Linking Hydrodynamic and Biogeochemical Transport Models for Estuarine and Coastal Waters

Hamrick, J. M.; ,

Linking Hydrodynamic and Biogeochemical Transport Models for Estuarine and Coastal Waters

by J. M. Hamrick, Virginia Inst of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Estuarine and Coastal Modeling

Abstract:

Methodologies for linking estuarine and coastal hydrodynamic and biogeochemical transport models are reviewed and evaluated. The central premise of the review and evaluation is that intratidal or full frequency spectrum, fine spatial resolution advective and diffusive transport fields are readily provided by three-dimensional hydrodynamic models. The four linking alternatives reviewed are: identical temporal and spatial resolution, identical temporal resolution and coarser spatial resolution, low passed filtered temporal resolution and identical spatial resolution, and low pass filtered temporal resolution and coarser spatial resolution. Unresolved questions regarding the choice of temporal filtering and spatial coarsening methodologies for the latter three alternatives are discussed. The evaluation of linking alternatives focuses on temporal filtering and specifically addresses the use of the lowest order approximation of the Lagrangian mean or residual advective field, presenting numerical results for the Chesapeake Bay and its James River tributary. The paper concludes by presenting a variational inverse approach which may offer promise in resolving questions regarding both temporal filtering and spatial coarsening.

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