Numerical Study on Frontal Phelloffiena Observed in Osaka Bay

Abstract

The behaviours of the estuarine front and the tidal front, which are often observed in Osaka Bay, are examined by using a three-dimensional baroclinic flow model. In case of the estuarine front, buoyancy and earth's rotation are the main force to lead a strong geostrophic along-front jet. A tidal front appears along the 20 m-depth contour, where stratified waters at the inner bay and vertically well-mixed ones through straits meet with each other. Discontineous in density across the front is computed to be σt=2.5 at the sea surface.