Tides and Their Dynamics over the Sunda Shelf of the Southern South China Sea

Daryabor, Farshid and See, Hai Ooi and Azizan, Abu Samah and Akbari, Abolghasem (2016) Tides and Their Dynamics over the Sunda Shelf of the Southern South China Sea. PLoS ONE, 11 (9). pp. 1-24. ISSN 1932-6203. (Published)

[img]
Preview
PDF
Jour-pone.0162170.PDF

Download (8MB) | Preview

Abstract

A three-dimensional Regional Ocean Modelling System is used to study the tidal characteristics and their dynamics in the Sunda Shelf of the southern South China Sea. In this model, the outer domain is set with a 25 km resolution and the inner one, with a 9 km resolution. Calculations are performed on the inner domain. The model is forced at the sea surface by climatological monthly mean wind stress, freshwater (evaporation minus precipitation), and heat fluxes. Momentum and tracers (such as temperature and salinity) are prescribed in addition to the tidal heights and currents extracted from the Oregon State University TOPEX/Poseidon Global Inverse Solution (TPXO7.2) at the open boundaries. The results are validated against observed tidal amplitudes and phases at 19 locations. Results show that the mean average power energy spectrum (in unit m2/s/cph) for diurnal tides at the southern end of the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia is approximately 43% greater than that in the East Malaysia region located in northern Borneo. In contrast, for the region of northern Borneo the semidiurnal power energy spectrum is approximately 25% greater than that in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. This implies that diurnal tides are dominant along the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia while both diurnal and semidiurnal tides dominate almost equally in coastal East Malaysia. Furthermore, the diurnal tidal energy flux is found to be 60% greater than that of the semidiurnal tides in the southern South China Sea. Based on these model analyses, the significant tidal mixing frontal areas are located primarily off Sarawak coast as indicated by high chlorophyll-a concentrations in the area.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Tides; Ocean waves; Malaysia; Resonance frequency
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GB Physical geography
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GC Oceanography
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Civil Engineering & Earth Resources
Depositing User: Dr. Abolghasem Akbari
Date Deposited: 20 Dec 2016 02:52
Last Modified: 20 Dec 2016 02:52
URI: http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/15729
Download Statistic: View Download Statistics

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item