Loading...
A 3D unstructured-grid model for Chesapeake Bay: importance of bathymetry
Ye, Fei Zhang, Yinglong J. Wang, Harry V. Friedrichs, Marjorie A.M. Irby, Isaac D. Alteljevich, Eli Valle-Levinson, Arnaldo Wang, Zhengui Huang, Hai Shen, Jian
Ye, Fei
Zhang, Yinglong J.
Wang, Harry V.
Friedrichs, Marjorie A.M.
Irby, Isaac D.
Alteljevich, Eli
Valle-Levinson, Arnaldo
Wang, Zhengui
Huang, Hai
Shen, Jian
Abstract
We extend the 3D unstructured-grid model previously developed for the Upper Chesapeake Bay to cover the entire Bay and its adjacent shelf, and assess its skill in simulating saltwater intrusion and the coastal plume. Recently developed techniques, including a flexible vertical grid system and a 2nd-order, monotone and implicit transport solver are critical in successfully capturing the baroclinic responses. Most importantly, good accuracy is achieved through an accurate representation of the underlying bathymetry, without any smoothing. The model in general exhibits a good skill for all hydrodynamic variables: the averaged root-mean-square errors (RMSE‟s) in the Bay are 9 cm for sub-tidal frequency elevation, 17 cm/s for 3D velocity time series, 1.5 PSU and 1.9 PSU for surface and bottom salinity respectively, 1.1 °C and 1.6 °C for surface and bottom temperature respectively. On the shelf, the average RMSE for the surface temperature is 1.4 °C. We highlight, through results from sensitivity tests, the central role played by bathymetry in this estuarine system and the detrimental effects, from a common class of bathymetry smoothers, on volumetric and tracer fluxes as well as key processes such as the channel-shoal contrast in the estuary and plume propagation in the coast. Associated Data is available: https://doi.org/10.21220/V5HK5S
Description
Date
2018-07-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Collections
Download Dataset
Files
Rights Holder
Usage License
Embargo
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Physical Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles
Biological Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles
CCRM Peer Reviewed Articles, Keywords: cross-scale; SCHISM; , USA, Saltwater encroachment--Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)--Computer simulation., Bathymetry--Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)--Computer simulation., Hydrodynamics--Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)--Computer simulation., Estuarine circulation--Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)--Computer simulation.
Citation
Fei Ye , Yinglong J. Zhang , Harry V. Wang , Marjorie A.M. Friedrichs ,
Isaac D. Irby , Eli Alteljevich , Arnoldo Valle-Levinson , Zhengui Wang , Hai Huang , Jian Shen ,
Jiabi Du , A 3D unstructured-grid model for Chesapeake Bay: importance of bathymetry, Ocean Modelling (2018), doi: 10.1016/j.ocemod.2018.05.002
Advisor
Department
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2018.05.002