The Responses of a Hydrodynamic Model to Different Open Boundary Conditions in the Northern Gulf of Thailand

Authors

  • Siraporn - Tong-u-dom Burapha University
  • Tawatchai - Na-u-dom Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Anukul - Buranapratheprat Burapha University

Abstract

The Princeton Ocean Model (POM) was applied to simulate water circulation in the Northern Gulf of Thailand (NGoT) under different open boundary conditions including the elevation forcing condition (Case B1) and the current forcing condition (Case B2). Monthly mean wind, tide, river discharge, water temperature and salinity and bottom topography were used as major forcing in the experiments. Monthly depth averaged currents between two cases were compared to investigate the simulation performances. Case B1 resulted in strong current greater than 100 cm/s that did not seasonally change near the open boundary. However circulation weaker than 10 cm/s was generated in the area farther from the open boundary, such as the upper Gulf of Thailand, where wind played an important role to water circulation. Case B2 generated weaker current, compared with Case B1 near the open boundary, and wind seemed to control the residual circulation. The results also revealed no significant difference between the current patterns of both cases in the upper Gulf of Thailand located farther in the north of the open boundary. The model calibrations with measured tidal data showed better results of Case B2 than those of Case B1 in simulating water circulations in this area.                                Keywords: water circulation, open boundary condition, numerical model, POM, Gulf of Thailand      

Author Biographies

Siraporn - Tong-u-dom, Burapha University

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Tawatchai - Na-u-dom, Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

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References

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Buranapratheprat, A., Yanagi, T., & Sawangwong, P. (2002). Seasonal variations in circulation and salinity distributions in the Upper Gulf of Thailand: Modeling approach. La mer, 40, 147-155.
Buranapratheprat, A. (2008). Circulation in the Upper Gulf of Thailand: A review. Burapha Science Journal, 13(1), 75-83. (in Thai)
Buranapratheprat, A., Niemann, K. O., Yanagi, T., Matsumura S., & Sojisuporn P. (2009). Circulation in the Upper Gulf of Thailand investigated Using a Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Model. Burapha Science Journal, 14(1), 99-113. (in Thai)
Mellor, G. L. (1998). Users guide for a Three-dimensional, Primitive equation, Numerical ocean model. Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. 08544-0710
Yanagi, T., & Takao, T. (1998). Seasonal variation of three-dimensional circulations in the Gulf of Thailand. La mer, 36, 43-55.

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Published

2017-09-22

Issue

Burapha Science Journal Volume 22 (No. 3) Septem-December 2017

Section

Research Article