On the sensitivity of tidal residuals off the west coast of Britain to mesh resolution

Abstract

An irregular mesh model of the west coast of Britain is used to examine the sensitivity of tidal residuals to mesh resolution in the region. Computed residuals are compared with earlier published results determined with a high resolution (1 km grid) finite difference model of the eastern Irish Sea. Initial calculations show that tidal residuals are largest in nearshore regions particularly in the vicinity of headlands. Local refinement of the mesh in these regions leads to a more detailed picture of the flow field, particularly adjacent to the coast. Although large scale offshore features of the flow can be resolved using the high resolution finite difference model, such an approach leads to a “stair case” representation of the coastal boundary with an adjacent near coastal region of spurious tidal residuals. By using an irregular mesh that follows the coast, this effect is removed. In the Mersey river region the tidal residual is resolved with a mesh resolution of 120 m, although calculations show that its distribution is particularly sensitive to small scale features of the topography. A variable mesh that can accurately represent the lateral variations in river width and details of topography in both the nearshore and estuarine environment appears essential in modelling the coastal spread of freshwater plumes from rivers and pollutants discharged into the near coastal environment.