The influence of space variable wind on the currents in the Gulf of Trieste, simulations with PCFLOW3D model

摘要

The study compares currents due to space variable wind with the ones due to space invariableudwind i n the Gulf of Trieste. All previous simulations of circulation in that area with theudexception of the study of Vanja Ramšak (2007) were carried out with the uniform or spaceudinvariable winds. We wanted to determine the sensitivity of circulation to more realistic,udspace variable winds. The results of the Aladin metorological model were used as anudapproximation of the real winds. We analyzed two cases: scirocco and bora wind. Fromudselected space variable winds, we also calculated their uniform spatially averaged versions. Inudorder to determine the optimal boundary conditions at the open boundary several simulationsudwith PCFLOW3D model were performed. Their results sugested t h a t tidal boundaryudcondition brought the most relevant results. Therefore, all further analyses were performedudusing the tidal open boundary condition. The results of simulations using space variable anduduniform winds were compared graphically and numerically. The average absolute error hasudbeen identified as the most reliable estimate of precision for numerical analysis evaluation.udGraphical analyses were then used for the interpretation of numerical results. The analysesudshows that the differences between the circulation of the space variable and uniform wind areudsignificant. At the end of the thesis, simulation results were compared to measurements.udDespite the small number of measurements we found a better agreement between the resultsudof the space variable wind as using the uniform winds results.