Turbulence off the Coast of Oregon: A Large-Eddy Simulation Study. Modeling of the Atmospheric Circulation in the Santa Barbara Channel
Abstract
Two projects were completed under this grant. The first project examined how coastal terrain interacts with prevailing winds along the southern California coastline. We determined that under northwest flow, wind fields followed a systematic pattern governed by basic hydraulic flow theory. Land surface heating disrupted this pattern during the night by forcing an offshore flow, thereby creating regions of weak winds over the Santa Barbara Channel. Our second project examined how turbulence is forced in the coastal ocean. We utilized a large-eddy simulation model to examine how turbulence is forced by current motions over bottom terrain features and by frontal zones. Model results show that relatively small bottom features can drive large internal wave momentum flux, forcing a current drag that does not rely on active turbulence and is therefore not present in current turbulence parameterizations. We evaluated a set of three turbulence parameterizations in a coastal ocean model and determined that each model produced consistent results except near frontal zones during down welling events.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 10, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA397187
Entities
People
- Eric D. Skyllingstad
- H. W. Wijesekera
Organizations
- Oregon State University