5 European Semi-enclosed Seas
139
5.1.4 Numerical Modelling of the Three Major European Seas
Numerical models present an important complement to the existing sparse observations and provide important scientific guidance. Several types of numerical models
based on primitive equations have been used to simulate circulation and transport
of matter for European semi-enclosed seas. Because of their small size and semienclosed nature, these seas provide optimal possibilities, using easily manageable
models and observational data to address a wide spectrum of ocean processes. Extended references on numerical modelling of these seas are provided in several reviews: (Stanev 2005) for the Black Sea (Meier and Kauker 2003; Lehmann et al.
2004) for the Baltic Sea (Pinardi and Masetti 2000) for the Mediterranean. The
most widely applied models are the Modular Ocean Model (MOM, Bryan 1969),
Nucleous of European Modelling (NEMO, Madec 2008) and High Resolution
Oceanographic Model of the Baltic Sea (HIROMB community model, Funkquist
and Kleine 2007).
Numerical modelling (see also Chaps. 3, 4 and 6) does not only provide a powerful tool for estimating fundamental ocean characteristics that cannot be directly
measured. It supports the generation of new knowledge and can also be used as a
basis to optimize data use and marine activities. In the present book the use of numerical modelling in optimizing the fairways in the Baltic Sea is considered in detail
in Chaps. 10 and 11. The proposed solution to an inverse problem for the dynamics
of pollutants uses a statistical analysis of a large pool of Lagrangian trajectories of
water particles calculated based on velocity fields from numerical simulations (see
Chaps. 9 and 10) or, alternatively, using an advanced oil spill drift and fate model
(Chap. 11). Modelling efforts for the open Baltic Sea are presented in some detail
in Chap. 4. Therefore we present in the following an introduction to the numerical
modelling of the European semi-enclosed seas. As for the Baltic Sea, we focus on
the southern region of this water body and its water exchange with the North Sea.
In this chapter we analyse the development of numerical modelling for the three
basins with a focus on the thermohaline circulation (an idea about the thermohaline
circulation in the Mediterranean Sea is given in the schematic Fig. 79 of Tsimplis
et al. (2006). The presentation of modelling approaches will eventually facilitate the
understanding of some of the physical issues addressed in the present book, as well
as contribute to wide recognition (mostly in the field of physical oceanography) of
the state-of-the-art research in the European semi-enclosed seas.
It is not possible (and perhaps also not needed) to present in one review the
development in the three basins in parallel in a comprehensive manner and in a
perfect balance. The overall features of the Baltic Sea are presented in Chap. 2, and
a detailed overview of the relevant phenomena in the Gulf of Finland in Chap. 6. In
the following several dominating or characteristic processes and relevant areas are
addressed for each basin in some detail: the Black Sea with its intermediate water
mass formation, the Baltic Sea with its transition zone around the Danish Straits,
and the Mediterranean Sea with the Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT) (see
Sect. 5.3.5). In this way there is some complementarity between the knowledge
presented for the individual basins, which is relevant to the other two basins.
139
5.1.4 Numerical Modelling of the Three Major European Seas
Numerical models present an important complement to the existing sparse observations and provide important scientific guidance. Several types of numerical models
based on primitive equations have been used to simulate circulation and transport
of matter for European semi-enclosed seas. Because of their small size and semienclosed nature, these seas provide optimal possibilities, using easily manageable
models and observational data to address a wide spectrum of ocean processes. Extended references on numerical modelling of these seas are provided in several reviews: (Stanev 2005) for the Black Sea (Meier and Kauker 2003; Lehmann et al.
2004) for the Baltic Sea (Pinardi and Masetti 2000) for the Mediterranean. The
most widely applied models are the Modular Ocean Model (MOM, Bryan 1969),
Nucleous of European Modelling (NEMO, Madec 2008) and High Resolution
Oceanographic Model of the Baltic Sea (HIROMB community model, Funkquist
and Kleine 2007).
Numerical modelling (see also Chaps. 3, 4 and 6) does not only provide a powerful tool for estimating fundamental ocean characteristics that cannot be directly
measured. It supports the generation of new knowledge and can also be used as a
basis to optimize data use and marine activities. In the present book the use of numerical modelling in optimizing the fairways in the Baltic Sea is considered in detail
in Chaps. 10 and 11. The proposed solution to an inverse problem for the dynamics
of pollutants uses a statistical analysis of a large pool of Lagrangian trajectories of
water particles calculated based on velocity fields from numerical simulations (see
Chaps. 9 and 10) or, alternatively, using an advanced oil spill drift and fate model
(Chap. 11). Modelling efforts for the open Baltic Sea are presented in some detail
in Chap. 4. Therefore we present in the following an introduction to the numerical
modelling of the European semi-enclosed seas. As for the Baltic Sea, we focus on
the southern region of this water body and its water exchange with the North Sea.
In this chapter we analyse the development of numerical modelling for the three
basins with a focus on the thermohaline circulation (an idea about the thermohaline
circulation in the Mediterranean Sea is given in the schematic Fig. 79 of Tsimplis
et al. (2006). The presentation of modelling approaches will eventually facilitate the
understanding of some of the physical issues addressed in the present book, as well
as contribute to wide recognition (mostly in the field of physical oceanography) of
the state-of-the-art research in the European semi-enclosed seas.
It is not possible (and perhaps also not needed) to present in one review the
development in the three basins in parallel in a comprehensive manner and in a
perfect balance. The overall features of the Baltic Sea are presented in Chap. 2, and
a detailed overview of the relevant phenomena in the Gulf of Finland in Chap. 6. In
the following several dominating or characteristic processes and relevant areas are
addressed for each basin in some detail: the Black Sea with its intermediate water
mass formation, the Baltic Sea with its transition zone around the Danish Straits,
and the Mediterranean Sea with the Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT) (see
Sect. 5.3.5). In this way there is some complementarity between the knowledge
presented for the individual basins, which is relevant to the other two basins.