A. Kiassatpour - Physics Department University of Isfahan, Isfahan ۸۱۷۴۴ Iran
F. Hosseinibalam - Physics Department University of Isfahan, Isfahan ۸۱۷۴۴ Iran

This study investigated relations between Persian Gulf circulation, slope current and mean sea Level... The monthly Mean Sea Level (MSL) obtained from hourly records at two stations for the period from Jan.1990 to Dec. 1999. The sea level is used to investigate the temporal change in sea surface slope along the coast of Iran and the difference in monthly mean sea level have been computed between the two stations by subtracting Bushehr sea level from Bandar Abbas. The time series of sea level differences between Bandar Abbas (near the Hormuz Strait) and Bushehr (northern Gulf) showed high amplitudes at the station of Bandar Abba. Sea level slopes Downward from Hormuz strait towards the Bushehr in winter and midspring and it is reversal in late summer and fall. The positive values in sea level difference shows the sea level is higher in the Strait of Hurmuz, and negative values indicate that the northern Gulf is higher with an average range of differences about 28cm. This analysis shows that there are two distinct of tide gauges in the Iranian coast of Persian Gulf. One is found at eastern boundary (the Strait of Hormuz) and the other is found at the northern Gulf or western boundary. The split at Iranian coast suggests that the circulation of the Persian Gulf may be affecting the coastal sea level. The Persian Gulf is influenced by wind driven and thermohaline forces and can be divided into a northern and southern or eastern regime which is seen from sea level analysis as well.. The northern regime is dominated by wind forcing along the axis of the Gulf to the southeast. The wind-driven response of the Gulf appears to be the typical adjustment of the pressure field such as to produce a down-wind flow and derive a southeastward coastal current along the south coast (Reynolds, 1993) and evidence for upwelling on the north coast which influences on the sea level.