Sea level modelling in the Baltic and the North Sea: The respective role of different parts of the forcing. (October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hieronymus, Magnus; Hieronymus, Jenny; Arneborg, Lars
• Is Part Of: Ocean modelling. Volume 118(2017:Oct.)
• Page Start: 59
• Page End: 72
• Publication Date: 2017-10
• Subjects: Baltic Sea -- Sea level -- North Sea -- Wind stress -- Storm surges -- Tides -- Pressure; 00-01 -- 99-00; Oceanography -- Periodicals; Océanographie -- Périodiques; Oceanography; Periodicals; 551.46
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ocemod.2017.08.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1463-5003

Abstract

Highlights: A regional model for sea level studies in the Baltic and North Sea is introduced. The sensitivity of sea levels to different parts of the forcing is quantified. Wind–surge interactions are found to be important for sea levels. The filtering effect of the straits connecting the basins is quantified. Abstract: The effects of winds, tides, sea level pressure and storm surges on sea levels are quantified in a regional model for the North Sea and The Baltic Sea. The sea level variability in the two different basins have different primary drivers. The variability in the North Sea is mostly tidal, while most of the variability in the Baltic Sea is wind driven. A factorization technique is used to separate the effects of the different forcings, as well as the effects of interactions between different forcings. The interactions are found to have a positive feedback on the sea level variability in the Baltic Sea, and to be mostly damping in the North Sea. How sea level signals are transmitted through the domain is also studied using transfer function, and the transmission between the basins is found to be strongly damped for high frequency variability. Lastly, the effects of the different forcings on the sea level distributions in the model are also quantified, and large differences are found between the two basins.