Physical characterization of the Guadiana Estuary using a 3D model

Physical characterization of the Guadiana Estuary using a 3D model 1M.C. Calero Quesada,2E. Garel;1J. Delgado Cabello, 1J. Moreno-Navas, 1J. García-Lafuente; 2F.Martins (1) Physical Oceanography Group of the University of Málaga, GOFIMA (Spain). (2) Centre for Marine and Environmental Research of the University of the Algarve, CIMA (Portugal). [email protected] Figure 1a.- Iberian Península.The study area is marked by the box with black line. Figure 2.- Bathymetry of the Guadiana estuary.PT control points (blue points) and Simpatico system (red point)were marked. Figure 3.- Water level measured in control points located along the Guadiana estuary (Figure 2). Red points are the in situ measurements and solid line in blue is the output data of the model. Figure 4.- Component of the velocity along the estuary in Simpatico system.Red point are the in situ measurements and solid line in blue are the output data of the model.Panel a) simulation during awet month (November of 2012). Panel b) simulation during adry month (August of 2013). 1.-INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY 2.-VALIDATION OF THE MODEL 3.-DISCUSION AND FUTURE WORK Guadiana estuary is an intertidal estuary situated in SW of Iberian Península (Figure 1), the latest 50 Km of which constitutes the natural border between Spain and Portugal. Tidal influence extends to about 80 Km upstream. The Guadiana River presents ahigh seasonal irregularity with wet winters and dry summers. A 3D hydrodynamic model based on the MOHID System has been developed to study the hydrodynamics of the Guadiana Estuary. The model has been validated by comparison the output with in situ data measurements in several points along the estuary.These points are the Symaptico system and PTs marked in Figure 2. PTs,eight in total, are spaced adistance of 10 Km and were used to validate free Surface and Simpatico was used to validate the velocity along the estuary. Figure 3shows the validation of free Surface measured in situ in PTs and each one show a correlation coefficient between both signals. Figure 4shows the validation of the component of velocity along the estuary depth integrated measured in Simpatico. 1. There is agood agreement between the output of the model and in situ data but it is less noticiable upstream of the estuary. 2. A 3D description and more points along the estuary are needed to validate velocity components and other properties like salinity and temperature. 3. Due to output tidal signal at the head of the estuary differs considerably with in situ data, it could be better to study the lag between the free Surface in front of velocity ones. Isla Canela Castro Marim Ayamonte Alcoutim Mertola Figure 1b.- This panel shows the main Spanish and Portuguese localities around the domain of the study. (a)