Hydrodynamic modeling of the southern arabian gulf

With the growing concern on coastal environment, the focus on coastal hydrodynamics in the Arabian Gulf region has been growing in recent years. A numerical model is used to study the flow dynamics along the coast of the UAE. For complete understanding of the circulation pattern, the modeling is done for the entire gulf. The model employs a curvilinear grid system with sigma layers in the vertical direction. The tidal model boundary is located at the east on the Straits of Hormuz where the principal tidal constituents are introduced. The dynamics of temperature and salt are also incorporated within the model. The influence of solar radiation and seasonal wind on flow in the shallow coastal region of UAE is tested using the model. The first round of modeling effort, conducted without full calibration, is mainly dedicated to explore the sensitivity of the model results to three main parameters, the temperature, the wind, and the salinity. The results show that both the water levels and flow fields are considerably affected by wind especially in shallow areas. Temperature and salinity variation also influenced the flow dynamics.