Model estimates for the interaction of wind waves and tides in the Pechora Basin-White Sea subsystem

The “weak-interaction” approximation is used to investigate the role of wind waves in tidal dynamics. The resulting expression for the drag coefficient in the wave-affected tidal flow is incorporated into the QUODDY-4 three-dimensional finite-element hydrothermodynamic model, and the thus modified model is used to calculate the K ₁ diurnal tide in the Pechora Basin-White Sea subsystem. It is shown that, depending on a combination of local and nonlocal factors, wind waves can cause opposite variations in the amplitudes and phases of tidal oscillations of the level. Local factors control variations in the tidal regime nearly in the entire water area of the subsystem under consideration, apart from the eastern part of the Pechora Basin, the outlet from the White Sea Throat, and Dvina Bay. In the aforementioned areas, the tidal regime changes are due either to the displacement of the nearest amphidromy or to other nonlocal factors resulting from the reorganization of the fields of tidal characteristics. It is also shown that the variations in tidal characteristics induced by wind waves vary within a fairly wide range and that allowance for the interaction of wind waves and tides improves the agreement between calculated and observed values of the amplitudes and phases of tidal oscillations of the level.     

Seasonal variability of surface and internal M<Subscript>2</Subscript> tides in the Arctic Ocean

The modeling results of surface and internal M₂ tides for summer and winter periods in the Arctic Ocean (AO) are presented. We employed a modified version of the three-dimensional finite-element hydrothermodynamic model QUODDY-4 differing from the original model by using a rotated (instead of spherical) coordinate system and by considering the equilibrium-tide effects. It has been shown that the modeling results for the surface tide differs little from the results obtained earlier by other authors. According to these results, the amplitudes of internal tidal waves (ITWs) in the AO are significantly lower than in other oceans and the ITWs proper have the character of trapped waves. Their source of generation is located at the continental slope northwest of the New Siberian Islands. Our results are consistent with the fields of average (over a tidal cycle) and integral (by depth) densities of baroclinic tidal energy, the maximum baroclinic tidal velocity, and the coefficient of diapycnic mixing. The local rate of baroclinic tidal energy dissipation at the AO ridges increases as it approaches the bottom, as was observed on Mid-Atlantic and Hawaii ridges (but merely within the bottom boundary layer) and is two to three orders of magnitude lower than in other oceans. The ITW degeneration scale in the AO is several hundreds of kilometers in summer and winter, remaining within the range of its values between 100 and 1000 km in mid- and low-latitude oceans. In both seasons, the integral (over the AO area) rate of baroclinic tidal energy dissipation is two orders of magnitude lower than the global estimate (2.5 × 10¹² W).     

On diapycnal mixing induced by internal tidal waves in the Arctic Ocean

In order to reproduce the diapycnal mixing induced by internal tidal waves (ITWs) in the Arctic Ocean, we use a modified version of the three-dimensional finite-element hydrothermodynamic model QUODDY-4. We found that the average (over the tidal cycle) and integral (by depth) baroclinic tidal energy dissipation rate in individual areas of the Siberian continental shelf and in the straits between the Canadian Arctic archipelago are much higher than in the open ocean and its values on ridges and troughs are qualitatively similar to one another. Moreover, in the area of open-ocean ridges, the baroclinic tidal energy dissipation rate increases as it approaches the bottom, but only in the bottom boundary layer; on the Mid-Atlantic and Hawaii ridges, such an increase is observed within a few hundreds of meters away from the bottom. The average (in area and depth of the open ocean) coefficient of diapycnal mixing defined by the baroclinic tidal energy dissipation rate is higher than the coefficient of molecular kinematic viscosity and only a few times lower than the canonical value of the coefficient of vertical turbulent viscosity, which is used in models of global oceanic circulation. Coupled with the reasoning on the localization of baroclinic tidal energy dissipation, this fact leads to the conclusion that disregarding the contribution that ITW-induced diapycnal mixing makes to the ocean-climate formation is hardly justified.     

Thermal Impact of Residential Ground-Water Heat Pumps

A computer simulation study was conducted to quantify the potential thermal impact of residential water-source heat pump usage on ground-water aquifers. In a first phase of the study, weather data for nine locations throughout the country were used to estimate the energy requirements for heating and air conditioning a typical residence. These energy requirements were then translated into the volumetric water demands for a selected heat pump at each location. A representative model aquifer was then defined and its characteristics used, along with the heat pump water requirements and design ΔT's (difference between inlet and outlet water temperature) to identify the important parameters that contribute to heat transfer and to model the movement of the thermal front resulting from injection of heat pump discharge water at the nine locations. The major factor that determines the heat pump thermal impact was found to be the net amount of heat injected into, or removed from an aquifer. Other significant factors included well design, heat pump design ΔT, and physical properties of the aquifer such as thickness, porosity and dispersivity. The study showed that, in climates where winter heating demand is very nearly equal to summer cooling demands, the injection of heat pump discharge water did not cause any significant modification of the ambient model aquifer temperature. However, in hot or cold climates where air conditioning or heating demand dominates, measurable thermal changes occurred in the model aquifer. In most cases, the maximum temperature     

Modelling of global ocean tides with allowance for island effects

Summary Parameterization schemes for single islands, island chains and archipelagos are described. It is shown that their utilization within the framework of a global tidal model leads not only to local peculiarities in the spatial structure of tidal characteristics, but also to cardinal restructuring of the tidal pattern far beyond the islands and an appreciable increase (about 0.5·10¹²W) of the global tidal energy dissipation. The latter is commensurable by the order of magnitude with the imbalance between estimates of tidal energy dissipation in the World Ocean as a whole and on the continental shelf.

---

Modellierung der Gezeiten der weltmeere unter Berücksichtigung von Inseleffekten

Zusammenfassung Es werden parametrisierte Darstellungen von einzelnen Inseln, Inselketten und Inselgruppen beschrieben. Es wird gezeigt, daß ihre Anwendung bei einem globalen Gezeitenmodell nicht nur zu lokalen Besonderheiten in der geographischen Struktur der Gezeiten führt, sondern auch zur grundsätzlichen Restrukturierung des Gezeitenmusters weit über die Inseln hinaus und zu einer deutlichen Zunahme (etwa 0,5·10¹² W) des globalen Gezeiten-Energieverlusts für die M₂-Tide. Dieser hat etwa die Größenordnung des Unterschiedes zwischen dem Gezeiten-Energieverlust des gesamten Weltmeeres und dem auf dem Kontinentalschelf.