Assessment of a Fully Coupled Circulation-Wave Model for the Mouth of the Columbia River

Cigdem Akan1, Saeed Moghimi2, H Tuba Ozkan-Haller3, Alexander L Kurapov4, John Joseph Osborne V5, Ruth Branch6, Carmine Chris Chickadel, PhD7, Gordon Farquharson8, W Rockwell Geyer9, Merrick C Haller10, Guillermo Díaz Méndez3 and James M Thomson11, (1)University of North Florida, Computing, Engineering and Construction, Jacksonville, FL, United States, (2)NOAA National Ocean Service, Silver Spring, MD, United States, (3)Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States, (4)COAS/Oregon State Univ, Corvallis, United States, (5)COAS/Oregon State Univ, Corvallis, OR, United States, (6)Applied Physics Lab (UW), Seattle, WA, United States, (7)University of Washington Seattle Campus, Seattle, United States, (8)Capella Space, San Francisco, CA, United States, (9)Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole, MA, United States, (10)Oregon State University, Civil and Construction Engineering, Corvallis, OR, United States, (11)Applied Physics Lab (UW), Seattle, United States
Abstract:
Numerical simulations were performed for the Mouth of the Columbia River (MCR) using a 3D ocean circulation model (ROMS) two-way coupled to a phase-averaged wave propagation model (SWAN) within the framework of a collaborative project called DARLA (Data Assimilation and Remote Sensing for Littoral Applications) funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Model results were compared against an extensive data set obtained during the Riverine and Estuarine Transport II (RIVET II) experiment done in May-June, 2013. Data sources used in the aforementioned multi-institution effort experiment include CTD casts, SAR, RADAR, LIDAR and SWIFT measurements and thus present a unique chance to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the model output. In order to assess the model performance quantitatively, root mean square (RMS) error, bias, model skill and scatter index were used. In general, the model is able reproduce the temporal and spatial behavior of the momentum and scalar transport (temperature and salinity). Also, modeled wave parameters are in good agreement with the LIDAR and RADAR observations. Finally, the effect of the river plume on the waves and vice versa is discussed and advantages and disadvantages of nesting from a realistic outer model are reported.
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