Modeling of the breeze circulation of waters in the Kerch Strait

The problem of the numerical analysis of currents in the Kerch Strait is studied within the framework of a linear nonstationary two-dimensional model in the nondivergent approximation. We describe the actual situation when the motion is induced by a breeze against the background of the daily average northeast wind. The breeze is specified as acting in a narrow coastal strip and can be classified as a zonal wind. The variations of circulation near the Tuzla Island are studied in detail. It is shown that the contribution of the breeze circulation to the total circulation can be significant for the explanation of the processes running in the Kerch Strait. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 6, pp. 16–27, November–December, 2007.     

Transient wind drift currents in a tidal inlet: Theoretical analysis of Ekman drift current and field experiments in Suonada,the Seto Inland Sea

Time-dependent wind drift currents in a basin with finite depth have been solved analytically in order to understand their fundamental behavior in coastal waters. The drift currents due to the land/sea breeze, as a typical example of time-dependent winds, have been examined with attention to the manner of their oscillation in their vertical profiles. The theoretical analysis indicates that the drift current due to the land/sea breeze might be amplified effectively around the southern part of Japan, where the oscillating period of the wind is near to the inertial period. The analysis of the physical process of the drift current reveals the following two important aspects: the Ekman boundary layer in a rotating frame is physically consistent with the Stokes boundary layer due to oscillating currents in an inertial frame, and so the inertial motion due to the wind is dispersed to the deeper level by the vertical viscosity in a rotating frame. The harmonic analysis was performed for the residual data after removal of the four main tidal constituents, M2, S2, K1 and O1, from the raw data observed in Suonada sound, the Seto Inland Sea. The feature of the analytically solved drift currents corresponded well to the observed picture. The vertical viscosity in this field has been estimated at 10⁻³ m²/s by adjusting the harmonically analytical result of the observed data to the vertical profile of the analytically solved drift current.     

Detecting a response to weak sea breezes in the New South Wales coastal ocean

Current meter data from the coastal ocean at Sydney, south‐eastern Australia, were analysed to seek evidence of a response to the prevailing summer sea breeze. A response to the sea breeze was found in the currents. This is significant since the magnitude of the sea breeze was small by comparison with winds associated with large‐scale pressure systems and the East Australian Current. Responses were determined by analysing short periods (3–5 days) of sea breeze activity as opposed to the whole 2‐month data set. The correlations between the alongshore nearshore diurnal‐period currents and the local wind stress during the sea breeze periods were significantly higher than the correlations during non‐sea‐breeze periods. Despite the stronger correlations the sea breeze could only account for around one‐quarter of the variance in the diurnal‐period currents. However, the detection of the response to the sea breeze is significant since the sea breeze has never previously been identified as a process for forcing alongshore nearshore currents on this shelf.     

Development of the summer breeze circulation in the west part of the Black Sea

On the basis of the results of regional reanalysis of the atmospheric circulation presented with a resolution of 9 km, the process of formation of breezes is studied for the case of weak synoptic background activity in the rectilinear part of the west coast of the Black Sea for the period 01–04.07.2007. It is shown that the gravitational currents, breeze fronts, and intense internal waves are formed under these conditions in the troposphere during the daytime. The Hovm?ller diagrams of the wind velocity and the maps of the vertical sections of potential temperature, vertical velocity of the air masses, and other parameters are presented. On the basis of these diagrams and maps, we obtain quantitative estimates of the wind velocity in the breeze and of the velocity of propagation of the breeze front and compare these estimates with the available literature data.     

Stationary waves in the flow of a homogeneous fluid with vertical shear of the velocity

A plane problem of free stationary gravitational waves in a horizontal current with vertical shear of the velocity is studied in the linear statement. The determination of the parameters of waves is reduced to the solution of the Sturm–Liouville boundary-value problem. For some vertical distributions of current velocity, we obtain analytic solutions. We propose a numerical algorithm for finding the parameters of waves. On the basis of the performed analysis, we establish the possibility of existence of stationary surface waves in currents for certain ranges of the Froude number. As the Froude number decreases, the waves become shorter, which leads to a faster attenuation of waves disturbances with depth. Under the actual conditions, the waves are short and suffer the influence of shear currents only in the subsurface layer of the ocean.     

Spectral barotropic model for the prediction of synoptic currents in the open part of the ocean

We consider a quasigeostrophic spectral model used for the prediction of synoptic currents in the barotropic ocean. The spectral method is based on the expansion of the current function in a double series in cosines. An algorithm of numerical evaluation of the nonlinear term in the equation of potential eddy is described in detail. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 4, pp. 62–69, July–August, 2006.     

Numerical Simulation of Wind Currents and Propagation of Impurities in the Balaklava Bay

We present the results of numerical experiments aimed at the simulation of the circulation of waters and transport of impurities in the Balaklava Bay for typical wind conditions established on the basis of the analysis of the data of in-situ measurements. The currents are computed by using the nonlinear σ-coordinate model. The specific features of the integral circulation and three-dimensional structure of the current field are investigated. The statistical characteristics of currents are estimated on the basis of the in-situ data on winds and model calculations. Possible scenarios of propagation of impurities from the coastal sources are analyzed for various hydrodynamic conditions. It is shown that the localized eddy structures in the current fields (in combination with the zones of intense vertical motion) can result in a complex character of the transport of substances in the bay and lead to the formation of local regions of maximum concentrations of impurities on the boundary of the north and central parts of the bay. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 4, pp. 43–58, July–August, 2005.     

Numerical Simulation of the Three-Dimensional Wave-Induced Currents on Unstructured Grid

By coupling the three-dimensional hydrodynamic model with the wave model, numerical simulations of the three-dimensional wave-induced current are carried out in this study. The wave model is based on the numerical solution of the modified wave action equation and eikonal equation, which can describe the wave refraction and diffraction. The hydrodynamic model is driven by the wave-induced radiation stresses and affected by the wave turbulence. The numerical implementation of the module has used the finite-volume schemes on unstructured grid, which provides great flexibility for modeling the waves and currents in the complex actual nearshore, and ensures the conservation of energy propagation. The applicability of the proposed model is evaluated in calculating the cases of wave set-up, longshore currents, undertow on a sloping beach, rip currents and meandering longshore currents on a tri-cuspate beach. The results indicate that it is necessary to introduce the depth-dependent radiation stresses into the numerical simulation of wave-induced currents, and comparisons show that the present model makes better prediction on the wave procedure as well as both horizontal and vertical structures in the wave-induced current field.     

Numerical simulation of currents in a basin of variable depth with two straits

Within the framework of the linear theory of long waves, with regard for the turbulent viscosity, we study the development of tidal currents in a basin of variable depth with two straits. The problem is solved numerically. The velocity field on the strait-basin boundary is regarded as known. The numerical analysis is performed for different depths of the straits. We study the influence of the geometric characteristics of the basin on the amplitudes of the profile of free surface and wave velocity and establish the dependences of the wave characteristics on the period of current velocities in the strait and the parameters of the basin. In particular, it is shown that the increase in the period of current velocities in the strait leads to significant changes in the level and structure of currents. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 4, pp. 3–12, July–August, 2007.     

Modeling of Circulation and Propagation of Contaminating Impurities in the Balaklava Bay

The Princeton Ocean Model is adapted to the water area of the Balaklava Bay for the numerical analysis of circulation. The calculations are performed with the help of the diagnostic method by using the data of the hydrological survey carried out in the bay in August 1992. We study the structure of the surface and bottom currents in the analyzed period as well as the vertical circulation of waters and the circulation averaged over the depth. The obtained three-dimensional fields of currents are used for the numerical analysis of the process of propagation of passive contaminating impurities from the sources located on the coasts of the Balaklava Bay. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 3, pp. 49–61, May–June, 2005.     

Investigation of the characteristics of surge phenomena in the Sea of Azov

We present the results of numerical simulation of currents and sea level for the Sea of Azov. In calculations, we use a three-dimensional nonlinear mathematical model taking into account the tangential wind stresses. We present the results of numerical analysis of the fields of currents and the amplitudes of oscillations of the sea level at the coastal stations as functions of the maximum velocity and the period of constant action of the west wind. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, pp. 12–25, January–February, 2008.     

A numerical study of the seasonal circulation in the Seto Inland Sea,Japan

The seasonal variation of water circulation in the Seto Inland Sea is investigated using a high resolution, three-dimensional numerical ocean model. The model results are assessed by comparison with long-term mean surface current and hydrographic data. The simulated model results are consistent with observations, showing a distinct summer and winter circulation patterns. In summer the sea water is highly stratified in basin regions, while it is well mixed near the straits due to strong tidal mixing there. During this period, a cold dome is formed in several basins, setting up stable cyclonic eddies. The cyclonic circulation associated with the cold dome develops from May and disappears in autumn when the surface cooling starts. The experiment without freshwater input shows that a basin-scale estuarine circulation coexists with cyclonic eddy in summer. The former becomes dominant in autumn circulation after the cold dome disappears. In winter the water is vertically well mixed, and the winter winds play a significant role in the circulation. The northwesterly winds induce upwind (downwind) currents over the deep (shallow) water, forming a “double-gyre pattern” in the Suo-Nada, two cyclonic eddies in Hiuchi-Nada, and anticyclonic circulation in Harima-Nada in vertically averaged current fields.     

Calculation of currents in Taiwan Strait during summer Ⅰ. Three-dimensional diagnostic calculation

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琼州海峡冬末春初潮余流场特征

1995年2月26日至3月6日,在琼州海峡的新海一四塘断面上,大小潮期间进行15条船同步测流.该断面上涨潮流速普遍大于落潮流速,实测最大涨潮流速为172cm/s,最大落潮流速为142cm/s;大潮期间北部6个站全层平均余流速度为18.4cm/s.海峡中间3个站0～20m层平均流速为18.3cm/s,南部6个站平均余流速度为10.2m/s.中间和北部诸站余流方向指向W一S范围,南部6个站因受地形影响,流向指向NE.用数值计算方法,再现了大小潮期间琼州海峡整个潮流场.大潮期间,通过西断面(灯楼角──玉苞角)落潮流总通量为4.73×1010m3,涨潮流总通量为4.29×1010m3;通过东断面(东营──龙塘镇)落潮流总通量为5.22×1010m3,涨潮流总通量为4.90×1010m3,其净通量,西、东断面分别为0.43×1010和0.32×1010m3,其方向指向西.     

The study of the instability of currents in the Bosphorus Strait

The baroclinic instability of the Bosphorus currents is studied in terms of minor disturbances. The Bosphorus current and undercurrent depend on the seasonal variability of the strait’s dynamics manifesting itself in the intensification of flows and in the modification of their configuration. In the frame of the linear statement of the problem, the spatial and temporal characteristics of the disturbances have been obtained for different velocities, layer thicknesses, and interface depths, as well as for water stratifications. Some regularities in the development of instability in the Bosphorus Strait have been identified. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Investigation of the influence of cyclonic disturbances on the dynamic processes and the evolution of impurities in the Sea of Azov in the presence of stationary currents

A three-dimensional nonlinear mathematical model is used to study the dynamic processes under the action of cyclonic disturbances in the field of stationary wind in the Sea of Azov and the specific features of transformation of the impurities. The results of numerical calculations enable us to conclude that the maximum velocities of currents generated by a cyclone depend on the direction of its motion. It is shown that the cyclones moving westward generate currents with higher maximum velocities than the cyclones of other directions. It is also demonstrated that the motion of atmospheric disturbances leads to a significant enlargement of the area of propagation of pollutants as compared with the case of action solely of stationary currents. The influence of the velocities of stationary currents on the maximum current velocities caused by the passage of a cyclone is also analyzed.     

赤道中印度洋上层环流结构与季节变化特征分析

本文通过分析RAMA印度洋观测浮标系统锚系ADCP实测资料,对赤道中印度洋上层海流季节变化进行了研究。研究结果表明,0°,80.5°E纬向流垂向剖面呈现上150m层一致的东向流,而经向流在100m以浅呈现表层向北次表层向南的翻转流结构。赤道中印度洋上层纬向流季节信号被半年周期的东向射流Wyrtki Jets(WJs)所控制。WJs发生于季风方向转换的季节,4—5月份较弱,10—11月份较强。赤道中印度洋上层经向流年周期信号显著。北半球夏季与冬季分别出现风应力旋度驱动的Sverdrup南向流与北向流。本文结论为赤道中印度洋上层环流季节变化特征的研究提供了观测角度的支持。     

Seasonal variations of the ocean surface circulation in the vicinity of Palau

The surface circulation in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean is investigated with the aim of describing intra-annual variations near Palau (134°30′ E, 7°30′ N). In situ data and model output from the Ocean Surface Currents Analysis—Real-time, TRIangle Trans-Ocean buoy Network, Naval Research Laboratory Layered Ocean Model and the Joint Archive for Shipboard ADCP are examined and compared. Known major currents and eddies of the western equatorial Pacific are observed and discussed, and previously undocumented features are identified and named (Palau Eddy, Caroline Eddy, Micronesian Eddy). The circulation at Palau follows a seasonal variation aligned with that of the Asian monsoon (December–April; July–October) and is driven by the major circulation features. From December to April, currents around Palau are generally directed northward with speeds of approximately 20 cm/s, influenced by the North Equatorial Counter-Current and the Mindanao Eddy. The current direction turns slightly clockwise through this boreal winter period, due to the northern migration of the Mindanao Eddy. During April–May, the current west of Palau is reduced to 15 cm/s as the Mindanao Eddy weakens. East of Palau, a cyclonic eddy (Palau Eddy) forms producing southward flow of around 25 cm/s. The flow during the period July to September is disordered with no influence from major circulation features. The current is generally northward west of Palau and southward to the east, each with speeds on the order of 5 cm/s. During October, as the Palau Eddy reforms, the southward current to the east of Palau increases to 15 cm/s. During November, the circulation transitions to the north-directed winter regime.     

Characteristics of coastal-trapped waves induced by typhoon along the southeast coast of Honshu,Japan

Mooring observations using ADCP, electromagnetic current meters and thermometers were performed to clarify the vertical and horizontal structure of coastal-trapped waves (CTWs) on continental shelf and slope on the eastern side of Sagami Bay, Japan, in August and September 2003. A strong inflow associated with CTW caused by Typhoon 0315 (CTW15) was observed with remarkable downwelling. The maximum current due to CTW15 was over 100 cm s⁻¹, confined to the upper layer shallower than 90 m. The CTW (CTW10) induced by Typhoon 0310, was associated with the coastal upwelling and maximum outflow was 33 cm s⁻¹; the currents were extended near the bottom at 230 m depth. Remarkable discrepancies were found between the current structures of CTWs. CTW15 was explained by superposing the second CTW mode on the first CTW mode, whereas CTW10 was explained by the first CTW mode. The generation and propagation processes of both CTWs were reproduced by numerical experiments using a three-dimensional level model. The model results indicated that the difference of modal characteristics between CTW15 and CTW10 already exists in the CTW generation region and are due to difference of the wind direction, i.e., the typhoon’s path.