Ocean Science www.ocean-sci.net 1812-0784 1812-0792 6 3 2010 10.5194/os-6-737-2010 http://www.ocean-sci.net/6/737/2010/ http://www.ocean-sci.net/6/737/2010/os-6-737-2010.html http://www.ocean-sci.net/6/737/2010/os-6-737-2010.pdf 737 748 2010-07-22 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler observations in the southern Caspian Sea: shelf currents and flow field off Feridoonkenar Bay, Iran P. Ghaffari peygham.ghaffari@geo.uio.no V. Chegini Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1022, Blindern, 0315, Oslo, Norway Department of Physical Oceanography, Iranian National Center for Oceanography, Western Fatemi, 1411813389, Tehran, Iran Department of Marine Engineering, Iranian National Center for Oceanography, Western Fatemi, 1411813389, Tehran, Iran The results of offshore bottom-mounted ADCP measurements and wind records carried out from August to September 2003 in the coastal waters off Feridoon-kenar Bay (FB) in the south Caspian Sea (CS) are examined in order to characterize the shelf motion, the steady current field and to determine the main driving forces of currents on the study area. Owing to closed basin and absence of the astronomical tide, the atmospheric forcing plays an important role in the flow field of the CS. The lasting regular sea breeze system is present almost throughout the year. This system performs the forcing in diurnal and semi-diurnal bands similar to tides in other regions. 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