Numerical Simulation of Currents in Monterey Bay

Numerical Simulation of Currents in Monterey Bay
Author: Roland Albert Garcia
Publisher:
Total Pages: 151
Release: 1971
Genre: Currents
ISBN:

Recent interest in pollution control and the proximity of Monterey Bay to the Naval Postgraduate School prompted an investigation of the circulation in the bay. The first phase of the study consists of solving the simple cavity flow problem. A vorticity-stream function relationship is solved using an explicit, time dependent, finite difference scheme. Solutions for selected Reynolds' numbers and length to width ratios of the cavity are obtained. Values are chosen to give an indication of the flow patterns occurring over a wide range of these parameters. Equations for a refined model are derived to include the effects of the bottom topography, frictional forces and the Coriolis force. A numerical procedure similar to the one applied to the simple cavity flow problem is used on the refined equations. The topography of Monterey Bay is used in this study. (Author).

Numerical Simulation of Regional Circulation in the Monterey Bay Region

Numerical Simulation of Regional Circulation in the Monterey Bay Region
Author: Y. H. Tseng
Publisher:
Total Pages: 12
Release: 2003
Genre:
ISBN:

Monterey Bay is located 100 km south of San Francisco and is one of several large bays on the West Coast of the United States. This area is important due to the abundance of marine life. The regional circulation in the Monterey Bay area is tightly coupled to the California Current System (CCS) and highly correlated to the coastal upwelling. In the offshore region, flow is dominated by a broad, weak, equatorward flowing current, the California Current (CC). The CC extends offshore to a distance of 900 - 1000 km and flows year-round. Within about 100 km of the coast, two narrow poleward flowing boundary currents have been found, the Inshore Countercurrent (IC) and the California Undercurrent (CU). The IC is a weak current that varies seasonally, appearing in fall and winter, and transports shallow, upper layer water. The CU is a narrow (10-50 km) relatively weak subsurface flow and transports warm, saline equatorial water. The CU is strongest at around 100 - 300 m depth and has a mean speed of approximately 15 cm/s (Pierce et al. 2000) at all latitudes on the West Coast throughout the year.

Observations and Modeling of Currents Within the Monterey Bay During May 1988

Observations and Modeling of Currents Within the Monterey Bay During May 1988
Author: Kim A. Koehler
Publisher:
Total Pages: 132
Release: 1990
Genre: Ocean currents
ISBN:

April and May of 1988 along the central California coast were characterized as a period of strong coastal upwelling produced by moderate to strong northwesterly winds present throughout the period. A product of this upwelling event was the manifestation of southward geostrophic currents which extended to a distance of approximately 50 km from the coast. From 08 to 11 May 1988, hydrographic surveying was conducted within the Monterey Bay. Internal waves, with amplitudes of up to 30 m were present throughout the period and effectively masked the mean signal, implying that averaging is essential to avoid aliasing. The current -- temperature -- depth (CTD) data were averaged to estimate the mean field during this time frame. Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data, were also averaged. The mean flow field and dynamic topography implied anticyclonic surface flow with cyclonic flow at 200 m depth. ADCP derived mean flows compared favorably with geostrophic mean flow rate in all areas except one, the deep outflow region along the northern wall of the Canyon. Application of ocean models of boundary layer flow of the geostrophic mean field yielded flows similar to those described above. Wind stress experiments indicated that strong wind field may influence surface circulation in the Bay. Interactions between the coastal upwelling geostrophic jet and the Monterey Submarine Canyon is believed to have been a major mechanism responsible for the mean flow.

A Numerical Study of Baroclinic Circulation in Monterey Bay

A Numerical Study of Baroclinic Circulation in Monterey Bay
Author: Barry L. Bruner
Publisher:
Total Pages: 60
Release: 1988
Genre: California Current
ISBN:

The circulation of Monterey Bay is both variable and complex, and is likely to be significantly influenced by circulation in the adjacent California current. To study this circulation a two-layer, numerical model was used. The model was forced by inflow and outflow at an open boundary that connected the Pacific Ocean with the bay. Topography representing Monterey Canyon was included in the lower layer of the model. The effects of wind and tidal forcing were not considered. Results indicate that surface circulation is strongly constrained by topography when the lower layer flow is 5 cm/sec or larger and that the flows within the bay are consistent with geostrophic, vorticity-conserving flow over bottom topography. The sensitivity of the model to the distribution and strength of inflow and outflow forcing location was investigated. The model was found to be sensitive to the location of inflow and outflow forcing and also to the inflow and outflow vertical structure. Keywords: Ocean currents; Mathematical models; Submarine canyons; Bay bottom topography; Two layer ocean model.

Numerical Simulation of Regional Circulation in the Monterey Bay Region

Numerical Simulation of Regional Circulation in the Monterey Bay Region
Author: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Total Pages: 26
Release: 2018-06-21
Genre:
ISBN: 9781721632466

The objective of this study is to produce a high-resolution numerical model of Mon- terey Bay area in which the dynamics are determined by the complex geometry of the coastline, steep bathymetry, and the in uence of the water masses that constitute the CCS. Our goal is to simulate the regional-scale ocean response with realistic dynamics (annual cycle), forcing, and domain. In particular, we focus on non-hydrostatic e ects (by comparing the results of hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic models) and the role of complex geometry, i.e. the bay and submarine canyon, on the nearshore circulation. To the best of our knowledge, the current study is the rst to simulate the regional circulation in the vicinity of Monterey Bay using a non-hydrostatic model. Section 2 introduces the high resolution Monterey Bay area regional model (MBARM). Section 3 provides the results and veri cation with mooring and satellite data. Section 4 compares the results of hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic models. Tseng, Y. H. and Dietrich, D. E. and Ferziger, J. H. Ames Research Center

A Study of Currents in Southern Monterey Bay

A Study of Currents in Southern Monterey Bay
Author: Connelly D. Stevenson
Publisher:
Total Pages: 152
Release: 1964
Genre: Monterey Bay (Calif.)
ISBN:

Measurements of surface and subsurface water circulation in shallow water in the extreme southern end of Monterey Bay were made by tracking drogues from the beach. A computer program included in the appendix was developed to transform the raw survey data into drogue courses and speeds, and to plot their trajectories. Analysis of the drogue tracks showed a predominance of shoreward flow. Interpretation of the effect of wind and sea conditions upon the observed water transport revealed a close dependence upon winds above five knots, in contrast to an apparent lack of dependence upon tidal variations and waves. Water motions in general responded to changes in the character of the wind with very little time lag, the lag increasing slightly with depty. Water flow commonly diminished and was deflected an increasing amount to the right of the wind with depth, presumably in response to Coriolis effect. (Author).