A continuously stratified nonlinear model for internal solitary waves in the northern South China Sea

A continuously stratified nonlinear model is set up to study the impact of topographical character on the generation of internal solitary waves over a sill by tidal flow. One of the reasons why almost all of the generated internal solitary waves propagate westward in the northern South China Sea is explained. The model simulations describe the generation and propagation of internal waves well. When the strength of imposed barotropic tides and the water stratification stay unchanged, the steepness of the sill slope can control both (a) whether or not the waves induced over a sill by tidal flow are linear internal waves or nonlinear internal solitary waves, and (b) the amplitude of the internal solitary waves generated. If the steepness of the sill is asymmetric, the nonlinear internal solitary waves may be induced on the steeper side of the sill. These conclusions are supported by a numerical experiment with a monthly-mean stratification and an actual seafloor topography from the Luzon Strait.     

A new method for the estimation of oceanic mixed-layer depth using shipboard X-band radar images

Shipboard X-band radar images acquired on 24 June 2009 are used to study nonlinear internal wave characteristics in the northeastern South China Sea. The studied images show three nonlinear internal waves in a packet. A method based on the Radon Transform technique is introduced to calculate internal wave parameters such as the direction of propagation and internal wave velocity from backscatter images. Assuming that the ocean is a two-layer finite depth system, we can derive the mixed-layer depth by applying the internal wave velocity to the mixed-layer depth formula. Results show reasonably good agreement with in-situ thermistor chain and conductivity-temperature-depth data sets.     

Highly nonlinear internal solitary waves over the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea

Large amplitude internal solitary waves (ISWs) often exhibit highly nonlinear effects and may contribute significantly to mixing and energy transporting in the ocean. We observed highly nonlinear ISWs over the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea (19°35′N, 112°E) in May 2005 during the Wenchang Internal Wave Experiment using in-situ time series data from an array of temperature and salinity sensors, and an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). We summarized the characteristics of the ISWs and compared them with those of existing internal wave theories. Particular attention has been paid to characterizing solitons in terms of the relationship between shape and amplitude-width. Comparison between theoretical prediction and observation results shows that the high nonlinearity of these waves is better represented by the second-order extended Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) theory than the first-order KdV model. These results indicate that the northwestern South China Sea (SCS) is rich in highly nonlinear ISWs that are an indispensable part of the energy budget of the internal waves in the northern South China Sea.     

PROGRESS OF STUDIES ON THE INTERNAL TIDE GENERATED BY THE PASSAGE OF BAROTROPIC TIDE OVER CONTINENTAL SHELF/SLOPE

Various aspects of studies on internal tides are reviewed .Both beam-like structure and modal structure of internal tides may exist in the ocean . Bottom intensifications are caused by many factors .e.g. upstream blocking , which is the result of nonlinear interaction among waves . The energy may decay very fast so that internal tides are mostly locally generated .Internal tides may have considerable residual currents.In a 3-D frame, numerical study revealed that internal waves may interfere with each other to cause strong motions fer from the generation sources.The mechanism that determines how the lee waves break to form various nonlinear waves such as solitary waves, hydraulic jumps and internal surges or bores remains unclear. Analytic study is difficult , so numerical method may be effective . A radiation condition on the open boundary must be employed. A complete 3-D model may gain interesting result.Study on internal tides in China is limited to field observations and data analysis .     

Distribution of vertical turbulent mixing parameter caused by internal tidal waves and solitary waves in the South Yellow Sea

Many observations show that in the Yellow Sea internal tidal waves (ITWs) possess the remarkable characteristics of internal Kelvin wave, and in the South Yellow Sea (SYS) the nonlinear evolution of internal tidal waves is one of the mechanisms producing internal solitary waves (ISWs), which is different from the generation mechanism in the case where the semidiurnal tidal current flows over topographic drops. In this paper, the model of internal Kelvin wave with continuous stratification is given, and an elementary numerical study of nonlinear evolution of ITWs is made for the SYS, using the generalized KdV model (GKdV model for short) for a continuous stratified ocean, in which the different effects of background barotropic ebb and flood currents are considered. Moreover, the parameterization of vertical turbulent mixing caused by ITWs and ISWs in the SYS is studied, using a parameterization scheme which was applied to numerical experiments on the breaking of ISWs by Vlasenko and Hutter in 2002. It is found that the vertical turbulent mixing caused by internal waves is very strong within the upper layer with depth less than about 30m, and the vertical turbulent mixing caused by ISWs is stronger than that by ITWs.     

Energetics and temporal variability of internal tides in Luzon Strait: a nonhydrostatic numerical simulation

A fully nonlinear,three-dimensional nonhydrostatic model driven by four principal tidal constituents(M2,S2,K1,and O1) is used to investigate the spatial-temporal characteristics and energetics of internal tides in Luzon Strait(LS).The model results show that,during spring(neap) tides,about 64(47) GW(1 GW=109 W) of barotropic tidal energy is consumed in LS,of which 59.0%(50.5%) is converted to baroclinic tides.About 22(11) GW of the derived baroclinic energy flux subsequently passes from LS,among which 50.9%(54.3%) flows westward into the South China Sea(SCS) and 45.0%(39.7%) eastward into the Pacific Ocean,and the remaining 16(13) GW is lost locally owing to dissipation and convection.It is revealed that generation areas of internal tides vary with the spring and neap tide,indicating different source areas for internal solitary waves in the northern SCS.The region around the Batan Islands is the most important generation region of internal tides during both spring and neap tides.In addition,the baroclinic tidal energy has pronounced seasonal variability.Both the total energy transferred from barotropic tides to baroclinic tides and the baroclinic energy flux flowing out of LS are the highest in summer and lowest in winter.     

Depression and elevation internal solitary waves in a two-layer fluid and their forces on cylindrical piles

Both large amplitude depression and elevation internal solitary waves (ISWs) were observed on the continental shelf of the northwest South China Sea (SCS) during the Wenchang Internal Wave Experiment. In this study, we investigate the characteristics of depression and elevation ISWs based on comparisons between observational results and internal wave theories. It is suggested that the large amplitude depression wave is better represented by the extended Korteweg-de Vries (EKdV) theory than by the KdV model, whereas the large amplitude elevation wave is in better agreement with the KdV equation than with the EKdV theory. Wave-induced forces on a supposed small-diameter cylindrical pile by depression and elevation waves are also estimated using the internal wave theory and Morison formula. The wave-induced force by elevation ISWs is rarely reported in the literature. It is found that the force induced by the elevation wave differs significantly from that by the depression wave, and the elevation wave generally produces greater force on the pile in the lower water column than the depression wave. These results show that ISWs in the study area can present a serious threat to ocean engineering structures, and should not be ignored in the design of oil platforms and ocean operations.     

An investigation of the properties of low-frequency internal waves in the northeastern China Seas

A simple and practical method for separating low-frequency internal waves from low-frequency barotropic waves was employed to analyze the observation data. Analysis of some data gathered in the northestern China Seas revealed strong semidiurnal internal tides and near-inertial internal waves at the stations in the East China Sea and near-inertial waves but no semidiurnal internal tides at the station in the centre of the Yellow Sea. The geographic properties of low-frequency internal waves in the region are discussed primarily on the basis of the mechanism of internal tide generation on the continental shelfbreak, and the mechanisms of local generation and global generation. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

WIND WAVES SIMULATION IN THE NORTH AREA OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

A third generation wave model was developed to simulate wind waves in the South China Sea near Hong Kong. The model solves the energy conservation equation of the two dimensional wave spectrum by directly computing the nonlinear energy interaction among waves of different frequencies, thus avoiding the imposition of restrictions on the shape of the predicted spectra. The use of an upwind difference scheme in the advective terms produces an artificial diffusion which partly compensates the dispersive effect due to the phase velocity differences among various wave components. The use of a semi-implicit scheme for the source terms together with a special treatment of the high frequency tail of the spectrum allows a large time integration step. Verification of the model was done for wave hindcasting studies under conditions of two typhoons and two cold fronts in the north part of the South China Sea near Hong Kong . The model results agree well with the field measurements except that the presence of a dista     

An isopycnic-coordinate internal tide model and its application to the South China Sea

A three-dimensional isopycnic-coordinate ocean model for the study of internal tides is presented. In this model, the ocean interior is viewed as a stack of isopycnic layers, each characterized by a constant density. The isopycnic coordinate performs well at tracking the depth variance of the thermocline, and is suitable for simulation of internal tides. This model consists of external and internal modes, and barotropic and baroclinic motions are calculated in the two modes, respectively. The capability of simulating internal tides was verified by comparing model results with an analytical solution. The model was then applied to the simulation of internal tides in the South China Sea (SCS) with the forcing of M2 and K1 tidal constituents. The results show that internal tides in the SCS are mainly generated in the Luzon Strait. The generated M2 internal tides propagate away in three different directions (branches). The branch with the widest tidal beam propagates eastward into the Pacific Ocean, the most energetic branch propagates westward toward Dongsha Island, and the least energetic branch propagates southwestward into the basin of the SCS. The generated K1 internal tides propagate in two different directions (branches). One branch propagates eastward into the Pacific Ocean, and the other branch propagates southwestward into the SCS basin. The steepening process of internal tides due to shoaling effects is described briefly. Meridionally integrated westward energy fluxes into the SCS are comparable to the meridionally integrated eastward energy fluxes into the Pacific Ocean.     

Characteristics of nonlinear internal waves observed in the northern South China Sea

The South China Sea (SCS) is one of the most active areas of internal waves. We undertook a program of physical oceanography in the northern South China Sea from June to July of 2009, and conducted a 1-day observation from 15:40 of June 24 to 16:40 of June 25 using a chain of instruments, including temperature sensors, pressure sensors and temperature-pressure meters at a site (117.5°E, 21°N) northeast of the Dongsha Islands. We measured fluctuating tidal and subtidal properties with the thermistor-chain and a ship-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, and observed a large-amplitude nonlinear internal wave passing the site followed by a number of small ones. To further investigate this phenomenon, we collected the tidal constituents from the TPXO7.1 dataset to evaluate the tidal characteristics at and around the recording site, from which we knew that the amplitude of the nonlinear internal wave was about 120 m and the period about 20 min. The horizontal and vertical velocities induced by the soliton were approximately 2 m/s and 0.5 m/s, respectively. This soliton occurred 2–3 days after a spring tide.     

Impacts of internal waves on chlorophyll a distribution in the northern portion of the South China Sea

Internal waves can bring nutrients to the upper level of water bodies and facilitate phytoplankton photosynthesis. Internal waves occur frequently in the northern portion of the South China Sea and inflict an important effect on chlorophyll a distribution. In this study, in-situ observation and satellite remote sensing data were used to study the effects of internal waves on chlorophyll a distribution. Based on the in-situ observations, lower chlorophyll a concentrations were present in the middle and bottom level in areas in which internal waves occur frequently, while the surface chlorophyll a distribution increased irregularly, and a small area with relatively higher chlorophyll a concentrations was observed in the area around the Dongsha Island. Satellite remote sensing showed that the chlorophyll a concentration increased in the area near Dongsha Island, where internal waves frequently occurred. The results of the increased chlorophyll a concentration in the surface water near Dongsha Island in the northern portion of the South China Sea indicated that internal waves could uplift phytoplankton and facilitate phytoplankton growth.     

Nonlinear interactions among internal tidal waves in the northeastern South China Sea

We used a set of 75-day long ADCP data from the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) to investigate nonlinear interactions among freely propagating internal tidal waves. The kinetic energy spectra displayed significant peaks at some higher tidal frequencies, such as O₁M₂ (O₁+M₂), and M₄ (M₂+M₂), where O₁ is the lunar diurnal internal tide, M₂ is the lunar semidiurnal internal tide, and M₄ is the first higher harmonic frequency of M₂. These higher tidal harmonic frequency peaks, as well as the fundamental tidal harmonic peaks, show a σ ^−2.3 spectral falloff rate with frequency. In addition, we explored the possible generation mechanism of higher tidal harmonics. Analysis on the rotary and bicoherence spectra suggests that strong forced non-resonant interaction induced by nonlinear advections was the dominant physical mechanism that induced these higher tidal harmonics. Moreover, the energetic, freely propagating semidiurnal (M₂) internal tidal wave played the most crucial role in these interactions. These results indicate that strong nonlinear forced non-resonant interactions among internal tides can be one of the processes responsible for the redistribution of energy in the internal wave spectrum.     

Laboratory Experiments on an Internal Solitary Wave over a Triangular Barrier

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of interfacial internal solitary waves(ISWs) incident on a triangular barrier. ISWs with different amplitudes were generated by gravitational collapse. The ISW energy dissipation and turbulence processes were calculated as waves passed over the triangular barrier. Experimental results showed that ISWs were reflecting back off the triangular barrier, and shoaling ISWs led to wave breaking and mixing when waves propagated over the obstacle. Wave instability created the dissipation of energy as it was transmitted from waves to turbulence. The rate of ISW energy dissipation, the maximum turbulent dissipation, and the buoyancy diffusivity linearly increased with the increase in the incident wave energy.     

Numerical simulation and preliminary analysis on ocean waves during Typhoon Nesat in South China Sea and adjacent areas

Using the wave model WAVEWATCH III(WW3), we simulated the generation and propagation of typhoon waves in the South China Sea and adjacent areas during the passage of typhoon Nesat(2011). In the domain 100°–145°E and 0°–35°N, the model was forced by the cross-calibrated multi-platform(CCMP) wind fi elds of September 15 to October 5, 2011. We then validated the simulation results against wave radar data observed from an oil platform and altimeter data from the Jason-2 satellite. The simulated waves were characterized by fi ve points along track using the Spectrum Integration Method(SIM) and the Spectrum Partitioning Method(SPM), by which wind sea and swell components of the 1D and 2D wave spectra are separated. There was reasonable agreement between the model results and observations, although the WW3 wave model may underestimate swell wave height. Signifi cant wave heights are large along the typhoon track and are noticeably greater on the right of the track than on the left. Swells from the east are largely unable to enter the South China Sea because of the obstruction due to the Philippine Islands. During the initial stage and later period of the typhoon, swells at the fi ve points were generated by the propagation of waves that were created by typhoons Haitang and Nalgae. Of the two methods, the 2D SPM method is more accurate than the 1D SIM which overestimates the separation frequency under low winds, but the SIM method is more convenient because it does not require wind speed and wave direction. When the typhoon left the area, the wind sea fractions decreased rapidly. Under similar wind conditions, the points located in the South China Sea are affected less than those points situated in the open sea because of the infl uence of the complex internal topography of the South China Sea. The results reveal the characteristic wind sea and swell features of the South China Sea and adjacent areas in response to typhoon Nesat, and provide a reference for swell forecasting and offshore structural designs.     

INTERNAL TIDES, SOLITARY WAVES AND BORES IN SHALLOW SEAS

Remote sensing and in situ observations of internal tides, solitary waves and bores in shallow water are briefly reviewed in this paper. The emphasis is laid on interpreting SAR images based on oceanographic measurements, and analyzing characteristics of internal waves in the China Seas. Direc-tions for future research are discussed.     

A LAYERED NUMERICAL MODEL FOR SIMULATING THE GENERATION AND PROPAGATION OF INTERNAL TIDES OVER CONTINENTAL SLOPE Ⅲ. NUMERICAL EXPERIMENTS AND SIMULATION

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A NUMERICAL STUDY OF THE TIDE-SURGE INTERACTION IN THE EAST CHINA SEA AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

Nearshore sea levels in the East China Sea(ECS) and the South China Sea(SCS) during tropical cyclones-Typhoon 8007(Joe, 1980) and Typhoon 7209(Betty 1972) were simulated. The tide-surge interactions in the two regions are remarkable and locally produced. The corresponding nonlinear effects were derived from the different nonlinear terms. The contribution of the quadratic friction term is the most important, the shallow term comes second the convective term is the least; the phases of the interactions generated by the various nonlinear terms are asynchronous. Both the quadratic friction and the convective term can stimulate and aggravate the surge structure with more peaks. The bottom friction features have crucial influences on tides and surges, and the interaction is sensitive to the changes of tide and surge.     

A layered numerical model for simulating the generation and propagation of internal tides over continental slope III. Numerical experiments and simulation

The layered model in Part I was used to simulate the internal tide in a stratified, two layer, and rectangular sea area with step-like topography. The internal tide current velocities of the upper and lower layers and the interfacial elevations were computed and the effect of the upper layer water depth and density difference were studied. Numerical experiments verified that the model can correctly simulate internal tides. The model was also applied to the northwestern part of the South China Sea to simulate the internal tides there with real topography. The distributions of internal tide amplitude in interfaces were delineated. Contribution No. 3590 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project 49676275 supported by NSFC and also supported by National Special Research Program 97-926-05-02.     

Study on the propagation velocity of internal solitary waves in the Andaman Sea using Terra/Aqua-MODIS remote sensing images

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology - The Andaman Sea has been a classic study region for internal solitary waves (ISWs) for several decades, and extraordinarily large ISWs are characteristic of...