3D Model Application to Study Residual Flow in the Arabian Gulf
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 5
Abstract
A three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic model is employed to investigate the mean flow pattern in the Arabian Gulf. After calibration of the model against measured data, simulations are done for summer and winter hydrological scenarios. As the dynamics of the Gulf are significantly influenced by salinity and temperature, measured values of these parameters are directly used to get a realistic flow field. Numerical experiments with the model are carried out such in a way that the importance of the major factors contributing to the residual current is investigated by using their suitable combination. The model results show that the density field develops different flow patterns in the summer and winter, except for a common feature of anticlockwise gyre in the northern Gulf. While the tide is found to contribute little to the flow, the wind generates strong currents along the coasts of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The Japan Cooperation Center, Petroleum (JCCP) sponsored the present research work at the United Arab Emirates University. The writers would like to acknowledge the support from TAKREER and ADPOC, from UAE-ADNOC Companies, in marine surveys and other field work. Acknowledgment is also due to Professor Kisaburo Nakata from Tokai University for his recommendations.
References
Abdelrahman, S. M., and Ahmad, F. A. (1995). “Note on the residual currents in the Arabian Gulf.” Cont. Shelf Res., 15(8), 1015–1022.
Blain, C. A. (2000). “Modeling three-dimensional thermohaline-driven circulation in the Arabian Gulf.” Proc., 6th Int. Conf. on Estuarine and Coastal Modeling, M. L. Spaulding and A. F. Blumberg, eds., ASCE, Reston, Va., 74–93.
Brewer, P. G., and Dyrssen, D. (1984). “Chemical oceanography of the Persian Gulf.” J. crease essays on oceanography: A tribute to John Swallow, Prog. Oceanogr., W. J. Gould and P. M. Saunders, eds., 14, 41–55.
Brewer, P. G., Fleer, A. P., Kadar, S., Shafer, D., and Smith, C. L. (1978). “Chemical oceanographic data from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.” WHOI Rep. No. 78-37, Woods Hill Oceanography Institute, Woods Hill, Mass.
Chao, S.-Y., Kao, T. W., and Al-Hajri, K. R. (1992). “A numerical investigation of circulation in the Arabian Gulf.” J. Geophys. Res., C: Oceans Atmos., 97(7), 11219–11236.
Elshorbagy, W., Azam, M. H., and Nakata, K. (2004). “Temperature-salinity field of the shallow shelf of southern Arabian Gulf.” Cont. Shelf J., submitted.
Elshorbagy, W., Azam, M. H., and Taguchi, K. (2006). “Hydrodynamic characterization and modeling of the Arabian Gulf.” J. Waterw., Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng., 132(1), 47–56.
Emery, K. O. (1956). “Sediments and water of the Persian Gulf.” Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. Bull., 40, 2354–2383.
Hartmann, M. H., Seibold, L. E., and Walger, E. (1971). “Surface sediments in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. I: Geologic-hydrologic settings and first sedimentology results.” Meteor Forschungsergebnisse, 4, 1–76.
Hastenrath, S., and Lamb, P. J. (1979). Climatic atlas of the Indian Ocean. Part II: The ocean heat budget, University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wis.
Hellerman, S. (2004). “Hellerman and Rosenstein global wind stress climatology.” ⟨http://ingrid.ldeo.columbia.edu/SOURCES/.HELLERMAN⟩ (Apr. 10, 2003).
Horton, C., Clifford, M., Schmitz, J., and Hester, B. (1994). “SWAFS: Shallow water analysis and forecast system.” Overview and Status Rep., Naval Oceanographic Office, Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Hughes, P., and Hunter, J. R. (1979). “A proposal for a physical oceanography program and numerical modeling of the KAP region.” Rep. MARINF/27, UNESCO, Division of Marine Science, Paris.
Hunter, J. R. (1983). “Aspects of the dynamics of the residual circulation of the Arabian Gulf.” Coastal oceanography, H. G. Gade, A. Edwards, and H. Svendsen, eds., Plenum, New York, 31–42.
Lardner, R. W., Al-Rabeh, W., Gunay, N., Hossain, M., Reynolds, R. M., and Lehr, W. J. (1993). “Computation of residual flow in the Gulf using the Mt. Mitchell data and the KFUPM/RI hydrodynamic model.” Mar. Pollution Bull., 2, 61–70.
Lardner, R. W., and Das, S. K. (1991). “On the computation of flows driven by density gradient: Residual currents in the Arabian Gulf.” Appl. Math. Model., 15, 282–294.
Lardner, R. W., Lehr, W. J., Fraga, R. J., and Sarhan, M. A. (1987). “Residual circulation of the Arabian Gulf. I: Density-driven flow.” Arabian J. Sci. Eng., 12(3), 341–354.
Leendertse, J. J., and Liu, S. K. (1977). “A three-dimensional model for estuaries and coastal seas. IV: Turbulent energy computation.” Technical Rep. R-2187-OWRT, Rand, Pittsburgh.
Meshal, A. M., and Hassan, H. M. (1986). “Evaporation from the coastal waters of the central part of Gulf.” Arab Gulf J. Sci. Res., 4, 649–655.
Perrone, T. J. (1979). “Winter Shamal in the Persian Gulf.” Technical Rep. 79-06, Naval Environmental Prediction Research Facility, Monterey, Calif.
Privett, D. W. (1959). “Monthly charts of evaporation from the Indian Ocean (including the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf).” Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 85, 424–428.
Reynolds, M. R. (1993). “Physical oceanography of the Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman: Results from the Mt. Mitchell expedition.” Mar. Pollution Bull., 27(1), 35–39.
Ross, D. A., and Stoffers, P. (1978). “General data on bottom sediments including concentration of various elements and hydrocarbons in the Persian Gulf of Oman.” Technical Rep. WHOI-78-39, Woods Hole Oceanography Institute, Woods Hole, Mass.
Swift, S. A., and Bower, A. S. (2003). “Formation and circulation of dense water in the Persian/Arabian Gulf.” J. Geophys. Res., 108(1), 3004.
Taguchi, K., and Nakata, K. (1998). “Analysis of water quality in Lake Hamana using a coupled physical and biochemical model.” J. Mar. Syst., 16, 107–132.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 5 • September 2006
Pages: 388 - 400
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 10, 2004
Accepted: Nov 8, 2005
Published online: Sep 1, 2006
Published in print: Sep 2006
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.