The Importance of High Horizontal Resolution and Accurate Coastline Geometry in Modeling South China Sea Inflow

Abstract

As resolution is increased from 1/2 degrees to 1/32 degrees in Pacific Ocean simulations using the NRL Layered Ocean Model, marked changes are found in the Kuroshio's mean pathway as it intrudes into the South China Sea (SCS) via the Luzon Strait. With increased horizontal resolution comes a more accurate representation of the coastline geometry associated with the Batan/Babuyan Islands within the strait, and a reduction in the modeled westward intrusion of the Kuroshio into the SOS. The 1/16 degrees model is extremely sensitive to two very small scale shoals (Calayan Bank and a shoal north of Calayan Island) that are resolvable at this grid spacing. The exclusion of these three model gridpoints significantly alters the mean Kuroshio pathway to resemble the pathway from the 1/8 degrees model. In addition, excluding all islands within the Luzon Strait in the 1/16 degrees model gives a deep intrusion mean pathway as found in the 1/2 degrees model.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 29, 2001
Accession Number
ADA392943

Entities

People

  • Edward Joseph Metzger
  • Harley E. Hurlburt

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Databases
  • Department Of Defense
  • Geometry
  • Government (Foreign)
  • Governments
  • Grids
  • Military Research
  • North Pacific Ocean
  • Oceanography
  • Oceans
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Ridges
  • Simulations
  • South China Sea
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Topography

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Coastal Oceanography
  • Oceanography.

Technology Areas

  • Space