Tidal Wave Propagation in the Flat Basin Under Wind Monsoon Climate

Abstract

Tide is influenced due to not only mainly tide generating force but also local wind and weather patterns. The East Asian monsoons cause strong seasonal climatic variations in the Mekong Delta. A two-dimensional, barotropic numerical model was employed to investigate the dynamics of tidal wave propagation in the South China Sea with a particular interest for its characteristics along the Mekong deltaic coast under wind monsoon climate. The results reveal that wind monsoon climate could causes damped or amplified tidal amplitudes around Mekong deltaic coast approximately 2–3 cm due to the changing atmospheric pressure, the tangential stress of wind over the water surface, and wind enhanced bottom friction. The monsoon climate influences rather strongly on the M₂ semidiurnal tide system in the eastern Mekong deltaic coast, meanwhile the monsoon climate controls K₁ diurnal tide in the western region of Mekong delta.