EVIDENCE OF INTERNAL SWASH ASSOCIATED WITH SULU SEA SOLITARY WAVES

Vertical temperature profiles were measured near the shelf edge off the coast of Palawan Island (Philippines) during the passage of several "rip bands" of choppy surface waves. Such rip bands are commonly associated with internal waves. Coincident with the passage of one of the rip bands, the temperature near the bottom decreased by 2.5-degrees-C within 1.4 min, becoming colder than any water on the shelf. Furthermore, the apparent depth of our CTD decreased by about 8 m despite the fact that the "line-out" was held fixed. We interpret these limited data, along with a sea-level record, as evidence of internal swash created by breaking internal solitary waves which are generated by tidal flow over a shallow bank in the southeastern Sulu Sea (described by APEL et al., 1985, Journal of Physical Oceanography, 15, 1625-1651).