Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Seasonal circulation and influence factors of the Bohai Sea: a numerical study based on Lagrangian particle tracking method

  • Published:
Ocean Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Seasonal circulation of the Bohai Sea (BS) in 1992 was investigated using Lagrangian particle tracking method. The hydrography of the BS was simulated based on an unstructured grid, finite-volume, three-dimensional primitive equation ocean model. With the use of the unstructured triangular grid, the model can easily fit the irregular coastal boundary of the BS. The simulated tides, tidal current, and thermohaline field agreed well with the observations. The transport of particles has three-dimensional structure in the BS. Compared with central Bohai and Bohai Strait, the differences of particles’ transportation between surface and bottom layer in three bays are small. The circulation in the summer is stronger than that in the winter, with the average residual velocity in the surface layer being about 3.7 cm/s during the summer while only 1.8 cm/s during the winter. Using the same model, several well-designed numerical experiments were performed to investigate the effect of oceanic tide, river discharge, wind stress, and thermal stratification on the circulation. It is shown that winds play an important role in the circulation of the BS during both the winter and the summer. Density circulation is important during the summer; however, it is negligible during the winter. River runoff only affects the area around the river mouth. Compared with wind and thermohaline effect, the contribution of tides is small during the summer, and the circulation under only M2 tidal constituent could not reflect the actual circulation of the BS.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Blumberg AF, Mellor GL (1987) A description of a three-dimensional coastal ocean circulation Model. In: Heaps NS (ed) Three-dimensional coastal ocean models. American Geophysical Union, Washington, pp 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen CS, Liu HD, Beardsley RC (2003) An unstructured grid, finite-volume, three-dimensional, primitive equations ocean model: application to coastal ocean and estuaries. J Atmos Ocean Technol 20:159–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Editorial Board for Marine Atlas (1992) Marine atlas of the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea and East China Sea: Hydrology. China Ocean, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Fang Y, Fang GH, Zhang QH (2000) Numerical simulation and dynamic study of the wintertime circulation of the Bohai Sea. Chin J Oceanol Limnol 18:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galperin B, Kantha LH, Hassid S et al (1988) A quasi-equilibrium turbulent energy model for geophysical flows. J Atmos Sci 45:55–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guan BX (1962) Some problems concerning the study of the current structure of the near-shore area of China Sea (in Chinese). Oceanol Limnol Sin 4:121–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo YK, Zhang JS, Zhang LX et al (2009) Computational investigation of typhoon-induced storm surge in the Hangzhou Bay, China. Estuar Coast Shelf S 85:530–537

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hainbucher D, Hao W, Pohlmann T et al (2004) Variability of the Bohai Sea circulation based on model calculations. J Mar Syst 44:153–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang DJ, Su JL, Zhang LR (1998) Numerical study of the winter and summer circulation in the Bohai Sea (in Chinese). Acta Aerod Sin 16:115–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang DJ, Su JL, Backhaus JO (1999) Modelling the seasonal thermal stratification and baroclinic circulation in the Bohai Sea. Cont Shelf Res 19:1485–1505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuang GR, Zhang Q, Dai YZ (1991) Observation of long-term currents and analysis of residual currents in central Bohai Sea (in Chinese). T Oceanog Limino 2:1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Levitus S, Boyer TP (1994) World ocean atlas 1994, volume 4: temperature. NOAA Atlas NESDIS 4, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington

  • Levitus S, Burgett R, Boyer TP (1994) World Ocean Atlas 1994, Volume 3: Salinity. NOAA Atlas NESDIS 3, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington

  • Li GS, Wang HL, Dong C (2005a) Numerical simulations on transportation and deposition of SPM introduced from the Yellow River to the Bohai Sea (in Chinese). Acta Geogr Sin 60:707–716

    Google Scholar 

  • Li GS, Wang HL, Li BL (2005b) A model study on seasonal spatial-temporal variability of the Lagrangian residual circulations in the Bohai Sea. J Geogr Sci 15:273–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luettich JR, Westerink JJ, Scheffner NW (1992) ADCIRC: An advanced three-dimensional circulation model for shelves, coasts, and estuaries. Report 1: Theory and methodology of ADCIRC-2DDI and ADCIRC-3DL. Technical Report DRP-92-6,Department of the Army

  • Lynch DR, Ip JT, Naimie CE et al (1996) Comprehensive coastal circulation model with application to the Gulf of Maine. Cont Shelf Res 16:875–906

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malhadas MS, Neves RJ, Leitao PC et al (2010) Influence of tide and waves on water renewal in Óbidos Lagoon, Portugal. Ocean Dyn 60:41–55. doi:10.1007/s10236-009-0240-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicolle A, Garreau P, Liorzou B (2009) Modelling for anchovy recruitment studies in the Gulf of Lions (Western Mediterranean Sea). Ocean Dyn 59:953–968. doi:10.1007/s10236-009-0221-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiao LL, Bao XW, Wu DX (2008) The observed currents in summer in the Bohai Sea. Chin J Limnol Oceanogr 26:130–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shchepetkin AF, McWilliams JC (2005) The regional oceanic modeling system (ROMS): a split-explicit, free-surface, topography-following-coordinate oceanic model. Ocean Model 9:347–404. doi:10.1016/j.ocemod.2004.08.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen YM, Zheng YH, Wu XG (2004) A three-dimensional numerical simulation of hydrodynamics and water quality in coastal areas (in Chinese). Prog Nat Sci 14:694–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smagorinsky J (1963) General circulation experiments with the primitive equations. I. The basic experiment. Mon Weather Rev 91:99–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu RY, Zhao BR, Huang JZ et al (2006) The mean residual circulations in the Bohai Sea (in Chinese). Mar Sci 30:47–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang YL, Baptista AM, Myers EP (2004) A cross-scale model for 3D baroclinic circulation in estuary-plume-shelf systems: I. Formulation and skill assessment. Cont Shelf Res 24:2187–2214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang LJ, Xia B, Gui ZS et al (2007) Contaminative conditions evaluation of 16 main rivers flowing into sea around Bohai Sea in Summer of 2005 (in Chinese). Environ Sci 28:2409–2415

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research is sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.50839001, by the National Basic Research Program of China under Grant No. 2006CB403302 and by the Scientific Research Foundation of the Higher Education Institutions of Liaoning Province under Grant No.2006T018. The authors are also grateful to three anonymous reviewers for providing constructive comments on earlier versions of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116023, People’s Republic of China

    Jinhua Wang & Yongming Shen

  2. School of Engineering, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, UK

    Yakun Guo

Authors
  1. Jinhua Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yongming Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yakun Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yongming Shen.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Vincent Legat

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, J., Shen, Y. & Guo, Y. Seasonal circulation and influence factors of the Bohai Sea: a numerical study based on Lagrangian particle tracking method. Ocean Dynamics 60, 1581–1596 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-010-0346-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-010-0346-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation