Advantages of vertically adaptive coordinates in numerical models of stratified shelf seas

Shelf seas such as the North Sea and the Baltic Sea are characterised by spatially and temporally varying stratification that is highly relevant for their physical dynamics and the evolution of their ecosystems. Stratification may vary from unstably stratified (e.g., due to convective surface cooling) to strongly stratified with density jumps of up to 10 kg/m³ per m (e.g., in overflows into the Baltic Sea). Stratification has a direct impact on vertical turbulent transports (e.g., of nutrients) and influences the entrainment rate of ambient water into dense bottom currents which in turn determine the stratification of and oxygen supply to, e.g., the central Baltic Sea. Moreover, the suppression of the vertical diffusivity at the summer thermocline is one of the limiting factors for the vertical exchange of nutrients in the North Sea. Due to limitations of computational resources and since the locations of such density jumps (either by salinity or temperature) are predicted by the model simulation itself, predefined vertical coordinates cannot always reliably resolve these features. Thus, all shelf sea models with a predefined vertical coordinate distribution are inherently subject to under-resolution of the density structure.To solve this problem, Burchard and Beckers (2004) and Hofmeister et al. (2010) developed the concept of vertically adaptive coordinates for ocean models, where zooming of vertical coordinates at locations of strong stratification (and shear) is imposed. This is achieved by solving a diffusion equation for the position of the coordinates (with the diffusivity being proportional to the stratification or shear frequencies). We will show for a coupled model system of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea (resolution ∼ 1.8 km) how numerical mixing is substantially reduced and model results become significantly more realistic when vertically adaptive coordinates are applied. We additionally demonstrate that vertically adaptive coordinates perform well in simulating the two dynamically different regions North Sea and Baltic Sea with a single parameter set.An analysis of the computational overhead of the adaptive coordinates indicates an increase of 5–8% in runtime. This is still less expensive than adding more sigma-layers to reduce spurious numerical mixing.     

根据流速剖面估计海底粗糙长度的研究

由于底床的摩擦作用,河口海岸近底层的水体流动与远离海底上层的水体流动产生很大的差别,形成重要的底边界层。在近底层由于水层与床面有频繁的物质交换,所以研究河口海岸边界层对水流、泥沙、温度、盐度垂向混合、底沙运动等物质过程有着重要的作用。底床粗糙度是研究河口海岸沉积物运移和水流结构的重要因素,它由颗粒粗糙度、底形粗糙度和推移质输沙粗糙度组成。目前还没有一个经验公式来计算底床粗糙度,但是在无波浪的情况下粗糙度可以通过拟合流速的对数分布(卡门-普朗特公式)来求得。利用对数拟合方法必须满足两个条件:一是必须测量近海底三个层面以上的流速,二是测得的流速剖面必须满足对数分布。     

深海垂向流速剖面数值模拟

运用CFD软件对深海各种不同的垂向流速剖面进行数值模拟,分析研究试验区域内水流在空间上的流速分布情况以及湍流强度的变化,并与目标流速进行了比较.结合模型试验,表明数值模拟的结果是可靠的,造流系统能够较为准确地模拟出不同垂向流速剖面的海流,满足深水试验池对深海海流的模拟要求.     

长江口正压、斜压诊断及斜压预报模式--三维流场数值模拟

建立了σ坐标系下长江口正压、斜压诊断及斜压预报模式三维流场数学模型,采用k-kl二方程紊流闭合模型求解垂向涡粘系数。通过正压模式与斜压诊断模式、斜压诊断模式与斜压预报模式流场模拟结果的定量比较,说明了各种模式对长江口流场模拟精度影响的程度,推荐了长江口流场数值模拟采用的模式。     

Experimental and numerical investigation of a freefall wedge vertically entering the water surface

Experiments and numerical methods are developed to investigate the water entry of a freefall wedge with a focus on the evolution of the pressure on the impact sides (the side contacting water) and the top side (the dry side on the top of the wedge), evolution of the global hydrodynamic loads, evolution of the air–water interface, and wedge motion. It is found that a typical water entry of a freefall wedge can be divided into slamming, transition, collapse and post-closure stages. A single-fluid numerical model is presented to simulate the first three stages. The results are compared to experiments and good agreements are obtained. A two-fluid BEM is proposed to investigate the influence of the air flow before the closure of the cavity created on the top of the wedge. It is found that for the closure of the 2D cavity, the air flow starts to play an important role just before closure but due to the short duration, the influence of air flow on the body velocity and configuration of the air–water interface is limited.     

On the approximation of equatorially-trapped waves in the numerical models of ocean dynanics

Finite-differential schemes (continous in time) are studied for the shallow water equations on the equatorial -plane on the grids B and C. The B-grid spectrum is shown to be symmetrical about fourgrid interval waves. It results in the wrong sign of the group velocity in the ddomain of wavelengths less than four intervals of the grid. An analytical solution is given for the differential analogues of Kelving and Yanai waves on grid C. A conclusion is drawn on the advantage of grid, C and the necessary filtration of the high-frequency band of the spectrum for grid B, if the grid intervals are 100 km or less.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov     

Challenging spatial and seasonal distribution of fish landings—Experiences from vertically integrated trawlers and delivery obligations in Norway

The highly seasonal Norwegian cod fisheries give rise to problems downstream in the value chain and the authorities have introduced several schemes to counter the strong incentives for seasonal harvesting. This paper studies how the trawler delivery obligation (TDO) regime influences aspects of the harvesting pattern, focusing on the temporal and geographic distribution of landings. The analysis shows that the trawlers as a group have far less seasonal variations in their cod landings compared to the coastal fleet. While the Norwegian fleet lands about 75% during the first half-year, the corresponding share for trawlers is about 50%. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, the independent trawlers fished the most off-season; about 57% of their total landings. Trawlers controlled by vertically integrated firms landed considerably less (about 45%) and independently owned trawlers with landing obligations fell between these two strategic groups (about 50%). Vertically integrated vessels have a higher fulfilment of their landing obligations than the independently owned. The differences between the strategic groups are relatively high, at 68% vs. 38%. These results indicate that delivery obligations alone are not sufficient to provide control over the geographic distribution.     

Comparison of four numerical models for simulating seepage from salt marsh sediments

A boundary integral equation method (BIEM) model and three differently formulated finite element method (FEM) models were implemented to explore the spatial and temporal patterns in marsh pore water seepage that each generated. The BIEM model is based on the Laplace equation coupled to a dynamic free-surface condition that assumes that, as the water-table changes, the aquifer instantaneously loses or gains an amount of water equal to the change in head times the specific yield. The FEM models all implement a simplified Richards equation that allows gradual desaturation or resaturation and thus flow in both the saturated and unsaturated zones of the aquifer. Two of the FEM models are based on the governing equation for the USGS model SUTRA and thus take into account fluid and aquifer compressibility. One of these was modified to take into account the effect of tidal loading on the total stress, which is assumed to be constant in the derivation of the original version of SUTRA. The third FEM model assumes that neither the fluid or aquifer matrix is compressible so that changes in storage are due solely to changes in saturation. The unmodified SUTRA model generated instantaneous boundary fluxes that were up to two orders of magnitude greater, and spatially more uniform, than those of the other models. The FEM model without compressibility generated spatial and temporal patterns of the boundary fluxes very similar to those produced by the BIEM model. The SUTRA model with the tidal stress modification gave fluxes similar in magnitude to the BIEM and no compressibility models but with distinctly different distributions in space and time. These results indicate that accurate simulation of seepage from marsh soils is highly sensitive to aquifer compressibility and to proper formulation of the effect of tidal loading on the total stress in the aquifer. They also suggest that accurate simulation may require total stress correction not only for tidal loading but for changes in the water table as well. Finally, to aid the development of methods for the measurement of compressibility, we present a schematic, pore-scale model to illustrate the factors that may govern the compressibility of marsh soils.     

Intercomparison of wave-driven current models

Seven numerical models which simulate waves and currents in the surf-zone are tested for the case of a reduced-scale detached breakwater subjected to the action of regular waves with normal incidence. The computed wave heights, water levels and velocities are compared with measurements collected in an experimental wave basin. The wave height decay in the surf-zone is predicted reasonably well. Set-up and currents appear to be less well predicted. This intercomparison exercise shows that radiation stresses are systematically overestimated by formulations used in the models, mean bottom shear stresses are not always co-linear with the mean bottom velocity vector in shallow water, and turbulence modelling in the surf-zone requires a sophisticated     

The effect of wave-induced stress on current profiles

Current velocity profiles in the presence of non-breaking waves on a horizontal bottom are studied. Particular consideration is given to the derivations of measured current profiles from the standard logarithmic profiles near the mean water surface. The deviations are found to be due mainly to the wave-induced second-order stress which was generally neglected in the former models. The available experimental data indicate that the wave-induced second-order stress is a linear function of elevation and depends on the wave parameters, the current strength and the angle between the waves and the current. A semi-empirical model is developed and gives good agreements with experimental measurements of current profiles near the mean water surface.     

大亚湾海域潮流和余流的三维数值模拟

用三维陆架海模式(HAMSOM)对大亚湾海域的潮汐、潮流和余流进行了数值模拟研究,模拟结果与实测值吻合较好。给出了潮流性质、主要分潮的潮流椭圆和余流。计算结果表明,大亚湾海域的潮流性质以不正规半日潮为主,水平潮流具有明显的往复流性质,主要呈南-北方向,落潮流速比涨潮流速大,其中表层M2分潮最大流速为25.3cm.s-1。流速受地形的影响,在大辣甲和黄毛山岛之间以及两岛与岸之间的区域流速较大,尤其在湾的东北角狭长地形处流最急,流速最大;靠近岸边流速较小,水平速度的垂向变化不大。夏季湾内余流较小,海域自净能力较弱。冬季湾内水体的自净能力随流场强度加强而加强。     

Assimilation of image sequences in numerical models

Understanding and forecasting the evolution of geophysical fluids is a major scientific and societal challenge. Forecasting algorithms should take into account all the available information on the considered dynamic system. The variational data assimilation (VDA) technique combines all these informations in an optimality system (O.S.) in a consistent way to reconstruct the model inputs. VDA is currently used by the major meteorological centres. During the last two decades about 30 satellites were launched to improve the knowledge of the atmosphere and of the oceans. They continuously provide a huge amount of data that are still underused by numerical forecast systems. In particular, the dynamic evolution of certain meteorological or oceanic features (such as eddies, fronts, etc.) that the human vision may easily detect is not optimally taken into account in realistic applications of VDA. Image Assimilation in VDA framework can be performed using 'pseudo-observation' techniques: they provide apparent velocity fields, which are assimilated as classical observations. These measurements are obtained by certain external procedures, which are decoupled with the considered dynamic system. In this paper, we suggest a more consistent approach, which directly incorporates image sequences into the O.S.     

Reconstructing the upper ocean thermal profiles using one-dimensional numerical model

The observation data for 5 d at a station in the South China Sea is presented.After brief analysis of the wind speed,air temperature from the ship-borne meteorological instruments and temperature and salinity profiles from the CTD (conductivity,temperature,depth recorder) data,the authors find that the CTD casts are too sparse for us to understand the diurnal evolution of the thermal structure in the upper ocean.A one-dimensional (1D) numerical code based on Mellor-Yamada turbulence closure model is used to reconstruct the upper ocean thermal structure,utilizing the atmospheric forcing data from ship-borne weather station.The simulation results show good agreement with the observational data;the significance of breaking waves is also briefly discussed.The evolution of turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and the contribution from shear production and buoyancy production are discussed respectively.Finally,several possible factors which might influence the numerical results are briefly analyzed.     

Three-D numerical simulation of wind-driven current and density current in the Beibu Gulf

The Beibu Gulf circulation plays an imPOrtant role in the long--term water rnass transportinside the gulf. It is also closely related to the Guangxi untal water mass transport and self-purification. Hence, it is of practical imPOrtance to study the circulation in the gUlf. The cir-culation in the gUlf is very comlicated, and is rnainly gOverned by wind, water density gradi-ent, the current outside the gulf and the bathpoetry. In spring, a cold water rnass generatesln the center of the gulf…     

Longshore current and sediment transport on composite beach profiles

Natural beaches tend to exhibit an equilibrium profile that is planar nearshore and nonplanar, concave-up offshore. The longshore current on this type of beach profile depends on the horizontal distance to the location of the intersection between the planar and nonplanar profiles. As the width of the planar beach face decreases, the location of the maximum longshore current moves closer to the shore. The dependency of the corresponding longshore sediment transport rate on the location of the intersection between the two profiles is demonstrated for two energetics-based sediment transport models. Again, a narrower beach face results in the maximum sediment transport being closer to the shore. Total sediment transport rates are also a function of the planar beach face width. This suggests that longshore transport rates are modulated by the tidal elevation.     

Study on short-range numerical forecasting of ocean current in the East China Sea——Ⅰ Basic problems of ocean current forecasting and structure of the models

Ocean current forecasting is still in explorative stage of study. In the study, we face some problems that have not been met before. The solving of these problems has become fundamental premise for realizing the ocean current forecasting. In the present paper are discussed in depth the physical essence for such basic problems as the predictability of ocean current, the predictable currents, the dynamical basis for studying respectively the tidal current and circulation, the necessity of boundary model, the models on regions with different scales and their link. The foundations and plans to solve the problems are demonstrated. Finally a set of operational numerical forecasting system for ocean current is proposed.     

Set-up of deep circulation in multi-level numerical models

The present study investigates the way an ocean filled with homogeneous warm water is cooled by prescribing cold water formation inside the ocean in the southern part of the southern hemisphere using multi-level numerical models. Cooling of the whole ocean starts with introduction of the cold water from the formation region into the deepest part of the ocean in the equatorial and eastern boundary regions by Kelvin wave-type density currents. The cold water along the eastern boundary extends westward as a Rossby wave-type density current setting up an interior poleward flow, and hits the western boundary to form a northward flowing boundary current in the northern hemisphere. Only then does the western boundary current cross the equator. Cooling of the rest of the ocean basin is accomplished by upwellings in the interior and also along the coasts. During this introduction the cold water is mixed with surrounding warm waters, and the thermocline, rather than forming just below the top level where heating is imposed, tends to spread down to deeper depths. Consequently the circulation at a steady state has a significant vertical structure such that the maximum upwelling in the interior occurs in the mid-depths, and only the deeper part of the deep ocean yields the Stommel and Arons circulation pattern. In the equatorial region higher vertical mode motions dominate, and a set of alternating zonal jets forms along the equator.