Simulating storm surge and compound flooding events with a creek-to-ocean model: Importance of baroclinic effects
Résumé
We present a creek-to-ocean 3D baroclinic model based on unstructured grids that aims to unite traditional hydrologic and ocean models in a single modeling platform, by taking full advantage of the polymorphism (i.e. a single model grid can seamlessly morph between full 3D, 2DV, 2DH and quasi-1D configurations). Using Hurricane Irene (2011)’s impact on the Delaware Bay as an example, a seamless 2D–3D model grid is implemented to include the entire US East Coast and Gulf of Mexico with a highly resolved Delaware Bay (down to 20-m resolution). The model is forced by flows from a hydrological model (National Water Model ) at the landward boundary. We demonstrate the model’s accuracy, stability and robustness with the simulation of the storm surge and subsequent river flooding events and compound surges. Through a series of sensitivity tests, we illustrate the importance of including in the simulation the baroclinic effects, as provided by the large-scale Gulf Stream, in order to correctly capture the adjustment process following the main surge and the subsequent compound flooding events. The baroclinicity can explain up to 14% of the elevation error during the adjustment phase after the storm.
Domaines
Sciences de l'environnement| Origine | Fichiers produits par l'(les) auteur(s) |
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