Numerical study of water circulation in Persian Gulf using finite difference method

The Persian Gulf region is of great importance for economic and political reasons, which is due to oil resources and marine exports in the region. The dominant geophysical phenomenon that affects on the water flow in the area is the seasonal winds that blow from the African coast toward the Red Sea and influence all the coast line of Persian Gulf and reach to the India from the east. Other important and effective factors in the water circulation of the region are the net evaporation of about two meters per year, high density, and the rivers that flow into the Gulf. This paper investigated various factors effective on the circulations in the Persian Gulf, and then the initial governing equations were converted into the numerical equations. The equations were solved for each node in the grid network of the Persian Gulf. Using numerical methods, the current velocities and their respective directions were calculated. Finally, investigating the flow conditions in multi-layers, the velocity of water flow in different sections was studied. The results indicated the existence of circulating cells in the Persian Gulf. This circulation showed significantly reduction with depth.