circulation patterns of the southern bay of biscay during a winter-spring transition period

CIRCULATION PATTERNS OF THE SOUTHERN BAY OF BISCAY DURING A WINTER-SPRING

TRANSITION PERIOD

Paula Conde PardoInstituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de A Coruña

Area Galician - Cantabrian Shelf & Slope

Resolution aimed at ecosystem studies (1-2 km). High-resolution forcing.

Impact on ecosystems.

Operational forecasts (ESEOO project).

Complex bathymetry• Water masses

• Upwelling / Downwelling processes

• Mesoscale structures

• Slope Current

ROMS (Regional Ocean Modelling System, Haidvogel et al., 2002) with nesting capability (Penven et al., 2004).

Three grids with 15Km, 5Km and 1.8Km.

30 vertical s-layers.

OSU tidal inverse model (Egbert and Erofeeva, 2002).

Wind forcing & Heat fluxes (MM5: 30Km, 1h; HIRLAM02: 22km, 6h; NCEP 2º, 6h).

River run-off

Slope Current

Interaction Coastal – Ocean dynamics Mesoscale features

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IEO Local Model (ROMS)

ESEOO Project

• Participants:

• Main Objective:

Data Analysis:

Operational Oceanographic System

Numerical Models:

Historical

Real Time

Physical variables Trajectories Regional & Local

Exercise Gijón

ESEOO Project

• Emergency state

• Operational model

forecasts

• Cruises

• Lagrangian Buoys

USYP

Exercise Gijon: Cruises

On board IEO RV “José Rioja”

28 CTD stations

Cruise I 24th – 25th May

Cruise II 28th – 29th May

Cruise I: 24th-25th May

** Hourly meteorological forecasts: - MM5 30 km during spin-up (3 months before) - NCEP & HIRLAM02 (INM) during the exercise

Wind stress over the shelf

Salinity

Cruise I: Vertical Sections

SalinityTemperature

Cruise I: Vertical Sections

SalinityTemperature

Cruise I: Vertical Sections

SalinityTemperature

Cruise I: Vertical Sections

SalinityTemperature

Cruise I: CTD Profiles

SlopeOuter ShelfIntermediate ShelfInner Shelf

Cruise II: 28th-29th MayWind stress over the shelf

Salinity

Cruise II: Vertical SectionsSalinityTemperature

Cruise II: Vertical SectionsSalinityTemperature

Cruise II: Vertical SectionsSalinityTemperature

Cruise II: Vertical SectionsSalinityTemperature

Cruise II: CTD Profiles

SlopeOuter Shelf

Intermediate Shelf

Inner Shelf

Exercise Gijon : Lagrangian BuoysWind stress over the shelf

Wind stress over the shelf

Currents: Boya Cape Peñas

Conclusions:

Bathymetry

Wind Forcing

River Plumes

Water masses

Accurate Bathymatry Data in the Shelf

Spreading / Confinement River Plumes

High Frecuency (6h, 1h)

Climatological Run-off. Need for daily values

Effects in Dynamics

Slope Current Strength

Upwelling / Downwelling events

Shelf dynamics

Upwelling / Downwelling events IPC – River run-off interaction

OB Bathymetry

Climatology Higher Resolution Bathimetry