Three-dimensional calculations of the currents in the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea during June of 1999

Based on the wind and hydrographic data obtained by R/V Xiangyanghong 14 duringJune of 1999, the currents in the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea are computed by the three dimen-sional non-linear diagnostic, semidiagnostic models and prognostic in the σ coordinate. The computed re-sults show that the density and velocity fields and so on have been adjusted when time is about 3 days,namely the solution of semidiagnostic calculation is obtained. In the northwest part of the computed re-gion, the Huanghai coastal current flows southeastward, and then it flows out the computed region southof Cheju Island. In the west side of the southern part of the computed region, there is other current,which is mainly inshore branch of Taiwan Warm Current, and it flows cyclonically and turns to thenortheast. In the region north of the above two currents, there is a cyclonic eddy southwest of Cheju Is-land, and it has characteristics of high density and low temperature. There is an offshore branch of Tai-wan Warm Current in the west side of the Kuroshio, and it makes a cyclonic meander, then flows north-eastward. The Kuroshio in the East China Sea is stronger, and flows northeastward. Its maximum hori-zontal velocity is 108.5 cm/s at the sea surface, which is located at the northern boundary, and it is106.1 cm/s at 30 m level, 102.2 cm/s at 75 m level and 85.1 cm/s at 200 m level, respectively, whichare all located at the southern boundary. Comparing the results of diagnostic calculation with those ofsemidiagnostic and prognostic calculations indicates that the horizontal velocity field agrees qualitatively,and there is a little difference between them in quantity. The comparison between the computed veloci-ties and the obeered velocities at the mooring station show that they agree each other.     

A deep cyclonic gyre in the Australian–Antarctic Basin

The traditional image of ocean circulation between Australia and Antarctica is of a dominant belt of eastward flow, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, with comparatively weak adjacent westward flows that provide anticyclonic circulation north and cyclonic circulation south of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. This image mostly follows from geostrophic estimates from hydrography using a bottom level of no motion for the eastward flow regime which typically yield transports near 170 Sv. Net eastward transport of about 145 Sv for this region results from subtracting those westward flows. This estimate is compatible with the canonical 134 Sv through Drake Passage with augmentation from Indonesian Throughflow (around 10 Sv).A new image is developed from World Ocean Circulation Hydrographic Program sections I8S and I9S. These provide two quasi-meridional crossings of the South Australian Basin and the Australian–Antarctic Basin, with full hydrography and two independent direct-velocity measurements (shipboard and lowered acoustic Doppler current profilers). These velocity measurements indicate that the belt of eastward flow is much stronger, 271 ± 49 Sv, than previously estimated because of the presence of eastward barotropic flow. Substantial recirculations exist adjacent to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current: to the north a 38 ± 30 Sv anticyclonic gyre and to the south a 76 ± 26 Sv cyclonic gyre. The net flow between Australia and Antarctica is estimated as 157 ± 58 Sv, which falls within the expected net transport of 145 Sv.The 38 Sv anticyclonic gyre in the South Australian Basin involves the westward Flinders Current along southern Australia and a substantial 33 Sv Subantarctic Zone recirculation to its south. The cyclonic gyre in the Australian–Antarctic Basin has a substantial 76 Sv westward flow over the continental slope of Antarctica, and 48 ± 6 Sv northward-flowing western boundary current along the Kerguelen Plateau near 57°S. The cyclonic gyre only partially closes within the Australian–Antarctic Basin. It is estimated that 45 Sv bridges westward to the Weddell Gyre through the southern Princess Elizabeth Trough and returns through the northern Princess Elizabeth Trough and the Fawn Trough – where a substantial eastward 38 Sv current is hypothesized. There is evidence that the cyclonic gyre also projects eastward past the Balleny Islands to the Ross Gyre in the South Pacific.The western boundary current along Kerguelen Plateau collides with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that enters the Australian–Antarctic Basin through the Kerguelen–St. Paul Island Passage, forming an energetic Crozet–Kerguelen Confluence. Strongest filaments in the meandering Crozet-Kerguelen Confluence reach 100 Sv. Dense water in the western boundary current intrudes beneath the densest water of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current; they intensely mix diapycnally to produce a high potential vorticity signal that extends eastward along the southern flank of the Southeast Indian Ridge. Dense water penetrates through the Ridge into the South Australian Basin. Two escape pathways are indicated, the Australian–Antarctic Discordance Zone near 125°E and the Geelvinck Fracture Zone near 85°E. Ultimately, the bottom water delivered to the South Australian Basin passes north to the Perth Basin west of Australia and east to the Tasman Basin.     

On the modeling of wave propagation on non-uniform currents and depth

By transforming two different time-dependent hyperbolic mild slope equations with dissipation term for wave propagation on non-uniform currents into wave-action conservation equation and eikonal equation, respectively, shown are the different effects of dissipation term on the eikonal equation in the two different mild slope equations. The performances of intrinsic frequency and wave number are also discussed. Thus the suitable mathematical model is chosen in which the wave number vector and intrinsic frequency are expressed both more rigorously and completely. By using the perturbation method, an extended evolution equation, which is of time-dependent parabolic type, is developed from the time-dependent hyperbolic mild slope equation which exists in the suitable mathematical model, and solved by using the alternating direction implicit (ADI) method. Presented is the numerical model for wave propagation and transformation on non-uniform currents in water of slowly varying topography. From the comparisons of the numerical solutions with the theoretical solutions of two examples of wave propagation, respectively, the results show that the numerical solutions are in good agreement with the exact ones. Calculating the interactions between incident wave and current on a sloping beach [Arthur, R.S., 1950. Refraction of shallow water waves. The combined effects of currents and underwater topography. EOS Transactions, August 31, 549–552], the differences of wave number vector between refraction and combined refraction–diffraction of waves are discussed quantitatively, while the effects of different methods of calculating wave number vector on numerical results are shown.     

近海风暴流的数值试验

用一个水平二维模式对近海风暴流进行数值研究。选用西行、北上和西行转向三个模式台风路径。发现在台风后部沿轨迹右侧留有强的、稳定的、与台风同方向的“尾流”。在“尾流”右侧还伴有一个绕“水堆”的顺时针方向的涡旋。试验证实台风过境后主要增水区位于台风路径右侧。并指出海洋对缓慢移动的台风的响应更强。     

Intercomparison of wave-driven current models

Seven numerical models which simulate waves and currents in the surf-zone are tested for the case of a reduced-scale detached breakwater subjected to the action of regular waves with normal incidence. The computed wave heights, water levels and velocities are compared with measurements collected in an experimental wave basin. The wave height decay in the surf-zone is predicted reasonably well. Set-up and currents appear to be less well predicted. This intercomparison exercise shows that radiation stresses are systematically overestimated by formulations used in the models, mean bottom shear stresses are not always co-linear with the mean bottom velocity vector in shallow water, and turbulence modelling in the surf-zone requires a sophisticated     

浙江近海潮汐潮流的数值模拟

用三维陆架海模式(HAMSOM)对浙江近海的潮汐、潮流进行了数值模拟,并采用网格嵌套和动边界技术对原模式作了改进,以提高计算的精度,改进后的模式在浙江近海的应用中被证明是成功的.沿岸50个潮位站计算与实测值的比较表明,加入动边界以后的小区域细网格计算较之粗网格以及未加动边界以前精度普遍提高,比较的均方差结果为:M₂分潮振幅差4.6cm,相角差7.14°;S₂分潮振幅差5.0cm,相角差5.4°;K₁分潮振幅差2.25cm,相角差5.76°;O₁分潮振幅差1.56cm,相角差5.5°,可见计算与实测符合良好.另外,选取了105个实测潮流点,比较了表层M₂和K₁分潮流调和常数分量Ucosξ,Usinξ,Vcosη,Vsinη的实测值与计算值的偏差,结果表明计算与实测的符合程度较好.在此基础上,给出了各主要分潮的潮位同潮图、潮流同潮图、潮汐性质、潮流性质、潮流椭圆和潮流的运动形式等,发现4个主要分潮M₂,S₂,K₁,O₁在本区内均未出现无潮点;M₂分潮流在29°18'N,122°46'E处有一个圆流点.此外还得到了一些有意义的结论,都与实测情况符合良好,从而对整个浙江沿海区域的潮汐潮流特性有了一个全面认识.     

Field azimuth disambiguation using ambiguity-free currents

Using the ambiguity-free vertical current defined by Semel and Skumanich (1995) we derive a minimum-current azimuth disambiguation for the observed magnetic field in the active region NOAA 7201. A comparison of such a minimum-current azimuth resolution with those from other extant methods indicates that the resulting resolution, even though found to be limited by noise, is a useful first approximation. A comparison of our minimum current distribution with the currents we derive from an extant disambiguation (Lites et al., 1995) indicates the presence of current discontinuities in the form of linear features near the magnetic neutral line of the associated -spot.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is funded by the National Science Foundation     

Application of a wind-driven hydrodynamic model for the quantification of transport in an open boundary canal-lakes system in sw Friesland,The Netherlands

The south western lake district is a part of the boezem, a system of interconnected lakes and canals in the province of Friesland. The lake district has open boundaries with the other part of the boezem system. However, discharges in the boundary canals are unknown. These discharges are needed for modelling the phosphorus dynamics in the study area. Incidental water flow measurements gave a good indication of the complex water transport in the study area, but continuous water flow recording was not possible. Consequently, discharges could not be measured directly. In order to quantify the discharges, the water transport in the area was modelled by the application of a detailed wind-driven hydrodynamic model. In the model hourly mean values of wind data and water levels at the boundary locations were used as forcing functions. Model tuning was done by comparing observed and computed water levels of three stations within the system. This approach is new in surface water systems in The Netherlands. Therefore, a sensitivity analysis was done and it was verified whether the model results were reliable.The sensitivity analysis showed that the sensitivity was low for modifications of the wind exponent value and rather high for the bottom roughness coefficient. Simulations with daily or weekly mean wind and water level data resulted in an undesirable loss of detail. The sensitivity for noise at the imposed water levels at the boundary locations was moderate. The calculated discharges were used as forcing functions for a chloride mass balance model. Calculated chloride concentrations coincided with measured concentrations in three lakes, during three periods. From this it was concluded that the discharges were reliable. The simulations also lead to the quantification of the water balance and water residence times in the lakes.     

Vertical exchange due to horizontal density gradients in lakes; the case of Lake Lucerne

Recent field investigations have shown that differential mixing causes a significant density driven exchange between the two eastern basins of Lake Lucerne, Gersauersee and Urnersee. The long term vertical mixing characteristics during the winter mixing period and the influence of the resulting exchange flow on water quality are examined through the analysis of ten years (1964 to 1974) of monthly limnological data. Vertical homogenization of the state variables (temperature, electric conductivity and density) occurred on average once every two years in Urnersee, but not once in Gersauersee where the ten year average winter mixed-layer depth extended to 120 m. In Urnersee intense mixing was evident over the whole water column for every year. In contrast intense mixing in the deeper layers of Gersauersee occurred approximately once every four years. A three layer model shows that theT/ ₂₀ signature of the Gersauersee intermediate water correlates best with the Urnersee deep water confirming the regular occurrence of a density driven exchange. For the lower layers the oxygen consumption rate in Urnersee was approximately twice that for Gersauersee. It appears the exchange flow can act either as a source or sink for the oxygen balance of Urnersee deep water. The larger rate in Urnersee hypolimnion might also be associated with the larger sediment input to this system. Density driven exchange resulting from differential mixing is probably an important contribution to the vertical water replenishment in many lakes.