New Tidal Current Model

A new tidal current model has been developed at CSIRO for the Australian region.

Griffin et al.’s (2021) paper describes the model as a barotropic implementation of COMPAS, an unstructured-grid primitive-equation model that is forced at the open boundaries by TPXO9v1. Its results are then compared against a validation dataset.

Forecasts of tidal current are possible with the new model. David Griffin of CSIRO notes that “predictions can be issued for regions where two criteria are satisfied: 1) tidal currents are a large fraction of the total current, and 2) there is sufficient evidence that the model satisfactorily simulates the tidal currents.”

The primary benefit of the model is that it adds greater detail to currents on the continental shelf compared to some other methods. The new results show predictive value for 79% of Australia’s shelf seas where tides are significant, including the critical regions of Bass Strait, the Kimberley, and Darwin.

The paper is open for public discussion until the 9th of June 2021. Comments and questions are welcome on the discussion board.

Griffin, D. A., Herzfeld, M., Hemer, M., and Engwirda, D.: Australian tidal currents – assessment of a barotropic model (COMPAS v1.3.0 rev6631) with an unstructured grid, Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2021-51, in review, 2021.