A nested Atlantic-Mediterranean Sea general circulation model for operational forecasting

[摘要] A new numerical general circulation ocean model for the Mediterranean Seahas been implemented nested within an Atlantic general circulation modelwithin the framework of the Marine Environment and Security for the EuropeanArea project (MERSEA, Desaubies, 2006). A 4-year twin experiment was carriedout from January 2004 to December 2007 with two different models to evaluatethe impact on the Mediterranean Sea circulation of open lateral boundaryconditions in the Atlantic Ocean. One model considers a closed lateralboundary in a large Atlantic box and the other is nested in the same box ina global ocean circulation model. Impact was observed comparing the twosimulations with independent observations: ARGO for temperature and salinityprofiles and tide gauges and along-track satellite observations for the seasurface height. The improvement in the nested Atlantic-Mediterranean modelwith respect to the closed one is particularly evident in the salinitycharacteristics of the Modified Atlantic Water and in the Mediterranean sealevel seasonal variability.

[学科分类] 海洋学与技术