Numerical modeling of the winter circulation of the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic)

Abstract

         Numerical simulations of the winter circulation in and around the Gulf of Trieste are presented. The model, based on the architecture of the Princeton Ocean Model, gave reasonable results for circulation in the Gulf during the winter period, when the dominant bora wind is blowing. Three model runs with different initial and surface boundary conditions show that there is an outflow along the shallow northern coastline of the Gulf and over the surface of the major part of the area, and an inflow at depth in the central and southern parts of the Gulf. However, the variability of the temperature and salinity fields when vertical fluxes of heat and salinity are present cause a weak outflow in an area near the southern part of the Gulf, and make the general circulation pattern more complex.