DIAGNOSTIC MODEL FOR BAROCLINIC, WIND-DRIVEN AND TIDAL CIRCULATION IN SHALLOW SEAS

A three-dimensional diagnostic model for continental shelf circulation studies is presented. The model is based on the linearized hydrodynamic equations subject to surface stress, density gradient, and remote (boundary) forcing. Finite elements are used to resolve real topography. Solutions are obtained in the frequency domain, including the limit of zero frequency. A test case based on analytic solutions for tidal front circulation demonstrates the successful representation of sensitive baroclinic circulation. Representative applications to the Gulf of Maine region, including the Bay of Fundy, Georges Bank, and a portion of the Scotian Shelf, are shown for wind, along-shelf transport, and tidal front circulation on Georges Bank.