Assessment of the importance of the current-wave coupling in the shelf ocean forecasts

[摘要] The effects of wave-current interactions on shelf ocean forecasts isinvestigated in the framework of the MFSTEP (Mediterranean ForecastingSystem Project Towards Enviromental Predictions) project. A one waysequential coupling approach is adopted to link the wave model (WAM) to thecirculation model (SYMPHONIE). The coupling of waves and currents has beendone considering four main processes: wave refraction due to currents,surface wind drag and bottom drag modifications due to waves, and the waveinduced mass flux. The coupled modelling system is implemented in thesouthern Catalan shelf (NW Mediterranean), a region with characteristicssimilar to most of the Mediterranean shelves. The sensitivity experimentsare run in a typical operational configuration. The wave refraction bycurrents seems to be not very relevant in a microtidal context such as thewestern Mediterranean. The main effect of waves on current forecasts isthrough the modification of the wind drag. The Stokes drift also plays asignificant role due to its spatial and temporal characteristics. Finally,the enhanced bottom friction is just noticeable in the inner shelf.

[学科分类] 海洋学与技术