Effect of wind-driven currents circulation in Sabang Waters

Sabang Waters is located in the Aceh Province, Indonesia, directly adjacent to the Andaman Sea which is dominated by the influence of the monsoon wind. Sabang Waters is a strategic area and one of the zones of coral reef ecosystems in Indonesia. Hydrodynamics in Sabang waters is studied to support the management of Sabang Waters in the future. The motivation of this research is as a preliminary study of wind-driven circulation in Sabang Waters. The method applied is a 2D numerical model simulation with 6-hourly wind data during January - March 2019. The results of the simulation of ocean currents are verified by monthly surface wind conditions. Based on current analysis during January - March 2019, wind-driven circulation in Sabang Waters is quite weak, especially in the Sabang Bay. The flow looks a little stronger in the northeastern part of Sabang Waters especially during January (3 ms(-1)).