Title : High-resolution physical and biological modelling in the Gulf of Patras, Greece
Abstract:
In the present study, physical and biological modelling has been implemented in the Gulf of Patras, Greece by means of our inhouse hydrodynamic 3D ocean model SINMOD. The model is a fully coupled ocean model with hydrodynamics, ecology, and sea ice, and it has been developed at SINTEF since 1987. SINMOD resolves sufficiently well the circulation dynamics of the oceans. Validation of the model has been performed throughout all these years using not only measurements of current, salinity and temperature but also data of primary production.
The present implementation of the model is part of a cascade of implementations with final aim the area of Aitolikon lagoon, Greece. First, the model has run in a double nested setup with an outer grid of 20 km resolution for the North Atlantic, which gave input to another grid for the Mediterranean with 4 km resolution, which again gave input to a finer grid with resolution 800 m of the Ionian Sea. The new grid for the Gulf of Patras has 160 m resolution, and the final grid in the Messolonghi and Aitolikon lagoons will be 32 m. Other input includes ERA5 atmospheric forcing, as well as information concerning freshwater influx (main rivers).
In addition, detailed bathymetry of the area has been used from GEBCO database with additions of some areas with higher resolution (Gulf of Patras, Messolonghi-Aitolikon lagoons) from other sources.
An ecosystem model based on light and nutrients supply calculates biological production. The faith of the produced organic material and its degradation and use of oxygen is simulated and presented.
The analysed results include general circulation and monthly, annual and interannual variability of fields of temperature, salinity, currents and wind, as well as oxygen and chlorophyll.
