Abstract
In the present paper, tides in the port of Vancouver Harbour have been investigated with a high-resolution three-dimensional hydrodynamic model based on FVCOM (Finite Volume Community Ocean Model). The model was evaluated against field observations including tidal elevations and tidal currents, and the evaluation showed that the model was in good agreement with the observational data. Using the model, we first investigated the horizontal distributions of tides, tidal currents, and tidally induced residual circulation, and then investigated the tidal asymmetry and dynamic mechanisms of tidal flows in the harbour. The tidal residual circulation shows a strong spatial pattern, which is associated with the local coastlines and variation of topography. The tidal asymmetry in the harbour is caused by different mechanisms, not only including the traditional factors, such as residual flows, the interaction between M2 and its overtide M4, but also the interaction of principal astronomical tides of O1, K1, and M2. The momentum balance is dominated by terms of the advection and the pressure gradient in First Narrows and Second Narrows, whereas terms of the local acceleration and the Coriolis are also important in the central harbour. The spatial variations of the momentum terms are strongly associated with the local changes in coastline and topography.
Highlights
The Port of Vancouver is located in the city of Vancouver and connected with the Pacific Ocean via Strait of Georgia (Fig. 1) and is the largest and busiest harbour in Canada in terms of tonnage (McLaren 1994)
The tidal processes in Vancouver Harbour have been investigated with a high-resolution 3-D hydrodynamic model based on Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM)
The model was evaluated against observed tidal elevations and tidal currents and the evaluation showed that the model was in good agreement with the observations
Summary
The Port of Vancouver is located in the city of Vancouver and connected with the Pacific Ocean via Strait of Georgia (Fig. 1) and is the largest and busiest harbour in Canada in terms of tonnage (McLaren 1994). The coastline inside the port has features with estuaries, headlands, islands, and infrastructure, such as terminals, docks, and bridge piers, which have spatial scales varying from several meters to ∼10 km. Published at www.anthropocenecoastsjournal.com on 24 June 2019.
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