Tidally induced residual current over the Malin Sea continental slope

Nataliya Stashchuk, Vasiliy Vlasenko*, Phil Hosegood, W. Alex M. Nimmo-Smith

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Tidally induced residual currents generated over shelf-slope topography are investigated analytically and numerically using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model. Observational support for the presence of such a slope current was recorded over the Malin Sea continental slope during the 88-th cruise of the RRS “James Cook” in July 2013. A simple analytical formula developed here in the framework of time-averaged shallow water equations has been validated against a fully nonlinear nonhydrostatic numerical solution. A good agreement between analytical and numerical solutions is found for a wide range of input parameters of the tidal flow and bottom topography. In application to the Malin Shelf area both the numerical model and analytical solution predicted a northward moving current confined to the slope with its core located above the 400 m isobath and with vertically averaged maximum velocities up to 8 cm s−1, which is consistent with the in-situ data recorded at three moorings and along cross-slope transects.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)21-34
Number of pages14
JournalContinental Shelf Research
Volume139
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2017

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oceanography
  • Aquatic Science
  • Geology

Keywords

  • Malin shelf
  • Slope currents
  • Tides

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