A description of the tides and effect of Qeshm canal on that in the Persian Gulf using two-dimensional numerical model

Abstract

The main semidiurnal (M2 and S2) and diurnal (K1 and O1) tidal constituents are simulated in the Persian Gulf (PG). The topography is discretized on a spherical grid with a resolution of 30 s in both latitude and longitude. It includes coastal areas prone to flooding. The model permits flooding of drying banks up to 5 m above mean sea level. At the open boundary, it is forced by 13 harmonic constituents extracted from a global tidal model. The model results are in good agreement with tide gauge observations. Co-tidal charts and flow extremes are presented for each tidal constituent. The co-tidal charts show two amphidromic points for semidiurnal and one for diurnal tidal constituents. Maximum amplitudes of sea level are obtained for the north-western part of the PG, where coastal flooding prevails in wide areas. Strong tidal currents occur in different parts of the PG for different types of constituents. Maximum velocities are found in shallow regions. Particularly, high amplitudes of elevations and high speed currents are founded in the canal between Qeshm Island and the mainland. Rectification of tides around Qeshm Island affects the propagation of tides in the PG as far as the coast of Saudi Arabia and the northern part of the PG.