TRANSPORT PROCESSES AROUND SAGAMI BAY AND SURUGA BAY USING A PARTICLE TRACKING MODEL

Abstract

 This study investigated material transport and diffusion processes in Sagami Bay and Suruga Bay using the ROMS model with a 3-D Lagrange particle tracking model. Particles that flowed out from Sagami Bay were mainly transported to the north-east ward caused by the Kuroshio Current. For Suruga Bay, particles were mainly outflowed on the west side of the bay mouth and the out flowed particles were transported to the south-west ward due to a cyclonic eddies located off Suruga Bay. Vertical advective transport due to submesoscale eddies largely contributes to diffusive processes and particle transport toward offshore areas. Diffusions caused by the vertical advective term are much greater than that by horizontal diffusion (10^-1 m²/s) implemented by a random walk model. Transport from the inner part toward out of Sagami Bay is much higher for that of Suruga Bay when the vertical advective transport is considered. Tides suppressed south-west (north-east) ward transport in Sagami Bay (Suruga Bay) and enhanced south-west ward transport in Suruga Bay.