Tidal dynamics in the Gulf of Maine and New England Shelf: An application of FVCOM

  1. Changsheng Chen1,2,
  2. Haosheng Huang3,
  3. Robert C. Beardsley4,
  4. Qichun Xu1,
  5. Richard Limeburner4,
  6. Geoffrey W. Cowles1,
  7. Yunfang Sun1,
  8. Jianhua Qi1,
  9. Huichan Lin1

Article first published online: 10 DEC 2011

DOI: 10.1029/2011JC007054

Issue

Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans (1978–2012)

Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans (1978–2012)

Additional Information

How to Cite

Chen, C., H. Huang, R. C. Beardsley, Q. Xu, R. Limeburner, G. W. Cowles, Y. Sun, J. Qi, and H. Lin (2011), Tidal dynamics in the Gulf of Maine and New England Shelf: An application of FVCOM, J. Geophys. Res., 116, C12010, doi:10.1029/2011JC007054.

Author Information

  1. 1

    School for Marine Science and Technology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA

  2. 2

    Also at Marine Ecosystem and Environment Laboratory, College of Marine Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China

  3. 3

    Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, School of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

  4. 4

    Department of Physical Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 10 DEC 2011
  2. Article first published online: 10 DEC 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 29 SEP 2011
  4. Manuscript Revised: 19 SEP 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 14 FEB 2011

Funded by

  • NSF. Grant Numbers: OCE-0234545, OCE-0227679, OCE-0606928, OCE-0726851, OCE-0814505
  • MIT Sea Grant. Grant Numbers: 2006-R/RC-102, 2006-R/RC-103, 2006-R/RC-107, 2008-R/RC107, 2010-R/RC-116
  • Shanghai Ocean University International Cooperation Program. Grant Number: No. A-2302-11-0003
  • Program of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality. Grant Number: No. 09320503700
  • Leading Academic Discipline Project of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission. Grant Number: J50702

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Keywords:

  • ocean modeling;
  • tidal dynamics

[1] The unstructured-grid, Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) was used to simulate the tides in the Gulf of Maine (GoM) and New England Shelf (NES) for homogeneous and summer stratified conditions. FVCOM captures the near-resonant nature of the semidiurnal tide and energy flux in the GoM and the complex dynamics governing the tide in the NES. Stratification has limited impact on tidal elevation, but can significantly modify the tidal current profile. Internal tides are energetic in the stratified regions over steep bottom topography, but their contribution to the total tidal energy flux is only significant over the northeast flank of Georges Bank. The model suggests that the tidal flushing-induced eddy east of Monomoy Island is the dynamic basis for the locally observed phase lead of the M2 tide. The southward propagating tidal wave east of Cape Cod encounters the northeastward propagating tidal wave from the NES south of Nantucket Island, forming a zone of minimum sea level along a southeast-oriented line from Nantucket Island. These two waves are characterized by linear dynamics in which bottom friction and advection are negligible in the momentum balance, but their superposition leads to a strong nonlinear current interaction and large bottom stress in the zone of lowest sea elevation.

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