Impact of stratification on internal waves and differential wearing of thermal inversions on the east coast of India |
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Authors: | A D Rao S V Babu P L N Murty Smita Pandey |
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Institution: | (1) Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110 016, India; |
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Abstract: | The surface layers of the Bay of Bengal along the east coast of India exhibit intricate stratification owing to the differential
distribution of freshwaters. The winter (January–February) cooling of the salinity-induced stable layers results in the development
of thermal inversions that deteriorate toward the end of the season. The study focuses on the behavior of the thermal inversions
in the light of the variable stratification and the monsoon imposed reversing coastal current. To address the associated processes,
a three-dimensional Princeton Ocean Model is applied for the east coast of India, and numerical experiments carried out to
study the means by which the thermal inversions tend to perish with the passage of winter. The model domain with variable
curvilinear grid uses input fields that comprise realistic bathymetry and initial temperature/salinity conforming to winter/specified
stratification. The surface forcing comprises wind stress and diurnal pattern air–sea heat fluxes. The body forcing is derived
from the periodic tidal elevations at the open boundaries. It has been found that the thermal inversions tend to sustain as
the equator-ward flowing East India Coastal Current (EICC) traps the cool low saline waters between Paradip and Kakinada.
The current off Paradip is weak and variable and is not a part of EICC. Consequently, in the absence of replenishment of cool
and freshsurface waters, the temperature/salinity gradients get eroded steadily. No thermal inversions are noticed south of
Kakinada because of relatively weak current with diminished vertical salinity gradient. As the nature of stratification encountered
in the bay is highly variable due to diverse reasons, the behavior of internal waves under different stratification scenarios
is also addressed. Numerical experiments indicate that the energy/amplitude of the internal waves are comparable in the surface
layers for any stratification, where as it is certain orders exalted in the deeper waters of the strong stratification scenario.
Further, it is found that the energies and pattern of the temperature oscillations conform to the nature of mixed tide at
the corresponding latitude. The underneath stratification is found to be more responsible for the generation of internal waves compared to the local stratification. This implies that the body forcing emanating from below is the cardinal contributor for the generation of internal waves.
The numerical experiment with a flat and uniform bottom showing weak manifestation of internal waves endorses the same. This
connotes that the continental slopes are an effective generator of the internal waves and the energy flux conversion of the
barotropic tide to internal waves seems to be heavily dependent on the shoaling bottom. |
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