EVALUATION OF EFFECTS OF TEMPORAL CHANGE OF RIVER WATER TEMPERATURE ON STRATIFICATION IN THE ARIAKE SEA

Abstract

 River water temperature shows upward trend due to climate change. However, its effects on thermal stratification in a coastal area is not clear. We tried long-term field measurement of river water temperature at river discharge stations in A-class rivers in the Ariake Sea, and numerical simulation of stratification in the bay using the measured hourly river water temperature dataset. As a result of this research, the followings are clarified: 1) river water temperature at the lowest station of the river has high correlation with air temperature; and 2) river water temperature has a significant effect on thermal structure in the bay during a flood event. Possibility of enhancement of stratification in the bay due to global warming was indicated.