Dynamics of the Makassar Strait

Data collected as part of the Arlindo Project (“ Arlindo” is an acronym for Arus Lintas Indonesia, meaning “ throughe ow” in Bahasa Indonesia) from October 1996 to March 1998 are analyzed to study the characteristics of the e ow through the Makassar Strait. Analysis of inverted echo sounders (IES) and bottom pressure data (PIES) combined with TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite-derived sea height anomaly suggest that a minimum of three-layer approximation is necessary to explain the dynamics of the e ow in the Makassar Strait. The simple two-layer model used in several studies of the throughe ow is rejected based on total incompatibility with the data sets. A three-layer model with signie cant contributions by the middle layer provides a consistent interpretation of PIES and satellite data. Results are interpreted in the framework of the large-scale circulation.