Simulation of wind-driven circulation in the Gulf of Elat (Aqaba)

T. Berman, N. Paldor*, S. Brenner

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

58 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Princeton Ocean Model (POM) has been used to investigate the wind-driven circulation in the stratified long and narrow Gulf of Elat (Aqaba). Our results indicate that the circulation consists of a series of gyres aligned along the main axis of the basin, and that their size and location are strongly affected by the shoreline and, to a lesser extent, by the hydrography. The seasonality in both the flow and the free surface height (FSH) at any specific station are caused mainly by the strong seasonality in the hydrography - the FSH and the magnitude of the currents above the thermocline are inversely related to the thickness of the upper layer. The seasonality in the flow is also manifested in the location and diameter of the gyres. This seasonal change in the gyres' diameter and location might provide an explanation for the current reversal observed at the northern tip of the western boundary during the month of February. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)349-365
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Marine Systems
Volume26
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000

Keywords

  • Gulf of Elat
  • Hydrography
  • Wind-driven circulation

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