Simulation Experiments Using a Fine-Grid Hydrodynamic Model of the Mediterranean Sea
Abstract
Simulations have been performed using a primitive equation, sigma- coordinate, hydrodynamic model of the Mediterranean Sea. The model uses a climatological temperature-salinity field on a grid with a spacing of 5-12 km in the horizontal. Simulations indicate that the model does a good job in reproducing the surface height amplitude and phase of the M2 tide. The semi-major axes of the model M2 current ellipses in the Strait of Gibraltar were approximately 50% smaller than the observed current ellipses. This is a result of the data base used to generate the model bathymetry, which has depths in the vicinity of the sill of the Strait of Gibraltar (approx. 300 m) which are about two times too deep (approx. 550 m). Additional simulations show current fluctuations that may be the result of (a) the interaction of the climatological density field with the model bathymetry to trigger strong baroclinic modes or (b) problems associated with the application of sigma-coordinates over steep bathymetry. When the model bathymetry was smoothed, the current fluctuations were eliminated. However, it is unclear if the smoothing eliminated a bathymetry/sigma-coordinate problem or simply eliminated the shelf slopes and breaks which are responsible for the generation of the baroclinic currents.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA284731
Entities
People
- Erxuan Fu
- Igor Shulman
- James K. Lewis
- Ranjit Passi
Organizations
- University of Southern Mississippi