal circulation of the Bohai Sea (BS) in 1992 was investigated using Lagrangian particle tracking method. The hydrography of the BS was simulated based on an unstructured grid, finite-volume, three-dimensional primitive equation ocean model. With the use of the unstructured triangular grid, the model can easily fit the irregular coastal boundary of the BS. The simulated tides, tidal current, and thermohaline field agreed well with the observations. The transport of particles has three-dimensional structure in the BS. Compared with central Bohai and Bohai Strait, the differences of particles’ transportation between surface and bottom layer in three bays are small. The circulation in the summer is stronger than that in the winter, with the average residual velocity in the surface layer being about 3.7 cm/s during the summer while only 1.8 cm/s during the winter. Using the same model, several well-designed numerical experiments were performed to investigate the effect of oceanic tide, river discharge, wind stress, and thermal stratification on the circulation. It is shown that winds play an important role in the circulation of the BS during both the winter and the summer. Density circulation is important during the summer; however, it is negligible during the winter. River runoff only affects the area around the river mouth. Compared with wind and thermohaline effect, the contribution of tides is small during the summer, and the circulation under only M₂ tidal constituent could not reflect the actual circulation of the BS.     

Coastal tides in West Greenland derived from tide gauge records

Based on pressure tide-gauge observations, sea-level records are derived for ten sites along the coast of West Greenland. The ocean tidal signal is extracted by a harmonic tidal analysis. The accuracy of the determined tidal constants is discussed in detail. The tides account for 85% of the observed sea-level standard deviation. The tide gauge records reveal significant shallow-water tidal effects, in particular compound and overtide amplitudes reaching 5 cm. The propagation of the tidal waves into the fjords depends strongly on local conditions and is in some cases accompanied by an amplification of the tidal amplitudes. The observed tidal signals are compared to the predictions of the global ocean tide model FES2004. At the outer coast, a good agreement is found. Inside the fjords, however, the model performs worse and tide gauge observations may still be indispensable when accurate tidal signals are required.     

Influence of tide and waves on water renewal in Óbidos Lagoon, Portugal

The role of oceanic tide, wind stress, freshwater river inflows, and waves in the long-term circulation and residence time in óbidos Lagoon is investigated using a sensitivity analysis carried out by means of a two-dimensional model. MOHID modeling system coupled to Steady-State Spectral Wave model for simulate óbidos Lagoon circulation were implemented. For residence time calculus, a Lagrangian transport model was used. Tidal forcing is shown to be the dominant forcing, although storm waves must be considered to simulate accurately the long-term circulation. Tidal forcing enhances a spatial distribution in water residence time. Renewal time scales varies from values of 2 days in the near-ocean areas and 3 weeks in the inner areas. Freshwater river inflows decrease the residence time, while waves increase. In heavy rain periods, the water residence time decreases by about 40% in the upper lagoon. When wave forcing is considered, the residence time increases between 10% and 50% depending on lagoon area. The increase in residence time is explained by the sea level rise within lagoon (~1 m above average lagoon sea level) during storm wave periods. Average residence time is 16 days for tidal forcing, 9 days when the rivers are included (wet period), and 18 days when the waves are considered.     

On the generation and propagation of internal solitary waves in the southern Andaman Sea: A numerical study

Numerous internal solitary waves(ISWs) have been observed in the southern Andaman Sea. In this study, the two-dimensional Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model is applied to investigate the dynamics of ISWs and explore the effects of the bottom topography and tidal forcing on the generation and propagation of ISWs in the southern Andaman Sea. The results show that the large-amplitude depression ISWs are mainly generated via the oscillating tidal flow over the sill of the Great Channel, and the generation of ISWs is subject to the lee wave regime. The Dreadnought Bank cannot generate ISWs itself; however, it can enhance the amplitudes of eastward-propagating ISWs generated from sill A, owing to constructive interference of internal tide generation between the sill of the Great Channel and the Dreadnought Bank. The eastward-propagating ISWs generated by the eastern shallow sill near the continental shelf can propagate to the shelf, where they evolve into elevation waves because of the shallow water. Sensitivity runs show that both the semidiurnal and diurnal tides over the sill of the Great Channel can generate ISWs in this area. However, the ISWs generated by diurnal tides are much weaker than those generated by semidiurnal tides. Mixed tidal forcing has no significant effect on the generation of ISWs.     

High-frequency vertical current observations in stratified seas

Although large-scale tidal and inertial motions dominate the kinetic energy and vertical current shear in shelf seas and ocean, short-scale internal waves at higher frequencies close to the local buoyancy frequency are of some interest for studying internal wave breaking and associated diapycnal mixing. Such waves near the upper limit of the inertio-gravity wave band are thought to have relatively short O (10²–10³ m) horizontal scales and to show mainly up- and downward motions, which contrasts with generally low aspect ratio large-scale ocean currents. Here, short-term vertical current (w) observations using moored acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) are presented from a shelf sea, above a continental slope and from the open ocean. The observed w, with amplitudes between 0.015 and 0.05 m s⁻¹, all span a considerable part of the water column, which is not a small vertical scale O(water depth) or O (100–500 m, the maximum range of observations), with either 0 or π phase change. This implies that they actually represent internal waves of low vertical modes 1 or 2. Maximum amplitudes are found in layers of largest stratification, some in the main pycnocline bordering the frictional bottom boundary layer, suggesting a tidal source. These ‘pycnocline-w’ compose a regular train of (solitary) internal waves and linearly decrease to small values near surface and bottom.     

Numerical study of three-dimensional shelf circulation on the Scotian Shelf using a shelf circulation model

A numerical shelf circulation model was developed for the Scotian Shelf, using a nested-grid setup consisting of a three-dimensional baroclinic inner model embedded inside a two-dimensional barotropic outer model. The shelf circulation model is based on the Princeton Ocean Model and driven by three-hourly atmospheric forcing provided by a numerical weather forecast model and by tidal forcing specified at the inner model's open boundaries based on pre-calculated tidal harmonic constants. The outer model simulates the depth-mean circulation forced by wind and atmospheric pressure fields over the northwest Atlantic Ocean with a horizontal resolution of 1/12°. The inner model simulates the three-dimensional circulation over the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Scotian Shelf, and the adjacent slope with a horizontal resolution of 1/16°. The performance of the shelf circulation model is assessed by comparing model results with oceanographic observations made along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia and in the vicinity of Sable Island (on the Scotian Shelf) during two periods: October 2000–March 2001 and April–June 2002. Analysis of model results on Sable Island Bank indicates that tidal currents account for as much as ∼80% of the total variance of near-bottom currents, and currents driven by local winds account for ∼30% of the variance of the non-tidal near-bottom currents. Shelf waves generated remotely by winds and propagating into the region also play an important role in the near-bottom circulation on the bank.     

Observations of the spring–neap modulation of the gravitational circulation in a partially mixed estuary

The long-term variability of the non-tidal circulation in Southampton Water, a partially mixed estuary, was investigated using 71-day acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) time series. The data show evidence that the spring–neap tidal variability of the turbulent mixing modulates the strength of the non-tidal residual circulation, with subtidal neap tide surface flows reaching 0.12 m s^–1 compared to <0.05 m s^–1 at spring tides. The amplitude of the neap-tide events in this non-tidal circulation is shown to be related to a critical value of the tidal currents, illustrating the strong dependence on tidal mixing. The results suggest that the dominant mechanism for generating these neap-tide circulation events is the baroclinic forcing of the horizontal density gradient, rather than barotropic forcing associated with ebb-induced periodic stratification. While tidal turbulence is thought to be the dominant control on this gravitational circulation, there is evidence of the additional effect of wind-driven mixing, including the effects of wind fetch and possibly wave development with along-estuary winds being more efficient at mixing the estuary than across-estuary winds. Rapid changes in atmospheric pressure also coincided with fluctuations in the gravitational circulation. The observed subtidal flows are shown to be capable of rapidly flushing buoyant material out of the estuary and into the coastal sea at neap tides.Responsible Editor: Iris Grabemann     

Numerical modelling of circulation and dispersion processes in Boulogne-sur-Mer harbour (Eastern English Channel): sensitivity to physical forcing and harbour design

The MARS-3D model in conjunction with the particle tracking module Ichthyop is used to study circulation and tracer dynamics under a variety of forcing conditions in the eastern English Channel, and in the Boulogne-sur-Mer harbour (referred to hereafter as BLH). Results of hydrodynamic modelling are validated against the tidal gauge data, VHF radar surface velocities and ADCP measurements. Lagrangian tracking experiments are performed with passive particles to study tracer dispersal along the northern French coast, with special emphasis on the BLH. Simulations revealed an anticyclonic eddy generated in the harbour at rising tide. Tracers, released during flood tide at the Liane river mouth, move northward with powerful clockwise rotating current. After the high water, the current direction changes to westward, and tracers leave the harbour through the open boundary. During ebb tide, currents convergence along the western open boundary but no eddy is formed, surface currents inside the harbour are much weaker and the tracer excursion length is small. After the current reversal at low water, particles are advected shoreward resulting in a significant increase of the residence time of tracers released during ebb tide. The effect of wind on particle dispersion was found to be particularly strong. Under strong SW wind, the residence time of particles released during flood tide increases from 1.5 to 6 days. For release during ebb tide, SW wind weakens the southward tidally induced drift and thus the residence time decreases. Similar effects are observed when the freshwater inflow to the harbour is increased from 2 to 10 m³/s during the ebb tide flow. For flood tide conditions, the effect of freshwater inflow is less significant. We also demonstrate an example of innovative coastal management targeted at the reduction of the residence time of the pathogenic material accidentally released in the harbour.

     

Numerical modelling of circulation and dispersion processes in Boulogne-sur-Mer harbour (Eastern English Channel): sensitivity to physical forcing and harbour design

The MARS-3D model in conjunction with the particle tracking module Ichthyop is used to study circulation and tracer dynamics under a variety of forcing conditions in the eastern English Channel, and in the Boulogne-sur-Mer harbour (referred to hereafter as BLH). Results of hydrodynamic modelling are validated against the tidal gauge data, VHF radar surface velocities and ADCP measurements. Lagrangian tracking experiments are performed with passive particles to study tracer dispersal along the northern French coast, with special emphasis on the BLH. Simulations revealed an anticyclonic eddy generated in the harbour at rising tide. Tracers, released during flood tide at the Liane river mouth, move northward with powerful clockwise rotating current. After the high water, the current direction changes to westward, and tracers leave the harbour through the open boundary. During ebb tide, currents convergence along the western open boundary but no eddy is formed, surface currents inside the harbour are much weaker and the tracer excursion length is small. After the current reversal at low water, particles are advected shoreward resulting in a significant increase of the residence time of tracers released during ebb tide. The effect of wind on particle dispersion was found to be particularly strong. Under strong SW wind, the residence time of particles released during flood tide increases from 1.5 to 6 days. For release during ebb tide, SW wind weakens the southward tidally induced drift and thus the residence time decreases. Similar effects are observed when the freshwater inflow to the harbour is increased from 2 to 10 m³/s during the ebb tide flow. For flood tide conditions, the effect of freshwater inflow is less significant. We also demonstrate an example of innovative coastal management targeted at the reduction of the residence time of the pathogenic material accidentally released in the harbour.     

Measurements of Reynolds stress in a wind-driven lagoonal estuary

Acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) have been used to measure Reynolds stresses in tidally dominated environments where wave action was minimal. In this paper, we examine observations from a microtidal estuary where the effects of wind stress and surface waves dominate the velocity variance. Reynolds stress measurements in this setting require a technique for addressing surface gravity wave contamination. We present here a method of reducing the effect of wave motion on Reynolds stresses by subtracting coincident observations along the axis of the ADCP beam. Linear wave theory is used to account for the attenuation of wave orbital velocities with depth. Using this method, Reynolds stress values are brought in line with those predicted by drag laws at the surface and bottom. The apparent Reynolds stress that is removed by the along-axis subtraction is shown to be largely due to the interaction of a slight tilt (1°) in the ADCP and the wave orbital velocity. During periods of stronger wind and waves, there is evidence of enhanced near-surface turbulence and momentum flux, presumably due to breaking waves. During these events, our calculated Reynolds stress magnitudes still appear reasonable, although the directions are suspect. We develop a diagnostic technique that clearly demarcates this region when it occurs. Coincident density profile measurements are used with the ADCP data to compute gradient Richardson numbers throughout the water column. Enhanced Reynolds stresses appear to correspond to Richardson numbers less than one. Responsible editor: Alejandro Souza     

Fine grid tidal modeling of the Yellow and East China Seas

A fine grid tidal modeling experiment is carried out in order to investigate the tidal regimes for major five tidal constituents, the nonlinear tidal phenomena in terms of M₄ and MS₄ generation, and the independent tide by the tide generating force in the Yellow and East China Seas (YECS). In this study a two-dimensional numerical model based upon a subgrid-scale (SGS) stress modeling technique is used with the tide generating force included. The model was validated with recently observed tide and current data. The calculated tidal charts for tidal elevation show a generally good agreement with existing ones, with more accurate feature of the M₂ cotidal chart in comparison with both the observed data and the existing tidal charts. A careful comparison of the computed diurnal amplitude with observations suggests that the diurnal constituents seem to be overdamped especially in the Kyunggi Bay region, for the case when quadratic bottom friction law is used.Propagation features of the M₄(MS₄) tides are discussed in the YECS, based upon the analyses of the observed and calculated results. The amphidromic system of the M₄ is quite complicated and one noticeable characteristic is that the propagation direction of the M₄ tidal wave along the west coast of Korean peninsula is opposite to that of the M₂ tidal wave. This result coincides with observations. The propagation feature of the MS₄ is almost similar to that of the M₄, but with lesser amplitude. The responses of the M₄ tidal features to momentum diffusion term and depth-dependent form of the friction coefficient are also discussed.It is also shown that when the independent tide (Defant, 1960) arising from tide generating force (TGF) coexists with tidal waves (co-oscillating tide) arising from external boundary forcing, the TGF tidal waves are dissipated and their amphidromes tend to move westward. This may be interpreted as a process whereby the incident and reflected TGF tidal waves are damped by co-oscillating tide arising from external force at open boundaries. The TGF amplitude is found to be up to 10 cm and 4 cm in the Kyunggi Bay for the M₂ and S₂ constituents while those for all diurnal constituents are less than 1 cm over the entire model domain.     

The transverse dynamics of flow in a tidal channel within a greater strait

Vessel-mounted ADCP measurements were conducted to describe the transverse structure of flow between the two headland tips in Khuran Channel, south of Iran (26° 45′ N), where the highest tidal velocities in spring tides were ~?1.8 m/s. Current profiles were obtained using a 614.4 kHz TRDI WorkHorse Broadband ADCP over nine repetitions of three cross-channel transects during one semidiurnal tidal cycle. The 2.2-km-long transects ran north/south across the channel. A least-square fit to semidiurnal, quarter-diurnal, and sixth diurnal harmonics was used to separate the tidal signals from the observed flow. Spatial gradients showed that the greatest lateral shears and convergences were found over the northern channel and near the northern headland tip due to very sharp bathymetric changes in this area. Contrary to the historical assumption, the across-channel momentum balance in the Khuran Channel was ageostrophic. The current study represents one of the few examples reported where the lateral friction influences the across-channel momentum balance.