Nearshore Currents along the Karnataka Coast, West Coast of India

Abstract

Measured current data at 7 locations and tide data at 3 locations during the pre-summer monsoon period along the west coast of India is used in the study. The surface currents during March showed a predominant northward trend and during April it was towards south. Estimated tidal currents were upto 25 cm s−1 with an average value of 8 cm s−1. Current tidal form number varied from 0.56 to 1 at different locations indicating currents are mixed. M2 and S2 tidal current constituents rotated clock wise at all location. Near surface, the alongshore current was 2.6 to 5.9% of the alongshore wind and near bottom it was 1.9 to 3.6% of the alongshore wind.