The effect of Coriolis-Stokes forcing on upper ocean circulation in a two-way coupled wave-current model

We investigated the Stokes drift-driven ocean currents and Stokes drift-induced wind energy input into the upper ocean using a two-way coupled wave-current modeling system that consists of the Princeton Ocean Model generalized coordinate system (POMgcs), Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) wave model, and the Model Coupling Toolkit (MCT). The Coriolis-Stokes forcing (CSF) computed using the wave parameters from SWAN was incorporated with the momentum equation of POMgcs as the core coupling process. Experimental results in an idealized setting show that under the steady state, the scale of the speed of CSF-driven current was 0.001 m/s and the maximum reached 0.02 m/s. The Stokes drift-induced energy rate input into the model ocean was estimated to be 28.5 GW, taking 14% of the direct wind energy rate input. Considering the Stokes drift effects, the total mechanical energy rate input was increased by approximately 14%, which highlights the importance of CSF in modulating the upper ocean circulation. The actual run conducted in Taiwan Adjacent Sea (TAS) shows that: 1) CSF-based wave-current coupling has an impact on ocean surface currents, which is related to the activities of monsoon winds; 2) wave-current coupling plays a significant role in a place where strong eddies present and tends to intensify the eddy??s vorticity; 3) wave-current coupling affects the volume transport of the Taiwan Strait (TS) throughflow in a nontrivial degree, 3.75% on average.