Numerical simulation of the residual current during the dry season in the Lingdingyang Bay, China

The hydrodynamics in the Lingdingyang Bay of the Pearl River Estuary is complicated due to the combined effect of river runoff, tide and bathymetry. In this paper, the residual current patterns were investigated in the Lingdingyang Bay during the dry season based on Finite-Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM). The horizontal distributions of the residual current suggest that during both neap and spring tide the residual current is relatively strong at the surface while it weakens quite a lot at the bottom. Due to the northeasterly wind, a lateral circulation westward at the surface and eastward at the bottom is also found, which is more evident during neap tide than spring tide. The vertical profiles of residual currents along deep channels show an obvious spring-neap variation, with the strongest estuarine circulation pattern during the moderate tide after neap.