Tidal current components in the Southern Bay of Campeche, Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Current velocity data in the Southern Bay of Campeche, Gulf of Mexico, were obtained from March 1997 to May 1997, in order to compute tidal ellipses and phase lags in the region. Tidal ellipses and phase lags were calculated via a least squares fit method coupled with nodal modulation from the hourly time series. Constituents P₁ and K₂ were inferred from K₁ and S₂, respectively. The K₁ component is dominant in the southern shelf of the Bay of Campeche, a region of mixed tides with semidiurnal dominance at the Arcas Kay sill, and a transition region between Arcas Kay and the southern–western stations. Vertical differences in tidal current amplitudes were negligible. There was a significant phase lag from surface to bottom. The sense of rotation for the tidal ellipses near Arcas Kay was negative, while at other stations it was positive. Arcas Kay has a strong influence on tidal currents because of vertical phase and sense of rotation variation with depth.