Nonlinear advection,Coriolis force,and frictional influence in the South Channel of the Yangtze Estuary,China

Observation data of along-estuary and lateral current velocities over a transect located at the South Channel of the Yangtze estuary was obtained during a spring tide in August 2011.Harmonic analysis was done on the current velocities to get a mean component and a semi-diurnal component.Based on these two components,the driving mechanisms of mean lateral flow and M2 lateral tidal flow are shown and analyzed respectively.The dominant driving force of mean lateral flow is nonlinear advection and that of lateral M2 tidal flow is Coriolis force.The friction plays an important role near the bottom and surface for both lateral mean flow and M2 tidal flow.