Three-dimensional structure of tidal current in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea

Abstract

A three-dimensional tidal current model is developed and applied to the East China Sea (ECS), the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea. The model well reproduces the major four tides, namely M2, S2, K1 and O1 tides, and their currents. The horizontal distributions of the major four tidal currents are the same as those calculated by the horizontal two-dimensional models. With its high resolutions in the horizontal (12.5 km) and the vertical (20 layers), the model is used to investigate the vertical distributions of tidal current. Four vertical eddy viscosity models are used in the numerical experiments. As the tidal current becomes strong, its vertical shear becomes large and its vertical profile becomes sensitive to the vertical eddy viscosity. As a conclusion, the HU (a) model (Davieset al., 1997), which relates the vertical eddy viscosity to the water depth and depth mean velocity, gives the closest results to the observed data. The reproduction of the amphidromic point of M2 tide in Liaodong Bay is discussed and it is concluded that it depends on the bottom friction stress. The model reproduces a unique vertical profile of tidal current in the Yellow Sea, which is also found in the observed data. The reason for the reproduction of such a unique profile in the model is investigated.