Thermal Structure of Water Exchange at the Entrance of a Tide-Dominated Strait

In summer, westward residual flow in the Qiongzhou Strait (QS) drives a water transport through strait into Beibu Gulf, playing vital role modifying gulf-scale circulation. By utilizing multi-source observations, realistic simulations, as well idealized modeling, exchange process at western entrance of QS was explored from perspective thermal structure. High-resolution satellite sea-surface temperature images captured an interesting phenomenon studied region, i.e., trident-shaped warm tongue. Validations numerical results suggested satisfactory model performance reproducing Modeling together with cruise observations indicates extremely weak stratification which is result local intense tidal mixing. The cold upwelling developed eastern side arrived by flow, and then encountered communicated well-mixed gulf there. alternatively deep/shallow topography (sea trough/ridge) triggers spatial variability current intensity: stronger currents over deep area weaker above shallow region leads to warm/cold distribution cross-isobath direction. Further investigation demonstrates that, circulation regulating intensity on QS, wind also makes significant contribution QS.