Numerical simulation of ocean currents in the Northern Mozambique

A three-dimensional Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) has been implemented to investigate hydrodynamic circulation patterns in the Northern Mozambique Channel and their role on turbidity current generation and sediment distribution in the submarine canyons. A high-resolution (~ 100m) bathymetry data of the Palma Bay and its offshore area was blended with a global gridded bathymetry (GEBCO) with 15 arc-seconds (~ 400m) resolution to cover the area of interest. Our main goal is to better understand deeper currents in the Mozambique Channel that are less well-established, and their ability to transport seabed sediment, by means of analysis of water structure according to T-S diagrams. There are debates on existence of some specific oceanographic features and unanswered questions regarding origins of the passing mesoscale eddies which dominate the circulation in the Mozambique Channel. Furthermore, we are also interested in knowing the effects of the presence of submarine canyons on adjacent canyons and their contribution to the circulation patterns and other physical processes in the area. Preliminary results highlight the importance of small-scale features for the circulation in area of interest.