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Palk Bay is a semi-enclosed shallow water body between the southeast coast of India and Sri Lanka, with a water depth maximum of 13 m. Palk Bay is located between 8° 50′ and 10° North latitudes and 78° 50′ and 80° 30′ East longitudes. The width of the bay ranges from 57 to 107 km and the length is around 150 km. It is one of the major sinks for along with the Gulf of Mannar. Sediments discharged by rivers and transported by the surf Ocean current as Longshore drift settle in this sink. Few scientists have tried to understand the wave characteristics within the Palk Bay.
In the southern regions close to Dhanushkodi, Wind wave dominate. The north-eastern region of Palk Bay is exposed to the Bay of Bengal through the shallow Palk Strait allowing Wind wave to enter. To the south, Adam's Bridge separates Palk Bay from the Gulf of Mannar. Despite being a very shallow channel, Wind wave effects are transmitted to a small extent through the Adam's Bridge passage. It is interesting to notice that, despite the visible block along the Adam's Bridge, the passage of wind wave and ocean current (to a very small extent) from the Gulf of Mannar to the bay is evident. Meanwhile, even with a wider and broader opening along the north-eastern borders of the bay, facing the Bay of Bengal, the wind wave and ocean current fluxes are less significant here.
It was named after Sir Robert Palk, 1st Baronet, governor of the Madras Presidency.
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