Three-dimensional numerical simulation of internal tides that radiated from the Luzon Strait into the Western Pacific

• Published in: Chinese journal of oceanology and limnology Vol. 35; no. 6; pp. 1275 - 1286
• Main Author: 刘昆;徐振华;尹宝树
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Science Press 01.11.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abyssal zone; Altimeters; Computer simulation; Decay rate; Diurnal; Diurnal variations; Earth; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth rotation; Earth Sciences; Energy; energy flow; Energy transfer; Equator; Internal tides; Latitude; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Numerical analysis; Numerical models; Oceanography; Phase velocity; Philippines; Physics; Propagation; Radiation; Rotation; Satellite observation; Satellites; Simulation; Three dimensional models; Tidal dynamics; Tidal waves; Tides; Wave propagation; Wavelength; wavelengths; Width; 三维数值模式; 三维数值模拟; 传播过程; 内潮; 卫星高度计; 吕宋海峡; 西太平洋; 辐射过程; Luzon; Pacific Ocean; Philippines; internal tides; Luzon Strait; numerical simulation; Western Pacific
• ISSN: 0254-4059; 2096-5508; 1993-5005; 2523-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s00343-017-5376-2

Recent satellite altimeter observations have indicated that internal tides （ITs） from the Luzon Strait （LS） propagate more than 2 500 km into the Western Pacific （WP）. This study used a high-resolution three-dimensional numerical model to reproduce and examine the ITs radiation process. The propagation of diurnal and semidiurnal ITs showed different patterns and variations. Diurnal ITs with lower frequency were affected more by the earth＇s rotation and they were bent more toward the equator than semidiurnal ITs. ITs phase speeds are functions of latitude and diurnal ITs showed greater distinctions of phase speeds during propagation. For M2 ITs, the wavelength remained nearly unchanged but the beam width increased significantly during propagation away from the LS. For diurnal ITs （K1 and O0, the wavelength decreased noticeably with latitude, while the beam width varied little during propagation because of blocking by land. Baroclinic energy was also examined as a complement to satellite results reported by Zhao （2014）. The magnitude of the generated baroclinic energy flux reduced remarkably within 300 km from the generation site but it then decayed slowly when propagating into abyssal sea. Baroclinic energy of diurnal ITs was found to dissipate at a slower rate than semidiurnal ITs along the main propagation path in the WP.