New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Development of a regional ocean model for New Zealand
G. J. Rickard
M. G. Hadfield
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric
Research Limited
P.O. Box 14 901
Wellington, New Zealand
M. J. Roberts
Met Office
Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research
Exeter, United Kingdom
Abstract A regional ocean model with a horizontal resolution
of 1/6° encompassing the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone is described.
The regional model successfully downscaled solutions from a high resolution,
global, coupled model HadCEM. Transport estimates from the global and regional
models were compared with observations, and both models supported largely
consistent, climatological mean solutions. The regional model used monthly
mean forcing at the surface. Nevertheless, the regional model eddy kinetic
energy (EKE) spatial patterns compared favourably with long-term mean satellite
altimetric estimates, although the modelled background EKE amplitudes were
much lower than observed. A series of permanent eddies associated with the
western boundary current system around the top of the North Island of New
Zealand were reproduced, and an eddy adjacent to Norfolk Ridge was identified
in both the global and regional models. The western boundary current system
around the North Island of New Zealand and the associated eddies were the
most sensitive components of the model solutions, being influenced by initial
conditions, wind forcing, and the model domain size.
Keywords regional ocean model; flow relaxation; eddy
M04126; Online publication date 30 August 2005 Received 23 July 2004; accepted
7 July 2005
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2005, Vol. 39:
1171–1191
0028-8330/05/3905-1171 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005
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