Abstract
The Omani Coastal Current (OCC) flowing northward along the southern coast of Oman during the summer monsoon is associated with an upwelling system. The mesoscale circulation of the western Arabian Sea is dominated by energetic mesoscale eddies down to about 1000 m depth. They drive the pathways of the upwelling water masses and the Persian Gulf Outflow water. This paper focuses on the sub-mesoscale frontal dynamics in the OCC by analyzing the results from a regional realistic numerical simulation performed with a primitive equation model. Off the Omani coast, the interaction between the upwelling fronts and the mesoscale eddies triggers the frontogenesis at play in the surface mixed layer during the summer monsoon. In spring, sub-mesoscale eddies are generated at the Cape of Ra’s al Hadd due to the horizontal shear instabilities undergone by the OCC. The OCC also drives and elongates Peddies formed during the Summer monsoon and located below the thermocline. Finally, the interaction between mesoscale eddies and the upwelling system leads to the formation of sub-mesoscale eddies at depth through baroclinic instabilities.
Highlights
The regional-scale ocean circulation in the Arabian Sea, the north-western part of the IndianOcean, is driven by the winter and the summer monsoons [1]
The offshore Ekman transport due to the orientation of the wind generates upwelling in summer [3]. Both monsoon regimes lead to the formation of a coastal current along the southern coast of Oman, flowing northward in summer named the Omani Coastal Current (OCC)
The OCC dynamics play an important role on the fate of the Persian Gulf Outflow Water (PGOW)
Summary
The regional-scale ocean circulation in the Arabian Sea, the north-western part of the Indian. Both monsoon regimes lead to the formation of a coastal current along the southern coast of Oman, flowing northward (southward) in summer (winter) named the Omani Coastal Current (OCC). In the world’s ocean, the sub-mesoscale dynamics associated with western boundary current have been widely studied e.g., in the Gulf Stream [13,14,15], in the Kuroshio [16,17], and in the Agulhas. OCC is more than a western boundary current since it is associated with an upwelling system during the summer monsoon. Current near the surface and at intermediate depths It analyzes the results of a realistic regional simulation performed with a primitive equation model at sub-mesoscale resolution.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
