Numerical analysis of water temperature difference on baroclinic flow in the region of freshwater influence (ROFI)

Abstract

Abstract IPCC had reported in the 5th assessment report (AR5) that global warming has been occurring from the past to the end of this century. This fact shows us that the temperature gradually increases in the average temperature of the atmosphere and oceans. Investigations of this issue have been conducted by experts to assess the effect of global warming on human life. In the coastal area, especially in the regions of freshwater influence (ROFIs), the effect can be seen in the river discharge trend, which increases due to the upward trend of precipitation. Delft3D model was used as the numerical model to conduct the three-dimensional hydrodynamic numerical simulation in the Ariake Sea’s region of freshwater influence (ROFIs), Japan. A numerical experiment was performed with the observation data of river discharge and river water temperature to investigate the baroclinic flow in the Ariake Sea’s ROFIs, due to both of stratification (salinity and thermal) in several cases occur at different water temperatures (ΔT) between seawater temperature and riverine freshwater temperature from -0.29°C to 9.27°C. Results from this research assessed the effects of the water temperature difference in the Ariake Sea ROFIs on the baroclinic flow.

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