RSMAS/MPO Coastal and Shelf Modeling

The Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) model domain and bathymetry (contours in m). It extends from the broad Louisiana-Texas shelf (LATEX) to the narrow Mississippi-Alabama-Florida shelf (MAFLA). Major topographic features are the deep DeSoto Canyon (DS), the Mississippi River delta (MR) and the highly resolved coastline, which includes Atchafalaya (Atc) and Mobile (Mob) bays.

RESOLUTION:

1/50 degree (~1.5 km), 20 vertical levels (sigma/z-coordinate in the upper model layers and near the shelf and isopycnic coordinate in deep waters)

NESTED: Yes

OUTER MODELS:

GoM-HYCOM

DATA ASSIMILATION:

outer model only

FORCING:

Coupled Ocean / Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System COAMPS (27 km)

climatology river forcing

lateral boundary flows obtained from the GoM-HYCOM domain

APPLICATIONS:

• Mississippi River plume dynamics
• Coastal and Offshore circulation
• Loop Current - Mississippi River plume interactions

CONTACT:

Villy Kourafalou — vkourafalou@rsmas.miami.edu
Rafael Schiller — rschiller@rsmas.miami.edu