Wave and near-shore modelling: status and observation requirements in Australia

Transcription

1 Australian Coastal and Oceans Modelling and Observations (ACOMO), October 3-4, 2012 Wave and near-shore modelling: status and observation requirements in Australia William Peirson, Mark Hemer, Michael Banner and Charitha Pattiaratchi

2 Overview 1) Significance and Scope 2) Present Needs 3) Management and Development of Coastal Waters 4) Categories of near shore wave and circulation models 5) Use of data in near shore modelling 6) The Future 7) Conclusions and Recommendations

3 Significance and Scope

4 IMOS Decadal Strategy Ensuring that the in-situ ocean observing system continues to be a vital component of Australia s National Research Infrastructure 2. Continuing to undertake national-level science and implementation planning that is globally and regionally integrated, to guide ongoing development of the observing system 3. Continuing to build institutional strengths into national capability, by implementing the principles of national collaborative research infrastructure investment 4. In the context of Australia s e-research agenda, leveraging IMOS electronic marine information infrastructure to help create a culture that enables all Australian marine and ocean climate data to be discoverable, accessible, and interoperable 5. Ensuring IMOS data is taken up and used for marine and climate research that addresses national priorities in order to benefit Australian society, by implementing a comprehensive plan of engagement with all relevant components of the National Innovation System 6. Catalysing a national scale engagement between the marine observing system and marine modelling communities, to help improve the relevance and applicability of both 7. Engaging with terrestrial, freshwater, geological, cryospheric, and atmospheric research communities to promote systems-based research, particularly in the coastal zone 8. Engaging with international ocean observing programs in our region, to ensure that Australia takes full advantage of collaborative opportunities in the Southern Hemisphere 9. Improving efficiency through vigorous collaboration, data capture and reuse, and ongoing technical innovation 10. Engaging with operational agencies and other partners responsible for delivering marine environmental information and ocean products and services, to ensure that IMOS co-evolves with related operational observing systems.

5 Near shore? Marine Coastal Deep water Shallow water Open waters Enclosed waters Estuaries Littoral

6 Present Needs

7 Three Primary Applications for Wave Model Data Climate Sciences requiring a model fitting overall natural trends. Design Engineers using wave model output to design a coastal structure; extreme storms are most important. Operational Ports facilities relying on day-to-day predictions for decision making.

8 Application Specific Consideration Example Infrastructure design and wave loadings McCowan and Lawry (2011) coastal inundation current loadings Tian et al. (2011) elevated water levels Harper et al. (2011) wave energy Hemer and Griffin (2011) Contaminant dispersion oil spills Zigic et al. (2011) sewage discharges Cathers and Peirson (1992) desalination plumes Miller et al. (2007) dredging operations Bettington and Miles (2009) ballast discharges Murphy et al. (2009) Marine and port operations Navigation Youdale and Priestley (2005) Safety Banner and Morison (2010) military operations Recreational and tourist safety Vessels rock fishing Shand et al. (2009) Surfing Lane et al. (2010) Swimming Extractive industries sediment transport Orpin et al. (2009) Research activities biotic behaviour Baird et al. (2006) Forensics Cox and Wang (1995)

9 Management and Development of Coastal Waters

10 Regional integration is challenging... Federal Government - EEZ State Governments - management of largerscale coastal activities Local government - coastal community infrastructure Major industry interests

11 Australian Meterological and Oceanographic Society Australian Coastal Society National Committee on Coastal and Ocean Engineering PIANC Australia Other localised meetings

12 Categories of near shore wave and circulation models

13 Strong linkages between waves and currents... Wind generation significant to both Couplings well established in the coastal zone Separation of time scales wave-current couplings only modelled when necessary

14 Models Currents Reynolds equations turbulence Waves Spectral Phase-resolved Irrotational characterisations Turbulence implicit within sink terms Future reconciliation: breaking and turbulence?

15 Use of data in near shore modelling

16 The circulation conundrum: Inwards or outwards? Models imply insufficient data Localised meteorological or oceanographic modelling with open boundaries is conventionally accomplished by nesting (outward to inward) Experience shows inward to outward yields more reliable results (paucity of regional scale information) Inverse analysis? Baroclinic processes

17 No conundrum for waves Wave generation wind Data serves for calibration/ verification only. Principal errors may lie in the winds which are (largely) uncoupled.

18 IMOS opportunities Better integration between IMOS monitoring and near shore data and activities. Real time data would enable operational use. State-of-the-art instruments need to demonstrate reliability.

19 Data opportunities Lack of data significant uncertainty Significant uncertainty - large design safety factors large design safety factors - major infrastructure cost Except in specific cases, near shore data is non- IMOS

20 The future

21 Australia Coastal waters will always be (increasingly?) important Great capability Collaborative challenges Important? Insurmountable?

22 Data integration is happening - IMOS emii Limited/non-existent coastal research infrastructure Opportunistic platforms have significant measurement limitations Development of coastal ocean energy will require suitable platforms Improved wave model physics requires specialist platforms

23 Wave data Infrastructure loading designs require long term (>40 year) deployments Fundamental role in model validation Operational Epoch Storm characterisation Conjunction with other environmental forcings New measurement techniques validation

24 New fields Ocean surface plays a critical climate role very poorly understood Biological systems

25 Conclusions and Recommendations IMOS 10 year plan Regional integration Engagement with observing and modelling communitites Future needs Future needs Wave and circulation models will continue to develop Energy! Ecological systems

26 Thank You. Questions?