Simulation of Temperature and Currents in Placentia Bay

A three-dimensional circulation model IS applied to better understand the circulation and physical processes in Placentia Bay. The model is based on the finite-volume coastal ocean model (FVCOM) with the vertical eddy viscosity calculated from a level 2.5 revised turbulence closure scheme with 21 unequally spaced vertical levels. The model is forced at the lateral open boundaries with 5 tidal constituents and at the surface with wind and heat flux based on meteorological observations at Argentia. The open boundary temperature and salinity and non-tidal sea level are derived from a larger-scale shelf model. Temperature and currents are hindcast for spring 1999. Simulated tidal elevations agree well with tide-gauge data. The Root Mean Square Difference of the model tidal currents was 40% relative to observations. The model temperature and non-tidal currents show reasonable agreement with moored measurements. The model simulates many features of the Bay, including the seasonal evolution of stratification, cyclonic circulation in the out bay and late-spring upwelling on the western side of the outer bay.