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Wind-forced circulation model and water exchanges through the channel in the Bay of Toulon

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Abstract

A hydrodynamic model of the Bay of Toulon has been developed for use as a post-accident radionuclide dispersion simulation tool. Located in a Mediterranean urban area, the Bay of Toulon is separated into two basins by a 1.4-km long seawall. The Little Bay is semi-enclosed and connected to the Large Bay by a fairway channel. This channel is the site of significant water mass exchange as a result of both wind-driven currents and bathymetry. It is therefore a focal point for marine contamination. As part of the model calibration and validation process, the first step consisted of studying the water mass exchange between the two basins. An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler was moored in the channel for 1 year. The present study analyses in situ data to determine the current intensity and direction, and also to better understand the vertical current profile, which is highly correlated with meteorological forcing. Comparisons of model-generated and measured data are presented, and various atmospheric forcing datasets are used to enhance computed results. It appears that accurate meteorological forcing data is needed to enhance the accuracy of the hydrodynamic model. This channel is an important location for water mass renewal in the Bay of Toulon, and model results are used to quantify these exchanges. The mean calculated annual water exchange time is approximately 3.4 days. However, this duration is strongly wind dependent and shortens during windy winter months. It ranges from 1.5 days during strong wind periods to 7.5 days during calm weather. Residence time values calculated through tracer dispersion modelling after release at the back of the Little Bay are found to be comparable to the mean exchange time values, especially for windy conditions.

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Acknowledgements

IRSN (Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire) and Region PACA (Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur) are acknowledged for their financial support for the Ph-D thesis of Christiane Dufresne.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Centre Ifremer, Zone Portuaire de Brégaillon, 83507, La Seyne sur Mer, France

    Christiane Dufresne & Céline Duffa

  2. Aix Marseille Université, CNRS/INSU, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France

    Christiane Dufresne & Vincent Rey

  3. Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), UM 110, 83957, La Garde, France

    Christiane Dufresne & Vincent Rey

Authors
  1. Christiane Dufresne
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  2. Céline Duffa
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  3. Vincent Rey
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Correspondence to Christiane Dufresne.

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Responsible Editor: Martin Verlaan

This article is part of the Topical Collection on the 16th biennial workshop of the Joint Numerical Sea Modelling Group (JONSMOD) in Brest, France 21-23 May 2012

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Dufresne, C., Duffa, C. & Rey, V. Wind-forced circulation model and water exchanges through the channel in the Bay of Toulon. Ocean Dynamics 64, 209–224 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-013-0676-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-013-0676-3

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