The third generation of the GOM/GB FVCOM is the updated version that is designed for NECOFS. This version consists of two large nested computational domains: 1) the regional domain with the horizontal resolution of about 0.5-1.0 km in the coastal region, GB, and shelf break and 2) local coastal domains with horizontal resolution ranging from 20 m to 1 km. The regional and local domains are connected by common node points, with no need of interpolation from one to another (click here to view the grid in the nested region). The realistic high resolution bathymetry is used to configure this model without any special treatment as in the first and second generations of the GOM/GB FVCOM. With a new mass conservation open boundary condition, this model can be driven by both tides and subtidal forcing and also is capable of adding the subtidal flux on the open boundary. This is the first model that includes all details of estuaries and inner bays in the GOM. This model has been validated by comparing with first and second generations of the GOM/GB FVCOM.
The third generation of GOM/GB FVCOM uses the generalized topographic coordinate system, which produces a more accurate simulation of the surface mixed layer and bottom boundary layer on the slope. We have selected the generalized coordinate with the uniform thickness layers near the surface (upper 40 m) and near the bottom (20 m above the bottom).
Resolutions: Horizontal resolution is 0.3-15 km in the regional domaain, and 20 m to 2 km in the nested domain. There are a total of 46 s-coordinate layers in the vertical.
Blue dots are the boundaries to nest the local high resolution domain. |
