On the Formation of Radial Tidal Current off the Central Jiangsu Coast

In the South Yellow Sea off the Jiangsu coast, there exists a special type of sand bodies, which are known as radial sand ridge field (RSRF). One of the characteristics of this area is the distinctive radial tidal current field. Although many studies have focused on the hydrodynamic environment around radial sand ridges, the knowledge on the genesis of the radial tidal current is still in a very basic stage. This paper attempts to explore the influence of the tidal dynamics in large Shelf Sea on the formation mechanism of the local tidal current pattern using a schematized process-based model. Different incoming tidal signals are applied in this model respectively to investigate the related current pattern in RSRF. The results reveal that the radial current field only exists under some specified tidal signals from open sea. Furthermore, the geometry of the basin also plays a significant role in the formation of the current pattern.