Energetics and temporal variability of internal tides in Luzon Strait： a nonhydrostatic numerical simulation

• Published in: Chinese journal of oceanology and limnology Vol. 30; no. 5; pp. 852 - 867
• Main Author: 李明杰 侯一筠 李元龙 胡珀
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.09.2012; SP Science Press; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Baroclinic flow; Barotropic mode; Barotropic tides; Convection; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Energy; energy flow; Energy transfer; Internal tides; Internal waves; islands; Marine; Mathematical models; Neap tides; Numerical analysis; Ocean currents; Oceanography; Pacific Ocean; Physics; Seasonal variation; Seasonal variations; Solitary waves; South China Sea; Spring; Spring (season); Straits; summer; Temporal variations; Three dimensional models; Tidal constituents; Tidal dynamics; Tidal energy; Tidal power; Tidal waves; Tides; Topography; winter; 内潮; 吕宋海峡; 完全非线性; 数值模拟; 时间; 潮汐能; 能量通量; 非静力; Asia; ISEW, South China Sea; ISEW, Pacific, Luzon Strait; South China Sea; Pacific Ocean; internal tide; temporal variability; MITgcm; Luzon Strait (LS); energetics
• ISSN: 0254-4059; 2096-5508; 1993-5005; 2523-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s00343-012-1289-2

A fully nonlinear, three-dimensional nonhydrostatic model driven by four principal tidal constituents （M2, S2, K1, and O1） is used to investigate the spatial-temporal characteristics and energetics of internal tides in Luzon Strait （LS）. The model results show that, during spring （neap） tides, about 64 （47） GW （1 GW=109W） of barotropic tidal energy is consumed in LS, of which 59.0% （50.5%） is converted to baroclinic tides. About 22 （11） GW of the derived baroclinic energy flux subsequently passes from LS, among which 50.9% （54.3%） flows westward into the South China Sea （SCS） and 45.0% （39.7%） eastward into the Pacific Ocean, and the remaining 16 （13） GW is lost locally owing to dissipation and convection. It is revealed that generation areas of internal tides vary with the spring and neap tide, indicating different source areas for internal solitary waves in the northern SCS. The region around the Batan Islands is the most important generation region of internal tides during both spring and neap tides. In addition, the baroclinic tidal energy has pronounced seasonal variability. Both the total energy transferred from barotropic tides to baroclinic tides and the baroclinic energy flux flowing out of LS are the highest in summer and lowest in winter.