Coupled Hydrodynamical-Ecological Model For Regional And Shelf Seas Research Articles

Investigating the potential impact of wind farms on Lake Erie

Power generation is a leading cause of air pollution and major source of global warming emissions. Renewable energy resources, like wind and solar power, generate electricity with little to no global warming emissions and are reliable, affordable and beneficial for health, economy and climate. There are two sectors in wind energy: offshore and onshore. Offshore wind speeds are faster and steadier and coastal areas often exhibit a high energy demand. Offshore wind farms are coming to the Great Lakes. We therefore investigate the potential impact of wind farms on Lake Erie’s dynamic and thermal structure using the COHERENS (a Coupled Hydrodynamical-Ecological model for Regional and Shelf Seas) and simulate a large wind farm with 432 offshore turbines located in the shallow southern waters of the central basin. The simulation is run twice to compare physical parameters such as temperature and circulation pattern and velocity results in the absence and presence of a large wind farm. In the case of no wind farm, model results are validated with data from buoys located in Lake Erie, while with the wind farm, the results show that the central basin is impacted by the wind turbines. This occurs because the reduced wind speed and stress leads to less mixing, lower current speeds and higher surface water temperature. There is no significant impact, however, in the eastern and western basins. This research examines Lake Erie, since this lake has a high potential for offshore wind turbine installation due to its proximity to population centers and its shallow depth.

A variational ensemble Kalman filtering method for data assimilation using 2D and 3D version of COHERENS model

SummaryDecoupled implementation of data assimilation methods has been rarely studied. The variational ensemble Kalman filter has been implemented such that it needs not to communicate directly with the model, but only through input and output devices. In this work, an open multi‐functional three‐dimensional (3D) model, the coupled hydrodynamical‐ecological model for regional and shelf seas (COHERENS), has been used. Assimilation of the total suspended matter (TSM) is carried out in 154 km2 lake Säkylän Pyhäjärvi. Observations of TSM were derived from high‐resolution satellite images of turbidity and chrolophyll‐a. For demonstrating the method, we have used a low‐resolution model grid of 1 km. The model was run for a period from May 16 to September 14. We have run the COHERENS model with two‐dimensional (2D) mode time steps and 3D mode time steps. This allows COHERENS to switch between 2D and 3D modes in a single run for computational efficiency. We have noticed that there is not much difference between these runs. This is because satellite images depict the derived TSM for the surface layer only. The use of additional 3D data might change this conclusion and improve the results. We have found that in this study, the use of a large ensemble size does not guarantee higher performance. The successful implementation of decoupled variational ensemble Kalman filter method opens the way for other methods and evolution models to enjoy the benefits without having to spend substantial effort in merging the model and assimilation codes together, which can be a difficult task. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

TIDE AND TIDAL CURRENT IN THE BALI STRAIT, INDONESIA

Tide and tidal current model of the Bali Strait in Indonesia is produced by using a Coupled Hydrodynamical-Ecological Model for Regional and Shelf Seas (COHERENS). With its resolutions in the horizontal (500meters) and the vertical (4layers), the model well reproduces the four major tidal constituents, namely M2, S2, K1, and O1 tides, and their currents. Furthermore the model is used to investigate the tide-induced residual flow and tidal front in the Bali Strait. As a results, the tide-induced residual flow in the Bali Strait during the spring tide on May 16th in 2010 can be attributed to the variation of the strength of two eddies. The first one is the clockwise circulation in the shallow area at the wide part of the strait, while the second one is the small clockwise circulation in the south of the narrow strait. On the other hand, as suggestion from Simpson and Hunter (1974), the tidal front is determined by the value of log(H/U3) (where is the water depth in meters and the amplitude oftidal current amplitude in ms-1). The front detected by the image of sea surface temperature distribution from the satellite corresponds with the contour log(H/U3) of 6.5.

Sea surface temperature modelling in the Sea of Iroise: assessment of boundary conditions

The present study investigates the sensitivity of the COupled Hydrodynamical–Ecological model for REgioNal and Shelf seas (COHERENS) to predict sea surface temperature (SST) patterns in the Sea of Iroise (western end of French Brittany) in relation to the spatial and temporal resolutions of open boundary conditions (OBCs). Two sources of daily operational OBCs of temperature are considered, derived from (1) the Mercator Global Ocean and (2) the Iberian Biscay Irish analysis and forecasting systems delivering predictions at spatial resolutions of 1/12° and 1/36°, respectively. Coastal model performance is evaluated by comparing SST predictions with recently available field data collected (1) along the route of a vessel travelling between the coast and the isle of Ushant and (2) at two offshore stations. The comparison is extended to SST spatial distribution derived from remote-sensing observations. The influence of OBC spatial resolution is exhibited in the north-eastern area of the Sea of Iroise in relation to the intrusion of cold surface waters. OBC temporal resolution is found to have a lower impact advocating for the implementation of climatological temperature forcings to predict major SST patterns in the Sea of Iroise.

Modelling impact of bottom roughness on sea surface temperature in the Sea of Iroise

A hydrological model based on the coupling of the three-dimensional hydrodynamic module COHERENS (COupled Hydrodynamical–Ecological model for RegioNal and Shelf seas) with the wave propagation module SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) is used to study the effects of bottom roughness on sea surface temperature (SST) in the nearshore areas of the Sea of Iroise (western end of french Brittany). Predicted time histories of SST are compared with the available field data collected at two offshore stations and along the route of a vessel travelling between the coast and the isle of Ushant. The comparison is extended to SST spatial distribution derived from remote-sensing observations for conditions characterising the development of horizontal thermal fronts in the Sea of Iroise. A numerical sensitivity study is conducted focusing on the impacts of the heterogeneous bottom roughnesses associated with (i) the granulometric distribution of seabed sediments and (ii) the apparent friction induced by the waves in the bottom boundary layer. Whereas moderate differences are obtained, both bottom-roughness distributions are found to influence the predicted SST leading to slight improvements of global predictions. The sensitivity of numerical simulations is exacerbated in areas of high thermal gradients. The effects of the bottom roughness associated with the seabed are thus revealed at the north-eastern and south-eastern edges of external Ushant thermal front. Waves have a major influence in the nearshore areas of the bay of Audierne and the western extend of Crozon peninsula.

Modelling impact of northerly wind-generated waves on sediments resuspensions in the Dover Strait and adjacent waters

A numerical approach based on the coupling of the wave propagation module SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) with the three-dimensional circulation module COHERENS (COupled Hydrodynamical-Ecological model for RegioNal and Shelf seas) is developed to simulate the impact of a northerly wind-generated storm on the resuspensions of heterogeneous sediments in the Dover Strait and adjacent waters. Suspended sediment transport is computed for the four grain-size classes of silts ( d 1 = 25 μ m ) , very fine sands ( d 2 = 75 μ m ) , fine sands ( d 3 = 150 μ m ) and medium sands ( d 4 = 350 μ m ) . Predicted times histories of wave variables and the near-bottom mean current and total suspended sediment concentration (SSC) are compared with field data collected off Merlimont Beach, in the south of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Mappings of the growth of the near-bottom total SSC during the storm are produced. The total SSC increases by four at the Merlimont site. The multiplying factor reaches 40 along the exposed northern French coastline revealing the Flandres bed features. This increase is limited to five in deep waters of the southern Dover Strait with local strengthening on the top of the Vergoyer and the Bassure de Baas sandbanks. The storm modifies the granulometric composition of suspended materials by increasing the contribution of medium sands. Main modifications appear at the south-western entrance of the Dover Strait and in the exposed southern North Sea. The near-bottom resuspensions remain elsewhere dominated by the local resuspensions of fine sands added to remote resuspended silts advected by currents.

Effects of waves on the initiation of headland-associated sandbanks

Linear sandbanks appear in the lee of coastal headlands where the hydrodynamics are dominated by strong tidal currents and the seabed is characterized by an abundance of sands. They may develop as symmetrical sandbanks on either sides of the headland or as an unique banner bank. The present study numerically investigates the combined effects of waves and tide on the initial development of headland-associated sandbanks. A morphological model based on the coupling of the wave propagation module SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) with the three-dimensional circulation module COHERENS (COupled Hydrodynamical-Ecological model for REgioNal and Shelf seas) is applied to an idealized Gaussian shaped headland for waves conditions varying in heights and directions at the offshore boundary. The coupling considers the effects of the interactions between the wave and current bottom boundary layers, namely the enhanced levels of turbulence near the bottom and the increase of the total bottom shear stress. Waves substantially modify the initial development of sandbanks formed by suspension narrowing their width and reorienting them along the side of the headland. They weakly impact the morphogenesis of sandbanks by bedload favoring on a short-time scale the growth of symmetric circular-shaped features and a central depositional spit prolonging the headland tip. Waves of transverse directions toward the tip of the headland contribute to the initiation by suspension of a well-developed feature in the headland side of low energy limiting the seabed evolution in the exposed area.

Numerical modelling of salinity variations due to wind and thermohaline forcing in the Persian Gulf

Salinity is an important component of the marine system. Due to shallow nature of the Persian Gulf, the salinity has been influenced by both wind driven and surface thermohaline fluxes (heat and moisture fluxes). In this study, the seasonal distribution of salinity and its variations due to wind stress and thermohaline forcing are investigated by using a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, Coupled Hydrodynamical–Ecological Model for Regional and Shelf Seas (COHERENS). The simulation results show that the salinity in the Persian Gulf experiences dramatic spatial and temporal variations. The influence of the thermohaline forcing is considerably more than the wind stress on the salinity. The effect of the surface thermohaline fluxes over the salinity field is generally to increase the salinity for almost all the water column during the year. This effect is high during September–November where the evaporative surface salinity flux dominates over inflow of low-salinity values of Indian Ocean Surface Water. The wind forcing at the most regions of the Persian Gulf, in particular at the United Arab Emirate (UAE) coast and Bahrain–Qatar shelf, freshens the water all the year round. The wind and thermohaline forcing in March–June have strong potential to generate stratification in salinity structure. The model predictions, which are successful in simulating many features of observed pattern, indicate that the surface water of the Gulf is saltier in winter than that in spring and early summer. Both heat fluxes and wind stress play an important role for this seasonal cycle of the surface salinity.

Numerical simulation of tide-induced transport of heterogeneous sediments in the English Channel

Abstract The three-dimensional numerical model COHERENS (COupled Hydrodynamical-Ecological model for REgioNal and Shelf seas) has been adapted to compute the rates of transport as bedload and suspended load of heterogeneous bottom sediments induced by the dominant M2 tide in the English Channel. A pre-processing of an extensive surficial sediments dataset has been performed to determine the seabed composition (grain-size distribution or presence of rocks) at the computational grid nodes. Maximum bedload and suspended load transport rates over the tidal cycle as well as the contributions of the 10 different sedimentary classes to the mean transports are computed. Highest sediment transport rates occur in fine sediments areas located in the surroundings of high shear stresses areas. Medium sand ( d 4 = 350 μ m ) is found to be predominant in bedload, while suspension load implies mainly silts ( d 1 = 25 μ m ) in the inner shoreface and both fine and medium sands ( d 3 = 150 μ m , d 4 = 350 μ m ) in the outer shoreface. The offshore residual bedload transport pathways are orientated westerly in the western part of the Channel and easterly in the eastern part defining a “parting” zone which runs from the Isle of Wight to the Cotentin Peninsula. An offshore “bedload convergence” occurs in the southwest of the Dover Strait; a narrow transport pathway bypassing it along the French coastline. These features reproduce those predicted by Grochowski et al. (1993a) and provide higher resolution features like inshore headland-induced gyres, particularly along the English coastline. The new predicted general pattern of residual suspended load transport is very similar to the bedload pattern. Differences arise in the central “divergence” zone which exhibits a “Y” shape with two branches ending on both sides of the Isle of Wight, in the Baie de Seine characterized by a central “convergence” and along the English coastline studded with many headland-induced recirculations.

Three‐dimensional modeling of tide‐induced suspended transport of seabed multicomponent sediments in the eastern English Channel

A three‐dimensional primitive numerical model is developed to simulate the circulation and resuspension of noncohesive sediments in the eastern English Channel. The present model is based on Coupled Hydrodynamical‐Ecological Model for Regional and Shelf Seas (COHERENS) adapted for computing advection‐diffusion of suspended multicomponent sediments. A statistical approach is first applied to interpolate spatial sampled grain size distributions with 11 classes at the computational grid nodes. These data then provide the availability of each class of sediment to be suspended. Finally, they are used to compute different bottom roughness parameters. Time histories of mean current and turbulent variables predicted by the model are compared with field data collected in two shallow sites off Hardelot and Merlimont beaches, in the south of Boulogne‐sur‐Mer (Dover Strait). Comparison of predicted and measured time histories of total suspended sediment concentration (SSC) is conducted at the Hardelot site. The model is used to quantify the respective contributions of SSC of the three grain size classes to resuspension processes. The spatiotemporal evolutions of the different classes in the surrounding area show local and advection‐dispersion controlled remote suspension, both dependent on spatial changes in bathymetry, sediment composition, and coastline geometry.

The dispersal processes within the tide‐modulated Changjiang River plume, China

AbstractThe dispersal processes of the tide‐modulated Changjiang River plume, China, are studied by using a three‐dimensional hydrodynamical module of the COHERENS (A COupled Hydrodynamical–Ecological model for REgional and Shelf Seas). The model is driven by the river discharge and the M2 tidal constituent. Modelled results show: (1) the fresh water, which forms the Changjiang River plume expanding southeastwards, is discharged mostly into the North Channel, the North Passage, and the South Passage; (2) the larger horizontal gradient outside the North Channel and the North Passage forms a strong plume front; (3) the Changjiang River plume is homogeneous vertically, and dispersing gradually within the computational domain, with an averaged propagating rate of 3.38 km/day, while the plume front is surface‐to‐bottom type, and trapped between −10 and −18m isobaths; and (4) both the plume length and the plume front intensity vary periodically. The maximum plume length occurs about 2 h after low slack water and the minimum plume length during high slack water. The maximum plume front intensity occurs during high slack water and the minimum plume front intensity during low slack water. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

NUMERICAL STUDY OF WAVE EFFECTS ON SURFACE WIND STRESS AND SURFACE MIXING LENGTH BY THREE-DIMENSIONAL CIRCULATION MODELING

The effects of waves on Surface Drag Coefficient (SDC) and surface mixing length were analyzed and discussed by carrying out three-dimensional current modeling for the Bohai Sea in the present work. A three-dimensional coupled hydrodynamical-ecological model for regional and shelf seas (COHERENS) incorporating the influences of wave-current interactions was coupled with the third-generation wave model swan taking into account time-varying currents. The effects of waves on currents were included in the SDC, surface mixing length and bottom drag coefficient. Firstly, the formulations in Donelan were incorporated into the COHERENS to account for wave-dependent SDC. In order to compare simulation results for the wave-dependent SDC, the simulation for wind-dependent SDC was also carried out. Second, Wave-Induced Surface Mixing Length (described as WISML sometimes in this paper) was incorporated into the COHERENS. Four numerical experiments were conducted to discuss the effects of two kinds of wave processes. Generally, the values of time series of current velocity and water surface elevation given by the simulation with all of the three wave processes have a good agreement with observed data. The existence of WISML changes obviously current vertical profiles and the existence of the wave dependent SDC modifies the current field of both top and bottom layers with the wind-dependent SDC.