Wave Forecasting Systems
In the framework of the Mediterranean Operational Oceanography Network (MOON) and of the Gruppo Nazionale di Oceanografia Operativa (GNOO), the Operational Oceanography Group provides operational forecasting products in:
- Sicily Strait region (10m max resolution)
- Bonifacio Strait & La Maddalena Archipelago (10m max resolution)
- western Mediterranean area - seas around Sardinia (10m max resolution)
Sicily Strait Wave Model
The numerical simulation system of the coastal wave field provides a daily forecast, to maximum 5 days, of the wave height & direction in the Sicily Strait area at steps of 3 hours. The core of the forecasting system is the SHYFEM, a finite element hydrodynamic numerical model that has been already validated and calibrated in previous studies (Ferrarin et al., 2004, Cucco et al., 2006). Such a model well reproduces the tide and wind induced water circulation in the study area where it is applied in its 2D version in order to reproduce the wave height & direction. Numerical simulations are carried out over a computational domain that represents the area between 008.95° and 017.1° of longitude E and, 30° and 39.5° of latitude N, by means of a finite element staggered grid. The numerical grid consists nodes and triangular elements with different spatial resolutions varying from 10m, for the smallest coastal areas, to few kms off-shore. The model considers the off-shore perimeter of the computational domain as open boundary. The model is forced by an astronomic tide imposed at the open boundary and by a wind intensity and direction imposed as surface boundary condition. Meteorological data are provided by means of the SKIRON high resolution atmospheric numerical model.
Bonifacio Strait & La Maddalena Archipelago (BOOM)
The numerical simulation system of the coastal circulation provides two daily forecasts, to maximum 3 days each, of the wave height in the Bonifacio Mouths and in La Maddalena Archipelago at steps of 6 hours. The core of the forecasting system is the SHYFEM, a finite element hydrodynamic numerical model that has been already validated and calibrated in previous studies (Ferrarin et al., 2004, Cucco et al., 2006). Such a model well reproduces the tide and wind induced water circulation in the study area where it is applied in its 2D version in order to reproduce the wave height. Numerical simulations are carried out over a computational domain that represents the area between 009°6.899' and 009°37.06' of longitude E and, 41°6.2' and 41°25.683' of latitude N, by means of a finite element staggered grid. The numerical grid consists of 40000 nodes and 70000 triangular elements and is characterized by different spatial resolutions varying from 10m, for the smallest channels in the La Maddalena Archipelago, to few kms in the off-shore areas inside and outside the Bonifacio Mouths. The model considers the off-shore perimeter of the computational domain as open boundary. The model is forced by an astronomic tide imposed at the open boundary and by a wind intensity and direction imposed as surface boundary condition. Meteorological data are provided by means of the SKIRON high resolution atmospheric numerical model.
western Mediterranean Wave Model
The numerical simulation system of the coastal wave field provides a daily forecast, to maximum 5 days, of the wave height & direction in the western Mediterranean area (seas around Sardinia) at steps of 3 hours. The core of the forecasting system is the SHYFEM, a finite element hydrodynamic numerical model that has been already validated and calibrated in previous studies (Ferrarin et al., 2004, Cucco et al., 2006). Such a model well reproduces the tide and wind induced water circulation in the study area where it is applied in its 2D version in order to reproduce the wave height & direction. Numerical simulations are carried out over a computational domain that represents the area between 003°-016° of longitude E and 36.5°-44.5° of latitude N, by means of a finite element staggered grid. The numerical grid consists nodes and triangular elements with different spatial resolutions varying from 10m, for the smallest coastal areas, to few kms off-shore. The model considers the off-shore perimeter of the computational domain as open boundary. The model is forced by an astronomic tide imposed at the open boundary and by a wind intensity and direction imposed as surface boundary condition. Meteorological data are provided by means of the SKIRON high resolution atmospheric numerical model.