Effect of open boundary condition on numerical simulation of three‐dimensional hydrothermal behavior of Biscayne Bay, Florida

Abstract

Abstract A three‐dimensional time dependent free‐surface model has been used to simulate the velocity and temperature distributions in Biscayne Bay, an estuarine basin in South Florida. Comparisons with tide gauge data and airborne infrared temperature data have been made. Analyses of three‐dimensional velocity structure, phase relationships of velocity with depth and horizontal location have been conducted. One of the major concerns with three‐dimensional models is the specification of conditions at open‐boundaries, since it is rare that complete time dependent variations of variables at these boundaries are available. Two sets of approximate boundary conditions at the Biscayne Bay‐Atlantic Ocean interface have been used for computations. It was found that specification of averaged surface height variation at open boundaries yield significantly better results than specification of estimated values of velocity.