Seasonally volume, heat, salt and freshwater transports within Balikpapan Bay to Makassar Strait

Abstract

Study about water mass transport within Balikpapan Bay (BB) is crucial since many watersheds discharge from this bay which directly flows into Makassar Strait. To understand transport of water mass within BB, INDESO data was made monthly in 2015. The annual volume, heat, salt and freshwater transport are estimated to be 18.02 mSv, 2.14 PW, 0.64 x 109 kgs-1, and 1.05 mSv, respectively. Compared to the annual mean volume transport of Makassar Strait (6.4 Sv), the annual transport of water mass from BB is likely contribute less amount of volume and heat transport with the weighted-transport temperature at 30.37 °C. They are somewhat smaller than the difference between each season. This difference may be attributed by the external force, i.e. current circulation and tidal wave, as well as the precipitation along BB.