Investigation of the current circulation offshore Taranto by using field measurements and numerical model

The goal of the present work is to show how measured current data could be used to improve mathematical hydrodynamic modelling. Some current field measurements assessed offshore Taranto, a city placed in Southern Italy, were utilized in conjunction with numerical simulations to reproduce some circulation patterns. Field measurements were carried out on 29/12/2006 by means of a Vessel Mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (VM-ADCP). Measurements were acquired at nine stations offshore Taranto into the homonymous gulf. The Northern and Eastern components of the water velocity provided the horizontal field of motion at various depths. The comparison between field measurements of sea currents and the results of the MIKE 3 FM HD model (by DHY) was analyzed. In order to achieve a good agreement between the measured and numerical data, a model calibration was carried out. It was pointed out that the tuning of the seabed roughness and of the wind stress factor was necessary to achieve a good overlapping between the measurements and the computed data. The calibrated numerical model may also be used as starting point for further simulations and for future ecological model in such a sensitive area.