Abstract
The seasonal variation of water circulation in the Seto Inland Sea is investigated using a high resolution, three-dimensional numerical ocean model. The model results are assessed by comparison with long-term mean surface current and hydrographic data. The simulated model results are consistent with observations, showing a distinct summer and winter circulation patterns. In summer the sea water is highly stratified in basin regions, while it is well mixed near the straits due to strong tidal mixing there. During this period, a cold dome is formed in several basins, setting up stable cyclonic eddies. The cyclonic circulation associated with the cold dome develops from May and disappears in autumn when the surface cooling starts. The experiment without freshwater input shows that a basin-scale estuarine circulation coexists with cyclonic eddy in summer. The former becomes dominant in autumn circulation after the cold dome disappears. In winter the water is vertically well mixed, and the winter winds play a significant role in the circulation. The northwesterly winds induce upwind (downwind) currents over the deep (shallow) water, forming a “double-gyre pattern” in the Suo-Nada, two cyclonic eddies in Hiuchi-Nada, and anticyclonic circulation in Harima-Nada in vertically averaged current fields.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Awaji, T., N. Imasato and H. Kunishi (1980): Tidal exchange through a strait: A Numerical experiments using a simple model basin. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 10, 1499–1508.
Balotro, R. S., A. Isobe, M. Shimiz, A. Kaneda, T. Takeuchi and H. Takeoka (2002): Circulation and material transport in Suo-Nada during spring and summer. J. Oceanogr., 58, 759–773.
Blumberg, A. F. and G. L. Mellor (1987): A description of a three dimensional coastal ocean circulation model. p. 1–16. In Three-Dimensional Coastal Ocean Models, Coastal Estuarine Stud., Vol. 4, ed. by N. Heaps, AGU, Washington, D.C.
Csanady, G. T. (1982): Circulation in the Coastal Ocean. D. Reidel, 279 pp.
Davis, A. M. and J. Xing (2006): Effects of topography and mixing parameterization upon the circulation in cold water domes. J. Geophys. Res., 111, C03018, doi:10.1029/2005JC003066.
Flather, R. A. (1976): A tidal model of the northwest European continental shelf. Mem. Soc. Roy. Sci. Liege, 10, 141–164.
Fujiwara, M., K. Ohashi and T. Fujiwara (1997): Simulation of residual flow in Kii Channel in August by using a diagnostic numerical model. Proceedings of Coastal Engineering, 44, 411–415 (in Japanese).
Fujiwara, T. and T. Higo (1986): Wind effects on the through flow and material transport in the Seto Inland Sea. Bull. Coast. Oceanogr., 23, 109–119 (in Japanes).
Fujiwara, T., T. Higo and Y. Takasugi (1989): On the residual circulations, tidal flows, and eddies in Osaka Bay. Proc. 36th Conf. on Coastal Engineering, JSCE, 209–213 (in Japanese).
Fujiwara, T., H. Nakata and K. Nakatsuji (1994): Tidal-jet and vortex-pair driving of the residual circulation in a tidal estuary. Cont. Shelf Res., 14, 1025–1038.
Guo, X. (2005): Toward prediction of marine environment in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Monthly Kaiyo, 37, 289–293 (in Japanese).
Guo, X., H. Hukuda, Y. Miyazawa and T. Yamagata (2003): A triply nested ocean model for simulating the Kuroshio—Roles of horizontal resolution on JEBAR. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 33, 146–169.
Guo, X., A. Futamura and H. Takeoka (2004): Residual currents in a semi-enclosed bay of the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. J. Goephys. Res., 109, C12008, doi:10.1029/2003JC002203.
Guo, X., M. Haramoto, P.-H. Chang, A. Futamura and H. Takeoka (2006): Competition of a local cyclonic eddy and an estuarine circulation in the Iyo-nada, Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Proceedings of the 13th International Biennial Conference on Physics of Estuaries and Coastal Seas, Astoria, U.S.A.
Hill, A. E. (1994): Observations of a cyclonic gyre in the western Irish Sea. Cont. Shelf Res., 14, 479–490.
Hill, A. E. (1996): Spin-down and the dynamics of dense pool gyres in shallow seas. J. Mar. Res., 54, 1–17.
Hirose, N., H.-C. Lee and J.-H. Yoon (1999): Surface heat flux in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 29, 401–417.
Horsburgh, K. J. and A. E. Hill (2003): A three-dimensional model of density-driven circulation in the Irish Sea. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 33, 343–365.
Imasato, N., T. Awaji and H. Kunishi (1980): Tidal exchange through Naruto, Akashi and Kitan Straits. J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan, 36, 151–162.
Kamizono, M., M. Yoshida, M. Ishida and T. Miita (1991): Surface current investigation in Suo-Nada using drift bottles. Bull. Coast. Oceanogr., 29, 97–103 (in Japanese with English abstract).
Kasai, A., T. Yamada and H. Takeda (2007): Flow structure and hypoxia in Hiuchi-Nada, Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Estuar., Coast. Shelf Sci., 71, 210–217.
Kim, Y. S. and R. Kimura (1995): Error evaluation of the bulk aerodynamic method for estimating heat flux over the sea. J. Korean Meteor. Soc., 31, 399–413.
Kobayashi, S., J. H. Simpson, T. Fujiwara and K. J. Horsburgh (2006): Tidal stirring and its impact on water column stability and property distributions in a semi-enclosed shelf sea (Seto Inland Sea, Japan). Cont. Shelf Res., 26, 1295–1306.
Large, W. G. and S. Pond (1981): Open ocean momentum flux measurement in moderate to strong winds. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 11, 323–336.
Matsumoto, K., T. Takanezawa and M. Ooe (2000): Ocean tide models developed by assimilating TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data in to hydrodynamical model: a global model and a regional model around Japan. J. Oceanogr., 56, 567–581.
Mellor, G. L. and T. Yamada (1982): Development of a turbulence closure model for geophysical fluid problems. Rev. Geophys., 20, 851–875.
Murakami, M., Y. Oonishi, A. Harashima and H. Kunishi (1978): A numerical simulation on the distribution of water temperature and salinity in the Seto Inland Sea. Bull. Coast. Oceanogr., 15, 130–137.
Murakami, M., Y. Oonishi and H. Kunishi (1985): A numerical simulation of the distribution of water temperature and salinity in the Seto Inland Sea. J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan, 41, 213–244.
Ochi, T. and H. Takeoka (1986): The anoxic water mass in Hiuchi Nada. Part I. Distribution of the anoxic water mass. J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan, 42, 1–11.
Oonishi, Y. (1977): A numerical study on the tidal residual flow. J. Oceanogr. Soc. Japan, 33, 207–218.
Oonishi, Y. (1979): A numerical experiment on the constant flow in Osaka Bay. Proc. 26th Conf. on Coastal Engineering, JSCE, 514–518 (in Japanese).
Smagorinsky, J. S. (1963): General circulation experiments with the primitive equations. I. The basic experiment. Mon. Wea. Rev., 91, 99–164.
Takeoka, H. (1985): Density stratification in the Seto Inland Sea. Umi to Sora, 60, 145–152 (in Japanese).
Takeoka, H. (2002): Progress in Seto Inland Sea research. J. Oceanogr., 58, 93–107.
Tawara, S. (1986): Studies on the characteristics of oceanographic condition in relation to fishing condition in the shallow coastal waters. J. Shimonoseki Univ. Fisheries, 34(1), 1–103.
Xing, J. and A. M. Davis (2001): A three-dimensional baroclinic model of the Irish Sea: Formation of the thermal fronts and associated circulation. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 31, 94–114.
Yanagi, T. and H. Higuchi (1979): Constant flows in the Seto Inland Sea. Bull. Coast. Oceanogr., 16, 123–127.
Yanagi, T. and S. Igawa (1992): Diagnostic model in the coastal sea—an application to Suo-Nada and Iyo-Nada. Bull. Coast. Oceanogr. 30, 108–115 (in Japanese with English abstract).
Yanagi, T. and S. Okada (1993): Tidal fronts in the Seto Inland Sea. Mem. Fac. Eng. Ehime Univ., 12(4), 337–343.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chang, PH., Guo, X. & Takeoka, H. A numerical study of the seasonal circulation in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. J Oceanogr 65, 721–736 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-009-0062-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-009-0062-4