Analysis of the ocean dynamics in a wind-jet region using high-resolution models

Abstract

The water currents and the wave field at the Catalan coast (in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea) are investigated. However, the main research is focused at the northern margin of the Ebro Shelf, where there is a relatively high amount of data for study purposes and where episodes of strong northwesterly wind occur. In such cases, the wind is channeled through the Ebro Valley and intensifies upon reaching the sea, resulting in a wind jet. The research has been divided into four parts: (1) the study of the water circulation induced by a wind jet, by means of the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) numerical model; (2) the study of the waves dynamics induced by a wind jet, using the Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) numerical model; (3) the study of the wave-current interactions during wind-jet events, coupling the numerical models used formerly; and (4) the implementation and validation of a waves and currents forecasting system at the Catalan coast, based on the knowledge gained during the research performed in the previous parts.