Altimetry-derived tide model for improved tide and water level forecasting along the European continental shelf

Ocean Dynamics - With the continued rise in global mean sea level, operational predictions of tidal height and total water levels have become crucial for accurate estimations and understanding of...     

A coupled tide-wave model for the NW European shelf seas

Understanding the interaction of tides and waves is essential in many studies, including marine renewable energy, sediment transport, long-term seabed morphodynamics, storm surges and the impacts of climate change. In the present research, a COAWST model of the NW European shelf seas has been developed and applied to a number of physical processes. Although many aspects of wave–current interaction can be investigated by this model, our focus is on the interaction of barotropic tides and waves at shelf scale. While the COWAST model was about five times more computationally expensive than running decoupled ROMS (ocean model) and SWAN (wave model), it provided an integrated modelling system which could incorporate many wave–tide interaction processes, and produce the tide and wave parameters in a unified file system with a convenient post-processing capacity. Some applications of the model such as the effect of tides on quantifying the wave energy resource, which exceeded 10% in parts of the region, and the effect of waves on the calculation of the bottom stress, which was dominant in parts of the North Sea and Scotland, during an energetic wave period are presented, and some challenges are discussed. It was also shown that the model performance in the prediction of the wave parameters can improve by 25% in some places where the wave-tide interaction is significant.     

A three-dimensional finite-element model of wind effects upon higher harmonics of the internal tide

A non-linear three-dimensional unstructured grid model of the M₂ tide in the shelf edge area off the west coast of Scotland is used to examine the spatial distribution of the M₂ internal tide and its higher harmonics in the region. In addition, the spatial variability of the tidally induced turbulent kinetic energy and associated mixing in the area are considered. Initial calculations involve only tidal forcing, although subsequent calculations are performed with up-welling and down-welling favourable winds to examine how these influence the tidal distribution (particularly the higher harmonics) and mixing in the region. Both short- and long-duration winds are used in these calculations. Tidal calculations show that there is significant small-scale spatial variability particularly in the higher harmonics of the internal tide in the region. In addition, turbulence energy and mixing exhibit appreciable spatial variability in regions of rapidly changing topography, with increased mixing occurring above seamounts. Wind effects significantly change the distribution of the M₂ internal tide and its higher harmonics, with appreciable differences found between up- and down-welling winds and long- and short-duration winds because of differences in mixing and the presence of wind-induced flows. The implications for model validation, particularly in terms of energy transfer to higher harmonics, and mixing are briefly discussed.     

Improved water-level forecasting for the Northwest European Shelf and North Sea through direct modelling of tide, surge and non-linear interaction

In real-time operational coastal forecasting systems for the northwest European shelf, the representation accuracy of tide–surge models commonly suffers from insufficiently accurate tidal representation, especially in shallow near-shore areas with complex bathymetry and geometry. Therefore, in conventional operational systems, the surge component from numerical model simulations is used, while the harmonically predicted tide, accurately known from harmonic analysis of tide gauge measurements, is added to forecast the full water-level signal at tide gauge locations. Although there are errors associated with this so-called astronomical correction (e.g. because of the assumption of linearity of tide and surge), for current operational models, astronomical correction has nevertheless been shown to increase the representation accuracy of the full water-level signal. The simulated modulation of the surge through non-linear tide–surge interaction is affected by the poor representation of the tide signal in the tide–surge model, which astronomical correction does not improve. Furthermore, astronomical correction can only be applied to locations where the astronomic tide is known through a harmonic analysis of in situ measurements at tide gauge stations. This provides a strong motivation to improve both tide and surge representation of numerical models used in forecasting. In the present paper, we propose a new generation tide–surge model for the northwest European Shelf (DCSMv6). This is the first application on this scale in which the tidal representation is such that astronomical correction no longer improves the accuracy of the total water-level representation and where, consequently, the straightforward direct model forecasting of total water levels is better. The methodology applied to improve both tide and surge representation of the model is discussed, with emphasis on the use of satellite altimeter data and data assimilation techniques for reducing parameter uncertainty. Historic DCSMv6 model simulations are compared against shelf wide observations for a full calendar year. For a selection of stations, these results are compared to those with astronomical correction, which confirms that the tide representation in coastal regions has sufficient accuracy, and that forecasting total water levels directly yields superior results.     

Application of a simple finite difference model for estimating evaporation from open water

In estimating the evaporation from open water, the challenge is to accurately quantify the change in heat stored in the water body. A simple finite difference model is described and a comparison made between measured values of water temperature and evaporation, from a reservoir in southeast England, and the values predicted by an equilibrium temperature model. The values predicted by the new model are in excellent agreement with the measurements and are closer to the measured values than those predicted by the equilibrium temperature model. The difference in performance is attributed to improved methods used for calculating the net radiation and the wind function. The simpler formulation of the finite difference model is considered to offset the disadvantage of the greater number of calculations required.     

Sensitivities of an adjoint, unstructured mesh, tidal model on the European Continental Shelf

Unstructured mesh models can resolve the model domain with a variable and very fine mesh resolution. Nevertheless, tuning the model setup is still required (for example because of parametrized sub-grid processes). Adjoint models are commonly used to calculate sensitivities of ocean models and optimize their parameters so that better agreement is achieved between model simulations and observations. One major obstacle in developing an adjoint model is the need to update the reverse code after each modification of the forward code, which is not always straightforward. Automatic differentiation is a tool to generate the adjoint model code without user input. So far this method has mainly been used for structured mesh ocean models. We present here an unstructured mesh, adjoint, tidal model using this technique, and discuss the sensitivities of the misfit between simulated and observed elevations with respect to open boundary values, the bottom friction coefficient and the bottom topography. The forward model simulates tides on the European Continental Shelf and we show that the tidal model dynamics in the adjoint simulations can be used to define regions, where parameters or mesh has to be optimized. We analyze the dependence of the sensitivities on the wave type and mesh resolution to specify whether the model misfit originates from physical or numerical model deficiencies. In the sensitivity patterns, it is possible to identify islands not resolved in the mesh. We propose to refine the mesh prior to the parameter optimization.     

Comparison of finite difference and element models of internal tides on the Malin–Hebrides shelf

A three-dimensional baroclinic finite element model with a coarse and fine (i.e. local refinement along the shelf edge) grid is used to examine the influence of shelf edge grid refinement upon the internal tide generation and propagation off the west coast of Scotland. Comparisons are made with observations in the region and with a published solution using a finite difference model. The calculations show that provided that the finite element grid is refined in the internal tide generation area and the adjacent region through which the internal tide propagates, then a numerically accurate solution is obtained. In the regions of strong internal tide generation with a local grid refinement, internal wave energy can accumulate at small scales and must be removed by a scale-selective filter.     

Comparison of finite difference and finite element solutions to the variably saturated flow equation

Numerical solutions to the equation governing variably saturated flow are usually obtained using either the finite difference (FD) method or the finite element (FE) method. A detailed comparison of these methods shows that the main difference between them is in how the numerical schemes spatially average the variation of material properties. Further differences are also observed in the way that flux boundaries are represented in FE and FD methods. A modified finite element (MFE) algorithm is used to explore the significance of these differences. The MFE algorithm enables a direct comparison with a typical FD solution scheme, and explicitly demonstrates the differences between FE and FD methods. The MFE algorithm provides an improved approximation to the partial differential equation over the usual FD approach while being computationally simpler to implement than the standard FE solution. One of the main limitations of the MFE algorithm is that the algorithm was developed by imposing several restrictions upon the more general FE solution; however, the MFE is shown to be preferable over the usual FE and FD solutions for some of the test problems considered in this study. The comparison results show that the FE (or MFE) solution can avoid the erroneous results encountered in the FD solution for coarsely discretized problems. The improvement in the FE solution is attributed to the broader hydraulic conductivity averaging and differences in the representation of flux type boundaries.     

半拉格朗日模式风的半解析解及与差分解的比较试验

质点的轨迹计算是半拉格朗日模式的重要基础,传统的数值计算方法由于采用时间差分代替微分,只能得到质点运动轨迹终点的速度,因此质点的移动轨迹（位移）只能靠风速外推的方法计算,导致了模式计算不稳定等问题.借鉴精细积分法中使用半解析解的思路,利用正压原始方程研究了用运动方程的半解析解构建数值模式的可能性.求解了运动方程的一阶和二阶微分方程组的半解析解,通过时间积分半解析解计算质点运动轨迹.数值试验表明,一阶微分方程组的半解析解比差分解略有优势.二阶微分方程组的半解析解在时间步长增大时优势非常明显,而且在保证计算精度的前提下,节省计算时间,这对提高模式性能有重要作用.     

The variability of the large-amplitude internal wave field on the Australian North West Shelf

Observations are presented of large-amplitude internal waves (LAIWs) generated by the steepening of the internal tide on the Australian North West Shelf (NWS) over a 4-month period extending from strongly stratified summer conditions to weakly stratified winter conditions. The observations are from a site in water depth of 124 m where current and temperature measurements were made from a fixed vertical mooring and a benthic L-shaped spatial array. The observations show the LAIWs at this site to be characterized by strong seasonal variability, with energetic LAIWs of depression being dominant during summer and weaker LAIWs of elevation being dominant during the winter months as the stratification weakens, the upper mixed layer deepens, and the thermocline is close to the bottom. Waves were also seen to propagate from a range of directions towards the observation site. Modeling using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS v2.1) revealed that internal tide generation in the area occurred at water depths of between 400 and 600 m along an arc of approximately 120 km in length, some 70 km to the northwest of our experimental site. The results demonstrate both the 3D nature as well as the seasonal variation of the LAIW field.     

起伏地表QR径向基函数有限差分及其在弹性波逆时偏移中的应用

弹性波逆时偏移不受倾角和偏移孔径的限制, 能够实现任意复杂构造的高精度多波成像, 是目前最精确的多分量资料偏移成像方法之一.逆时偏移算法的核心是波场延拓, 传统波场延拓以水平基准面为边界条件, 基于固定采样步长进行规则网格剖分, 采用阶梯近似法处理起伏地表和复杂构造界面时会产生台阶散射, 严重影响起伏地表复杂构造的成像精度.基于无网格节点模型, 定量分析了弹性波模拟中径向基函数有限差分法的频散关系和稳定性条件.基于此, 提出一种基于QR径向基函数的高精度有限差分方法, 并提出一种优化的起伏地表自适应节点剖分方法, 推导了精确的无网格自由边界条件和弹性波无网格混合吸收边界条件, 形成了新的基于无网格的起伏地表弹性波数值模拟方法.此外, 本文将此无网格径向基函数有限差分方法应用于精确的纵横波场矢量分解公式, 实现了起伏地表弹性波逆时偏移成像.通过对高斯山丘模型, 起伏凹陷模型和起伏地表Marmousi-2模型进行数值试算, 验证了本文方法的有效性和可行性.

     

基于速度估计的改进型线性变换有限差分偏移在探地雷达中的应用

为了解决传统线性变换有限差分偏移算法对变速介质的高敏感性问题,对加入了速度变量的标量波动方程进行线性变换,在横向非均匀介质条件下,详细推导了包含混合因子项的线性变换差分偏移方程,实现了横向非均匀介质中陡倾角反射界面的正确归位,同时改进型算法可以灵活地选择混合因子项,这样就增强了原算法对复杂地质问题的适应能力,在此基础上结合速度估计算法,减小多次尝试输入法所产生的误差,提出一种基于速度估计的改进型线性变换有限差分偏移算法,并用该算法对实测探地雷达剖面进行了偏移处理,通过对比偏移前后的雷达资料得知,当横向非均匀介质中同时存在多次反射质点和主体反射层时,改进的偏移算法能有效地提高雷达剖面的偏移精度.     

用于弹性波方程数值模拟的有限差分系数确定方法

有限差分方法是波场数值模拟的一个重要方法,交错网格差分格式比规则网格差分格式稳定性更好,但方法本身都存在因网格化而形成的数值频散效应,这会降低波场模拟的精度与分辨率.为了缓解有限差分算子的数值频散效应,精确求解空间偏导数,本文把求解波动方程的线性化方法推广到用于求解弹性波方程交错网格有限差分系数;同时应用最大最小准则作为模拟退火(SA)优化算法求解差分系数的数值频散误差判定标准来求解有限差分系数.通过上述两种方法,分别利用均匀各向同性介质和复杂构造模型进行了数值正演模拟和数值频散分析,并与传统泰勒展开算法、最小二乘算法进行比较,验证了线性化方法和模拟退火方法都能有效压制数值频散,并比较了各个算法的特点.     

特征差分法在水位推流上的应用

本文阐述了在符合明渠非恒定流一维定床条件的水文测站,应用变化的特征差分格式,将两断面实测水位过程线推算为流量过程线的原理、方法和应用实例,对理论推算的流量过程和实测流量过程进行了比较分析。从泗洪站和运河站的成果看出,推流和实测过程线基本吻合,精度较高。因此可以明显看出,应用本法推流,不但安全可靠,具有节约人力、物力等经济效益,还可提高测验精度、防止高洪期流量的错测、漏测,保证洪水资料的连续和完整。在湖泊水量平衡计算中,同样可以借助两组水尺获得的水位资料进行推流,无需设置专用流量站。     

Effects of self-attraction and loading at a regional scale: a test case for the Northwest European Shelf

The impact of the self-attraction and loading effect (SAL) in a regional 2D barotropic tidal model has been assessed, a term with acknowledged and well-understood importance for global models but omitted for boundary-forced, regional models, for which the implementation of SAL is non-trivial due to its non-local nature. In order to understand the impact of the lack of SAL effects in a regional scale, we have forced a regional model of the Northwest European Continental Shelf and the North Sea (continental shelf model (CSM)) with the SAL potential field derived from a global model (GTSM), in the form of a pressure field. Impacts have been studied in an uncalibrated setup and with only tidal forcing activated, in order to isolate effects. Additionally, the usually adopted simple SAL parameterization, in which the SAL contribution to the total tide is parameterized as a percentage of the barotropic pressure gradient (typically chosen 10%), is also implemented and compared to the results obtained with a full SAL computation. A significant impact on M2 representation is observed in the English Channel, Irish Sea and the west (UK East coast) and south (Belgian and Dutch Coast) of the North Sea, with an impact of up to 20 cm in vector difference terms. The impact of SAL translates into a consistent M2 amplitude and propagation speeds reduction throughout the domain. Results using the beta approximation, with an optimal domain-wide constant value of 1.5%, show a somewhat comparable impact in phase but opposite direction of the impact in amplitude, increasing amplitudes everywhere. In relative terms, both implementations lead to a reduction of the tidal representation error in comparison with the reference run without SAL, with the full SAL approach showing further impacted, improved results. Although the overprediction of tidal amplitudes and propagation speeds in the reference run might have additional sources like the lack of additional dissipative processes and non-considered bottom friction settings, results show an overall significant impact, most remarkable in tidal phases. After showing evidence of the SAL impact in regional models, the question of how to include this physical process in them in an efficient way arises, since SAL is a non-local effect and depends on the instantaneous water levels over the whole ocean, which is non-trivial to implement.     

Feasibility study on application of satellite formations for eliminating the influence from aliasing error of ocean tide model

Currently,aliasing error of temporal signal model becomes the main factor constraining the accuracy of temporal gravity field.In provision of three types of satellite formations,i.e.,GRACE-type,Pendulum-type and n-s-Cartwheel-type,which are suitable for gravity mission and composed of observation in different directions,here we design two cases and conduct a simulation experiment on the feasibility to apply satellite formations for eliminating the influence from the aliasing error of ocean tide models.The result of our experiment shows that,when the aliasing error is disregarded,n-s-Cartwheel formation can provide the best conditions for gravity field determination,which,compared with GRACE-type,can improve the accuracy by 43%.When aliasing error of the ocean tide model acts as the main source of error,the satellite formation applied in dynamic method for gravity field inversion cannot eliminate aliasing or improve the accuracy of gravity field.And due to its higher sensitivity to the high-degree variation of gravity field,the Cartwheel-type formation,which includes the radial observation,can result in the gravity field containing more high-frequency signals for the ocean tide model error,and lead to a dramatically larger error.     

选择性滤波同位网格有限差分法在地震波数值模拟中的应用

引入计算空气声学领域的选择性滤波同位网格有限差分算法(SFFD法)用于二维地震波数值模拟.SFFD法使用经过优化的11点DRP同位网格差分格式,对空间一阶导数进行离散近似,同时采用选择性滤波方法来消除同位网格差分所产生的格点高频振荡,它既提高了数值模拟的精度,又保证了求解过程的稳定性.数值实验结果表明,SFFD法能够达到O(△x8,△t4)阶交错网格算法同样的精度,同时该方法还具有很强的适应性,能够应用于存在着强泊松比差异的介质模型中,完整地模拟地震波传播过程中各类型的波场,并且对复杂非均匀介质的适应能力也很好.此外,由于避免了交错网格算法在曲线坐标系和一般各向异性介质的数值模拟时所需进行的复杂的插值运算,SFFD法在这些问题上也有着很好的应用前景.     

Behaviour of a hydrodynamic finite element model

A finite element model which solves the vertically integrated momentum and continuity equations is described. Linear triangular elements are used to describe the geometry and parameter variations. The Galerkin method of weighted residuals is employed to cast the equations in a form amenable to numerical solution. The model is based on a fully implicit formulation using finite differences for the temporal derivatives.Means of evaluating the non-linear terms of the governing equations are described, and model results are presented for a frictionless tidal channel. The example is chosen such that the non-linearities have a large influence on the solution, and as a result the linearization scheme significantly affects the model's behaviour.Suppression of the non-linear instabilities generated by the convective terms in the momentum equations is examined for the case of flow around a 180° bend. Both the imposition of artificially high roughness coefficients and the use of an effective eddy viscosity are examined in terms of their ability to damp the oscillations which arise for this example.Finally, model results are presented for a case study involving determination of remedial measures to improve flow conditions at a river outfall in Southern Ontario.     

Scattering of elastic waves in cracked media using a finite difference method

This paper presents a simple, flexible way of introducing stress-free boundary conditions for including cracks and cavities in 2D elastic media by a finite difference method (FDM). The surfaces of cracks and cavities are discretized in a staircase on a rectangular grid scheme. When zero-stress is applied to free surfaces, the resulting finite difference schemes require a set of adjacent fictitious points. These points are classified based on the geometry of the free surface and their displacement is computed as a prior step to later calculation of motion on the crack surface. The use of this extra line of points does not involve a significant drain on computational resources. However, it does provide explicit finite difference schemes and the construction of displacement on the free surfaces by using the correct physical boundary conditions. An accuracy analysis compares the results to an analytical solution. This quantitative analysis uses envelope and phase misfits. It estimates the minimum number of points per wavelength necessary to achieve suitable results. Finally, the method is employed to compute displacement in various models with cavities in the P-SV formulation. The results show suitable construction of the reflected P and S waves from the free surface as well as diffraction produced by these cavities.