Open AccessTidal flushing and eddy shedding in Mount Hope Bay and Narragansett Bay: An application of FVCOM
Author(s) -
Zhao Liuzhi,
Chen Changsheng,
Cowles Geoff
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2005jc003135
Subject(s) - flushing , bay , eddy , geology , estuary , oceanography , current (fluid) , channel (broadcasting) , tidal waves , hydrology (agriculture) , geomorphology , physics , meteorology , turbulence , geotechnical engineering , biology , electrical engineering , engineering , endocrinology
The tidal motion in Mt. Hope Bay (MHB) and Narragansett Bay (NB) is simulated using the unstructured grid, finite‐volume coastal ocean model (FVCOM). With an accurate geometric representation of irregular coastlines and islands and sufficiently high horizontal resolution in narrow channels, FVCOM provides an accurate simulation of the tidal wave in the bays and also resolves the strong tidal flushing processes in the narrow channels of MHB‐NB. Eddy shedding is predicted on the lee side of these channels due to current separation during both flood and ebb tides. There is a significant interaction in the tidal flushing process between MHB‐NB channel and MHB‐Sakonnet River (SR) channel. As a result, the phase of water transport in the MHB‐SR channel leads the MHB‐NB channel by 90°. The residual flow field in the MHB and NB features multiple eddies formed around headlands, convex and concave coastline regions, islands, channel exits and river mouths. The formation of these eddies is mainly due to the current separation either at the tip of the coastlines or asymmetric tidal flushing in narrow channels or passages. Process‐oriented modeling experiments show that horizontal resolution plays a critical role in resolving the asymmetric tidal flushing process through narrow passages. With a horizontal resolution of 50 m, FVCOM reproduces the eddy field that is in good agreement in the intensity and spatial scale with the current measurement data.