Seasonal Evolution Features of Water Transport in the Lembeh strait of North Sulawesi

A three-dimensional baroclinic nonlinear numerical model is employed to investigate the seasonal evolution features of water transport in the Lembeh Strait of north Sulawesi. In general, the direction of water flow in the strait is oriented northward with a maximum volume of about 4x10^-3Sv in August. Interestingly, the volume transport will decrease to nearly zero from November to January. Water transport is mainly controlled by seasonally changed monsoon forcing. The large-scale ocean circulation nearby North Sulawesi is weaker during November-January and stronger from July to September. In addition, the source of water bypasses the Lembeh Strait in different seasons is diagnosed and testified by tracer-release experiments. It suggests that most of the water through the narrow channel is emanated from the southern off the Strait, not only the surface water, but also the deep water brought by the upwelling and the internal tides.