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Open AccessArticle

Towards the Development of an Operational Forecast System for the Florida Coast

by Vladimir A. Paramygin, Y. Peter Sheng and Justin R. Davis

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2017, 5(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse5010008 - 13 Jan 2017

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5758

Abstract

A nowcasting and forecasting system for storm surge, inundation, waves, and baroclinic flow for the Florida coast has been developed. The system is based on dynamically coupled CH3D and SWAN models and can use a variety of modules to provide different input forcing, [...] Read more.

A nowcasting and forecasting system for storm surge, inundation, waves, and baroclinic flow for the Florida coast has been developed. The system is based on dynamically coupled CH3D and SWAN models and can use a variety of modules to provide different input forcing, boundary and initial conditions. The system is completely automated and operates unattended at pre-scheduled intervals as well as in event-triggered mode in response to Atlantic-basin tropical cyclone advisories issued by the National Hurricane Center. The system provides up to 72-h forecasts forward depending on the input dataset duration. Spatially, the system spans the entire Florida coastline by employing four high-resolution domains with resolutions as fine as 10–30 m in the near-shore and overland to allow the system to resolve fine estuarine details such as in the Intracoastal Waterway and minor tributaries. The system has been validated in both hindcast and nowcast/forecast modes using water level and salinity data from a variety of sources and has been found to run robustly during the test periods. Low level products (e.g., raw output datasets) are disseminated using THREDDS while a custom defined web-based graphical user interface (GUI) was developed for high level access. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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9541 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Layered Stratification in the Baltic Sea: Insight from a Modeling Study with Reference to Environmental Conditions

by Bijan Dargahi, Venkat Kolluru and Vladimir Cvetkovic

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2017, 5(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse5010002 - 7 Jan 2017

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 11119

Abstract

The hydrodynamic and transport characteristics of the Baltic Sea in the period 2000–2009 were studied using a fully calibrated and validated 3D hydrodynamic model with a horizontal resolution of 4.8 km. This study provided new insight into the type and dynamics of vertical [...] Read more.

The hydrodynamic and transport characteristics of the Baltic Sea in the period 2000–2009 were studied using a fully calibrated and validated 3D hydrodynamic model with a horizontal resolution of 4.8 km. This study provided new insight into the type and dynamics of vertical structure in the Baltic Sea, not considered in previous studies. Thermal and salinity stratification are both addressed, with a focus on the structural properties of the layers. The detection of cooler regions (dicothermal) within the layer structure is an important finding. The detailed investigation of thermal stratification for a 10-year period (i.e., 2000–2009) revealed some new features. A multilayered structure that contains several thermocline and dicothermal layers was identified from this study. Statistical analysis of the simulation results made it possible to derive the mean thermal stratification properties, expressed as mean temperatures and the normalized layer thicknesses. The three-layered model proposed by previous investigators appears to be valid only during the winter periods; for other periods, a multi-layered structure with more than five layers has been identified during this investigation. This study provides detailed insight into thermal and salinity stratification in the Baltic Sea during a recent decade that can be used as a basis for diverse environmental assessments. It extends previous studies on stratification in the Baltic Sea regarding both the extent and the nature of stratification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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8639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Coastal Erosion on Storm Surge: A Case Study in the Southern Coast of Rhode Island

by Alex Shaw, Mohammad Reza Hashemi, Malcolm Spaulding, Bryan Oakley and Chris Baxter

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040085 - 7 Dec 2016

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7031

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of shoreline retreat and dune erosion on coastal flooding in a case study located in the southern coast of Rhode Island, USA. Using an extensive dataset collected during 2011, an ADCIRC model was [...] Read more.

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of shoreline retreat and dune erosion on coastal flooding in a case study located in the southern coast of Rhode Island, USA. Using an extensive dataset collected during 2011, an ADCIRC model was developed to simulate the propagation of storm surge in the coastal areas, including coastal inlets and ponds. A simplified methodology, based on the geological assessment of historical trends of the shoreline retreat and dune erosion in this area, was incorporated in the model to represent coastal erosion. The results showed that for extreme storms (e.g., a 100-year event), where coastal dunes are overtopped and low-lying areas are flooded, the flooding extent is not significantly sensitive to coastal erosion. However, failure of the dunes leads to a significant increase of the flooding extent for smaller storms. Substantial dampening of the storm surge elevation in coastal ponds for moderate and small storms was associated with coastal inlets connecting to coastal ponds which are often not resolved in regional surge models. The shoreline change did not significantly affect the extent of flooding. It was also shown that the accuracy of a storm surge model highly depends on its ability to resolve coastal inlets, which is critical for reliable storm surge predictions in areas with inlet-basin systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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8335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of the Hydrodynamic Model for Long-Term Simulation of Water Quality Processes of the Tidal James River, Virginia

by Jian Shen, Ya Wang and Mac Sisson

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040082 - 24 Nov 2016

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5945

Abstract

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have frequently occurred in the James River. The State has convened a Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) to review the James River chlorophyll-a standards. The SAP will conduct a scientific study to review the basis for setting the chlorophyll-a standards. [...] Read more.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have frequently occurred in the James River. The State has convened a Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) to review the James River chlorophyll-a standards. The SAP will conduct a scientific study to review the basis for setting the chlorophyll-a standards. To support the SAP study of chlorophyll-a standards, the State of Virginia has decided to develop a numerical modeling system that is capable of simulating phytoplankton and HABs. The modeling system includes a watershed model, a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model and water quality models. The focus of this study will be on the development and verification of the hydrodynamic model. In order to simulate the complex geometry of the James River, a high-resolution model has been implemented. The model has been calibrated for a long-term period of 23 years. A series of model experiments was conducted to evaluate the impact of forcings on dynamic simulation and transport time. It was found that freshwater discharge is the most sensitive for an accurate simulation of salinity and transport time. The water age predicted by the model in the tidal freshwater region represents the fluctuation of transport processes, and it has a good correlation with the algal bloom, while at the downstream, the transport time simulation agrees with the delay of the HAB in the mesohaline of the James after the HAB occurred in the Elizabeth River due to the transport processes. The results indicate that the hydrodynamic model is capable of simulating the dynamic processes of the James and driving water quality models in the James River. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Modeling Water Clarity and Light Quality in Oceans

by Mohamed A. Abdelrhman

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040080 - 24 Nov 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6397

Abstract

Phytoplankton is a primary producer of organic compounds, and it forms the base of the food chain in ocean waters. The concentration of phytoplankton in the water column controls water clarity and the amount and quality of light that penetrates through it. The [...] Read more.

Phytoplankton is a primary producer of organic compounds, and it forms the base of the food chain in ocean waters. The concentration of phytoplankton in the water column controls water clarity and the amount and quality of light that penetrates through it. The availability of adequate light intensity is a major factor in the health of algae and phytoplankton. There is a strong negative coupling between light intensity and phytoplankton concentration (e.g., through self-shading by the cells), which reduces available light and in return affects the growth rate of the cells. Proper modeling of this coupling is essential to understand primary productivity in the oceans. This paper provides the methodology to model light intensity in the water column, which can be included in relevant water quality models. The methodology implements relationships from bio-optical models, which use phytoplankton chlorophyll a (chl-a) concentration as a surrogate for light attenuation, including absorption and scattering by other attenuators. The presented mathematical methodology estimates the reduction in light intensity due to absorption by pure seawater, chl-a pigment, non-algae particles (NAPs) and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), as well as backscattering by pure seawater, phytoplankton particles and NAPs. The methods presented facilitate the prediction of the effects of various environmental and management scenarios (e.g., global warming, altered precipitation patterns, greenhouse gases) on the wellbeing of phytoplankton communities in the oceans as temperature-driven chl-a changes take place. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Tidal Datum Changes Induced by Morphological Changes of North Carolina Coastal Inlets

by Jindong Wang and Edward Myers

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040079 - 18 Nov 2016

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4642

Abstract

In support of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s VDatum program, a new version of a tidal datum product for the North Carolina coastal waters has been developed to replace the initial version released in 2004. Compared with the initial version, the new [...] Read more.

In support of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s VDatum program, a new version of a tidal datum product for the North Carolina coastal waters has been developed to replace the initial version released in 2004. Compared with the initial version, the new version used a higher resolution grid to cover more areas and incorporated up-to-date tide, bathymetry, and shoreline data. Particularly, the old bathymetry datasets that were collected from the 1930s to the 1970s and were used in the initial version have been replaced by the new bathymetry datasets collected in the 2010s in the new version around five North Carolina inlets. This study aims at evaluating and quantifying tidal datum changes induced by morphological changes over about 40 to 80 years around the inlets. A series of tidal simulations with either the old or new bathymetry datasets used around five inlets were conducted to quantify the consequent tidal datum changes. The results showed that around certain inlets, approximately 10% change in the averaged depth could result in over 30% change in the tidal datum magnitude. Further investigation also revealed that tidal datum changes behind the barrier islands are closely associated with the cross-inlet tidal flux changes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Model Development and Hindcast Simulations of NOAA’s Gulf of Maine Operational Forecast System

by Zizang Yang, Philip Richardson, Yi Chen, John G. W. Kelley, Edward Myers, Frank Aikman III, Machuan Peng and Aijun Zhang

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040077 - 17 Nov 2016

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5176

Abstract

The National Ocean Service (NOS) of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is developing an operational nowcast/forecast system for the Gulf of Maine (GoMOFS). The system aims to produce real-time nowcasts and short-range forecast guidance for water levels, 3-dimensional currents, water temperature, and salinity [...] Read more.

The National Ocean Service (NOS) of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is developing an operational nowcast/forecast system for the Gulf of Maine (GoMOFS). The system aims to produce real-time nowcasts and short-range forecast guidance for water levels, 3-dimensional currents, water temperature, and salinity over the broad GoM region. GoMOFS will be implemented using the Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS). This paper describes the system setup and results from a one-year (2012) hindcast simulation. The hindcast performance was evaluated using the NOS standard skill assessment software. The results indicate favorable agreement between observations and model forecasts. The root-mean-squared errors are about 0.12 m for water level, less than 1.5 °C for temperature, less than 1.5 psu for salinity, and less than 0.2 m/s for currents. It is anticipated to complete the system development and the transition into operations in fiscal year 2017. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Simulating the Response of Estuarine Salinity to Natural and Anthropogenic Controls

by Vladimir A. Paramygin, Y. Peter Sheng, Justin R. Davis and Karen Herrington

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040076 - 16 Nov 2016

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4483

Abstract

The response of salinity in Apalachicola Bay, Florida to changes in water management alternatives and storm and sea level rise is studied using an integrated high-resolution hydrodynamic modeling system based on Curvilinear-grid Hydrodynamics in 3D (CH3D), an oyster population model, and probability analysis. [...] Read more.

The response of salinity in Apalachicola Bay, Florida to changes in water management alternatives and storm and sea level rise is studied using an integrated high-resolution hydrodynamic modeling system based on Curvilinear-grid Hydrodynamics in 3D (CH3D), an oyster population model, and probability analysis. The model uses input from river inflow, ocean and atmospheric forcing and is verified with long-term water level and salinity data, including data from the 2004 hurricane season when four hurricanes impacted the system. Strong freshwater flow from the Apalachicola River and good connectivity of the bay to the ocean allow the estuary to restore normal salinity conditions within a few days after the passage of a hurricane. Various scenarios are analyzed; some based on observed data and others using altered freshwater inflow. For observed flow, simulated salinity agrees well with the observed values. In scenarios that reflect increased water demand (~1%) upstream of the Apalachicola River, the model results show slightly (less than 5%) increased salinity inside the Bay. A worst-case sea-level rise (~1 m by 2100) could increase the bay salinity by up to 20%. A hypothesis that a Sumatra gauge may not fully represent the flow into Apalachicola Bay was tested and appears to be substantiated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Application of the Forward Sensitivity Method to a GWCE-Based Shallow Water Model

by Evan M. Tromble, Sivaramakrishnan Lakshmivarahan, Randall L. Kolar and Kendra M. Dresback

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040073 - 10 Nov 2016

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3904

Abstract

The Forward Sensitivity Method (FSM) is applied to a GWCE-based shallow water model to analyze the sensitivity to the numerical parameter, G, that determines the balance between the wave and primitive forms of the continuity equation. Results show that the sensitivity to [...] Read more.

The Forward Sensitivity Method (FSM) is applied to a GWCE-based shallow water model to analyze the sensitivity to the numerical parameter, G, that determines the balance between the wave and primitive forms of the continuity equation. Results show that the sensitivity to G calculated in the sensitivity evolution portion of the FSM is consistent with the actual sensitivity to G computed from multiple simulations using finite differences. The data assimilation step in the FSM is shown to be effective in selecting G that minimizes an objective function, in this case model errors based on sensitivities. Additionally, the FSM sensitivity results show

2 Δ x

oscillations in the elevation and velocity fields develop when G is increased too high, suggesting the FSM may be an effective tool for determining the upper limit of G for real-world applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Improvements for the Western North Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico ADCIRC Tidal Database (EC2015)

by Christine Szpilka, Kendra Dresback, Randall Kolar, Jesse Feyen and Jindong Wang

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040072 - 8 Nov 2016

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 7403

Abstract

This research details the development and validation of an updated constituent tidal database for the Western North Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico (WNAT) region, referred to as the EC2015 database. Regional databases, such as EC2015, provide much higher resolution than global databases [...] Read more.

This research details the development and validation of an updated constituent tidal database for the Western North Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico (WNAT) region, referred to as the EC2015 database. Regional databases, such as EC2015, provide much higher resolution than global databases allowing users to more accurately define the tidal forcing on smaller sub-region domains. The database last underwent major updates in 2001 and was developed using the two-dimensional, depth-integrated form of the coastal hydrodynamic model, ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC), which solves the shallow-water equations in the generalized wave continuity equation form. Six main areas of improvement are examined: (1) placement of the open ocean boundary; (2) higher coastal resolution using Vertical Datum (VDatum) models; (3) updated bathymetry from global databases; (4) updated boundary forcing compared using two global tidal databases; (5) updated bottom friction formulations; and (6) improved model physics by incorporating the advective terms in ADCIRC. The skill of the improved database is compared to that of its predecessor and is calculated using harmonic data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (NOAA CO-OPS) stations and historic International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) data. Overall, the EC2015 database significantly reduces errors realized in the EC2001 database and improves the quality of coastal tidal constituents available for smaller sub-regional models in the Western North Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico (WNAT) region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Combining Inverse and Transport Modeling to Estimate Bacterial Loading and Transport in a Tidal Embayment

by Mac Sisson, Jian Shen and Anne Schlegel

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040069 - 2 Nov 2016

Viewed by 4490

Abstract

Poquoson River is a tidal coastal embayment located along the Western Shore of the Chesapeake Bay about 4 km south of the York River mouth in the City of Poquoson and in York County, Virginia. Its drainage area has diversified land uses, including [...] Read more.

Poquoson River is a tidal coastal embayment located along the Western Shore of the Chesapeake Bay about 4 km south of the York River mouth in the City of Poquoson and in York County, Virginia. Its drainage area has diversified land uses, including high densities of residence, agricultural, salt marsh land uses, as well as a National Wildlife Refuge. This embayment experiences elevated bacterial concentration due to excess bacterial inputs from storm water runoff, nonpoint sources, and wash off from marshes due to tide and wind-induced set-up and set-down. Bacteria can also grow in the marsh and small tributaries. It is difficult to use a traditional watershed model to simulate bacterial loading, especially in this low-lying marsh area with abundant wildlife, while runoff is not solely driven by precipitation. An inverse approach is introduced to estimate loading from unknown sources based on observations in the embayment. The estimated loadings were combined with loadings estimated from different sources (human, wildlife, agriculture, pets, etc.) and input to the watershed model. The watershed model simulated long-term flow and bacterial loading and discharged to a three-dimensional transport model driven by tide, wind, and freshwater discharge. The transport model efficiently simulates the transport and fate of the bacterial concentration in the embayment and is capable of determining the loading reduction needed to improve the water quality condition of the embayment. Combining inverse, watershed, and transport models is a sound approach for simulating bacterial transport correctly in the coastal embayment with complex unknown bacterial sources, which are not solely driven by precipitation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Dynamic Reusable Workflows for Ocean Science

by Richard P. Signell, Filipe Fernandes and Kyle Wilcox

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040068 - 25 Oct 2016

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 8134

Abstract

Digital catalogs of ocean data have been available for decades, but advances in standardized services and software for catalog searches and data access now make it possible to create catalog-driven workflows that automate—end-to-end—data search, analysis, and visualization of data from multiple distributed sources. [...] Read more.

Digital catalogs of ocean data have been available for decades, but advances in standardized services and software for catalog searches and data access now make it possible to create catalog-driven workflows that automate—end-to-end—data search, analysis, and visualization of data from multiple distributed sources. Further, these workflows may be shared, reused, and adapted with ease. Here we describe a workflow developed within the US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) which automates the skill assessment of water temperature forecasts from multiple ocean forecast models, allowing improved forecast products to be delivered for an open water swim event. A series of Jupyter Notebooks are used to capture and document the end-to-end workflow using a collection of Python tools that facilitate working with standardized catalog and data services. The workflow first searches a catalog of metadata using the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Catalog Service for the Web (CSW), then accesses data service endpoints found in the metadata records using the OGC Sensor Observation Service (SOS) for in situ sensor data and OPeNDAP services for remotely-sensed and model data. Skill metrics are computed and time series comparisons of forecast model and observed data are displayed interactively, leveraging the capabilities of modern web browsers. The resulting workflow not only solves a challenging specific problem, but highlights the benefits of dynamic, reusable workflows in general. These workflows adapt as new data enter the data system, facilitate reproducible science, provide templates from which new scientific workflows can be developed, and encourage data providers to use standardized services. As applied to the ocean swim event, the workflow exposed problems with two of the ocean forecast products which led to improved regional forecasts once errors were corrected. While the example is specific, the approach is general, and we hope to see increased use of dynamic notebooks across geoscience domains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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12080 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Damage and Adaptation Strategies for Structures and Infrastructure from Storm Surge and Sea Level Rise for a Coastal Community in Rhode Island, United States

by Christopher Small, Tyler Blanpied, Alicia Kauffman, Conor O’Neil, Nicholas Proulx, Mathew Rajacich, Hailey Simpson, Jeffrey White, Malcolm L. Spaulding, Christopher D.P. Baxter and J. Craig Swanson

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040067 - 20 Oct 2016

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 7285

Abstract

This paper presents an evaluation of inundation, erosion, and wave damage for a coastal community in Rhode Island, USA. A methodology called the Coastal Environmental Risk Index (CERI) was used that incorporates levels of inundation including sea level rise, wave heights using STWAVE, [...] Read more.

This paper presents an evaluation of inundation, erosion, and wave damage for a coastal community in Rhode Island, USA. A methodology called the Coastal Environmental Risk Index (CERI) was used that incorporates levels of inundation including sea level rise, wave heights using STWAVE, and detailed information about individual structures from an E911 database. This information was input into damage functions developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers following Hurricane Sandy. Damage from erosion was evaluated separately from local published erosion rates. Using CERI, two different adaptation strategies were evaluated that included a combination of dune restoration, protective berms, and a tide gate. A total of 151 out of 708 structures were estimated to be protected from inundation and wave action by the combined measures. More importantly, the use of CERI allowed for the assessment of the impact of different adaptation strategies on both individual structures and an entire community in a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) environment. This tool shows promise for use by coastal managers to assess damage and mitigate risk to coastal communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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8120 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Morphological Modeling of Barrier Island Tidal Inlets

by Richard Styles, Mitchell E. Brown, Katherine E. Brutsché, Honghai Li, Tanya M. Beck and Alejandro Sánchez

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040065 - 23 Sep 2016

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6604

Abstract

The primary focus of this study is to apply a two-dimensional (2-D) coupled flow-wave-sediment modeling system to simulate the development and growth of idealized barrier island tidal inlets. The idealized systems are drawn from nine U.S. coastal inlets representing Pacific Coast, Gulf Coast [...] Read more.

The primary focus of this study is to apply a two-dimensional (2-D) coupled flow-wave-sediment modeling system to simulate the development and growth of idealized barrier island tidal inlets. The idealized systems are drawn from nine U.S. coastal inlets representing Pacific Coast, Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast geographical and climatological environments. A morphological factor is used to effectively model 100 years of inlet evolution and the resulting morphological state is gauged in terms of the driving hydrodynamic processes. Overall, the model performs within the range of established theoretically predicted inlet cross-sectional area. The model compares favorably to theoretical models of maximum inlet currents, which serve as a measure of inlet stability. Major morphological differences are linked to inlet geometry and tidal forcing. Narrower inlets develop channels that are more aligned with the inlet axis while wider inlets develop channels that appear as immature braided channel networks similar to tidal flats in regions with abundant sediment supply. Ebb shoals with strong tidal forcing extend further from shore and spread laterally, promoting multi-lobe development bisected by ebb shoal channels. Ebb shoals with moderate tidal forcing form crescent bars bracketing a single shore-normal channel. Longshore transport contributes to ebb shoal asymmetry and provides bed material to help maintain the sediment balance in the bay. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Statistical Interpolation of Tidal Datums and Computation of Its Associated Spatially Varying Uncertainty

by Lei Shi and Edward Myers

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(4), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040064 - 22 Sep 2016

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4838

Abstract

Tidal datums are key components in NOAA’s Vertical Datum transformation project (VDatum). In this paper, we propose a statistical interpolation method, derived from the variational principle, to calculate tidal datums by blending the modeled and the observed tidal datums. Through the implementation of [...] Read more.

Tidal datums are key components in NOAA’s Vertical Datum transformation project (VDatum). In this paper, we propose a statistical interpolation method, derived from the variational principle, to calculate tidal datums by blending the modeled and the observed tidal datums. Through the implementation of this statistical interpolation method in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, we conclude that the statistical interpolation method for tidal datums has great advantages over the currently used deterministic interpolation method. The foremost, and inherent, advantage of the statistical interpolation is its capability to integrate data from different sources and with different accuracies without concern for their relative spatial locations. The second advantage is that it provides a spatially varying uncertainty for the entire domain in which data is being integrated. The latter is especially helpful for the decision-making process of where new instruments would be most effectively placed. Lastly, the test case results show that the statistical interpolation reduced the bias, maximum absolute error, mean absolute error, and root mean square error in comparison to the current deterministic approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Influence of Wind Strength and Duration on Relative Hypoxia Reductions by Opposite Wind Directions in an Estuary with an Asymmetric Channel

by Ping Wang, Harry Wang, Lewis Linker and Kyle Hinson

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(3), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4030062 - 19 Sep 2016

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5196

Abstract

Computer model experiments are applied to analyze hypoxia reductions for opposing wind directions under various speeds and durations in the north–south oriented, two-layer-circulated Chesapeake estuary. Wind’s role in destratification is the main mechanism in short-term reduction of hypoxia. Hypoxia can also be reduced [...] Read more.

Computer model experiments are applied to analyze hypoxia reductions for opposing wind directions under various speeds and durations in the north–south oriented, two-layer-circulated Chesapeake estuary. Wind’s role in destratification is the main mechanism in short-term reduction of hypoxia. Hypoxia can also be reduced by wind-enhanced estuarine circulation associated with winds that have down-estuary straining components that promote bottom-returned oxygen-rich seawater intrusion. The up-bay-ward along-channel component of straining by the southerly or easterly wind induces greater destratification than the down-bay-ward straining by the opposite wind direction, i.e., northerly or westerly winds. While under the modulation of the west-skewed asymmetric cross-channel bathymetry in the Bay’s hypoxic zone, the westward cross-channel straining by easterly or northerly winds causes greater destratification than its opposite wind direction. The wind-induced cross-channel circulation can be completed much more rapidly than the wind-induced along-channel circulation, and the former is usually more effective than the latter in destratification and hypoxia reduction in an early wind period. The relative importance of cross-channel versus along-channel circulation for a particular wind direction can change with wind speed and duration. The existence of month-long prevailing unidirectional winds in the Chesapeake is explored, and the relative hypoxia reductions among different prevailing directions are analyzed. Scenarios of wind with intermittent calm or reversing directions on an hourly scale are also simulated and compared. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Open AccessArticle

Effects of Harbor Shape on the Induced Sedimentation; L-Type Basin

by Rozita Kian, Deniz Velioglu, Ahmet Cevdet Yalciner and Andrey Zaytsev

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(3), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4030055 - 2 Sep 2016

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4598

Abstract

Tsunamis in shallow water zones lead to sea water level rise and fall, strong currents, forces (drag, impact, uplift, etc.), morphological changes (erosion, deposition), dynamic water pressure, as well as resonant oscillations. As a result, ground materials under the tsunami motion move, and [...] Read more.

Tsunamis in shallow water zones lead to sea water level rise and fall, strong currents, forces (drag, impact, uplift, etc.), morphological changes (erosion, deposition), dynamic water pressure, as well as resonant oscillations. As a result, ground materials under the tsunami motion move, and scour/erosion/deposition patterns can be observed in the region. Ports and harbors as enclosed basins are the main examples of coastal structures that usually encounter natural hazards with small or huge damaging scales. Morphological changes are one of the important phenomena in the basins under short and long wave attack. Tsunamis as long waves lead to sedimentation in the basins, and therefore, in this study, the relation to the current pattern is noticed to determine sedimentation modes. Accordingly, we present a methodology based on the computation of the instantaneous Rouse number to investigate the tsunami motion and to calculate the respective sedimentation. This study aims to investigate the effects of the incident wave period on an L-type harbor sedimentation with a flat bathymetry using a numerical tool, NAMI DANCE, which solves non-linear shallow water equations. The results showed that the corner points on the bending part of the basin are always the critical points where water surface elevation and current velocity amplify in the exterior and interior corners, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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7891 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of an Unstructured Grid-Based Water Quality Model to Chesapeake Bay and Its Adjacent Coastal Ocean

by Meng Xia and Long Jiang

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(3), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4030052 - 1 Sep 2016

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 7429

Abstract

To provide insightful information on water quality management, it is crucial to improve the understanding of the complex biogeochemical cycles of Chesapeake Bay (CB), so a three-dimensional unstructured grid-based water quality model (ICM based on the finite-volume coastal ocean model (FVCOM)) was configured [...] Read more.

To provide insightful information on water quality management, it is crucial to improve the understanding of the complex biogeochemical cycles of Chesapeake Bay (CB), so a three-dimensional unstructured grid-based water quality model (ICM based on the finite-volume coastal ocean model (FVCOM)) was configured for CB. To fully accommodate the CB study, the water quality simulations were evaluated by using different horizontal and vertical model resolutions, various wind sources and other hydrodynamic and boundary settings. It was found that sufficient horizontal and vertical resolution favored simulating material transport efficiently and that winds from North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) generated stronger mixing and higher model skill for dissolved oxygen simulation relative to observed winds. Additionally, simulated turbulent mixing was more influential on water quality dynamics than that of bottom friction: the former considerably influenced the summer oxygen ventilation and new primary production, while the latter was found to have little effect on the vertical oxygen exchange. Finally, uncertainties in riverine loading led to larger deviation in nutrient and phytoplankton simulation than that of benthic flux, open boundary loading and predation. Considering these factors, the model showed reasonable skill in simulating water quality dynamics in a 10-year (2003–2012) period and captured the seasonal chlorophyll-a distribution patterns. Overall, this coupled modeling system could be utilized to analyze the spatiotemporal variation of water quality dynamics and to predict their key biophysical drivers in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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2576 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Assessment of NAMI DANCE in Tsunami Evolution and Currents Using a Benchmark Problem

by Deniz Velioglu, Rozita Kian, Ahmet Cevdet Yalciner and Andrey Zaytsev

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(3), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4030049 - 18 Aug 2016

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5766

Abstract

Numerical modeling of tsunami evolution, propagation, and inundation is complicated due to numerous parameters involved in the phenomenon. It is important to assess the performance of numerical codes that solve tsunami motion, as well as flow and velocity patterns. NAMI DANCE is a [...] Read more.

Numerical modeling of tsunami evolution, propagation, and inundation is complicated due to numerous parameters involved in the phenomenon. It is important to assess the performance of numerical codes that solve tsunami motion, as well as flow and velocity patterns. NAMI DANCE is a computational tool developed for the modeling of long waves. It provides numerical modeling and efficient visualization of tsunami generation, propagation, and inundation mechanisms and computes the tsunami parameters. In the theory of long waves, the vertical motion of water particles has no effect on the pressure distribution. Based upon this approximation and neglecting vertical acceleration, the equations of mass conservation and momentum are reduced to two-dimensional depth-averaged equations. NAMI DANCE uses finite difference computational method to solve linear and nonlinear forms of depth-averaged shallow water equations in long wave problems. In this study, NAMI DANCE is applied to a benchmark problem which was discussed in the 2015 National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP) annual meeting in Portland, USA. The benchmark problem features a series of experiments in which a single solitary wave propagates up a triangular shaped shelf which has an offshore island feature. The problem provides detailed free surface elevation and velocity time series in the vicinity of the island. The comparison of the results showed that NAMI DANCE is able to satisfactorily predict long wave evolution, propagation, amplification, and tsunami currents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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12878 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Open-Access, Multi-Decadal, Three-Dimensional, Hydrodynamic Hindcast Dataset for the Long Island Sound and New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuaries

by Nickitas Georgas, Lun Yin, Yu Jiang, Yifan Wang, Penelope Howell, Vincent Saba, Justin Schulte, Philip Orton and Bin Wen

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(3), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4030048 - 16 Aug 2016

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 11359

Abstract

This article presents the results and validation of a comprehensive, multi-decadal, hindcast simulation performed using the New York Harbor Observing and Prediction System´s (NYHOPS) three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. Meteorological forcing was based on three-hourly gridded data from the North American Regional Reanalysis of the [...] Read more.

This article presents the results and validation of a comprehensive, multi-decadal, hindcast simulation performed using the New York Harbor Observing and Prediction System´s (NYHOPS) three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. Meteorological forcing was based on three-hourly gridded data from the North American Regional Reanalysis of the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Distributed hydrologic forcing was based on daily United States Geologic Survey records. Offshore boundary conditions for NYHOPS at the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelf break included hourly subtidal water levels from a larger-scale model ran for the same period, tides, and temperature and salinity profiles based on the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation datasets. The NYHOPS model’s application to hindcast total water level and 3D water temperature and salinity conditions in its region over three decades was validated against observations from multiple agencies. Average indices of agreement were: 0.93 for storm surge (9 cm RMSE, 90% of errors less than 15 cm), 0.99 for water temperature (1.1 °C RMSE, 99% of errors less than 3 °C), and 0.86 for salinity (1.8 psu RMSE, 96% of errors less than 3.5 psu). The model’s skill in simulating bottom water temperature, validated against historic data from the Long Island Sound bottom trawl survey, did not drift over the years, a significant and encouraging finding for multi-decadal model applications used to identify climatic trends, such as the warming presented here. However, the validation reveals residual biases in some areas such as small tributaries that receive urban discharges from the NYC drainage network. With regard to the validation of storm surge at coastal stations, both the considerable strengths and remaining limitations of the use of North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) to force such a model application are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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Review

Jump to: Research

2170 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Exploration of Wind Stress Calculation Techniques in Hurricane Storm Surge Modeling

by Kyra M. Bryant and Muhammad Akbar

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4030058 - 13 Sep 2016

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 11708

Abstract

As hurricanes continue to threaten coastal communities, accurate storm surge forecasting remains a global priority. Achieving a reliable storm surge prediction necessitates accurate hurricane intensity and wind field information. The wind field must be converted to wind stress, which represents the air-sea momentum [...] Read more.

As hurricanes continue to threaten coastal communities, accurate storm surge forecasting remains a global priority. Achieving a reliable storm surge prediction necessitates accurate hurricane intensity and wind field information. The wind field must be converted to wind stress, which represents the air-sea momentum flux component required in storm surge and other oceanic models. This conversion requires a multiplicative drag coefficient for the air density and wind speed to represent the air-sea momentum exchange at a given location. Air density is a known parameter and wind speed is a forecasted variable, whereas the drag coefficient is calculated using an empirical correlation. The correlation’s accuracy has brewed a controversy of its own for more than half a century. This review paper examines the lineage of drag coefficient correlations and their acceptance among scientists. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 14th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference)

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