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Estimates of global M 2 internal tide energy fluxes using TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data

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Abstract

TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data from October 1992 to June 2002 are used to calculate the global barotropic M 2 tidal currents using long-term tidal harmonic analysis. The tides calculated agree well with ADCP data obtained from the South China Sea (SCS). The maximum tide velocities along the semi-major axis and semi-minor axis can be computed from the tidal ellipse. The global distribution of M 2 internal tide vertical energy flux from the sea bottom is calculated based on a linear internal wave generation model. The global vertical energy flux of M 2 internal tide is 0.96 TW, with 0.36 TW in the Pacific, 0.31 TW in the Atlantic and 0.29 TW in the Indian Ocean, obtained in this study. The total horizontal energy flux of M 2 internal tide radiating into the open ocean from the lateral boundaries is 0.13 TW, with 0.06 TW in the Pacific, 0.04TW in the Atlantic, and 0.03 TW in the Indian Ocean. The result shows that the principal lunar semi-diurnal tide M 2 provides enough energy to maintain the large-scale thermohaline circulation of the ocean.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Yanwei Zhang  (张艳伟), Xinfeng Liang  (梁鑫峰), Jiwei Tian  (田纪伟) & Lifen Yang  (杨丽芬)

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  1. Yanwei Zhang  (张艳伟)
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  2. Xinfeng Liang  (梁鑫峰)
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  3. Jiwei Tian  (田纪伟)
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  4. Lifen Yang  (杨丽芬)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yanwei Zhang  (张艳伟).

Additional information

Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, No. 2005CB422303), the International Cooperation Program (No. 2004DFB02700), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40552002). The TOPEX/POSEIDON data are provided by Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO DACC)

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Zhang, Y., Liang, X., Tian, J. et al. Estimates of global M 2 internal tide energy fluxes using TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 27, 129–134 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-009-0129-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-009-0129-5

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