Current circulation in the gulf of Taranto: numerical simulations and experimental data analysis

In this paper, a comparison between field measurements of sea currents and numerical model results is analyzed. Experimental investigations were made in the Gulf of Tarante, located offshore the city of Tarante, in the Ionian Sea (southern Italy), during which velocity and wind data were acquired using, respectively, a Nortek AWAC vessel-mounted acoustic Doppler velocity profiler and a Cometeo-manufactured anemometer. The marine area of Tarante is characterized by an unusual situation, being a recipient for all the pollutants discharged by the nearby industrial zones. These pollutants are subject to movement due to the velocity field of the sea current which is highly dependent on the complex bathymetry of the site, especially in the vicinity of the coast where vortex structures and preferential patterns of the currents may be present. Hydrodynamic models, which are able to simulate complex circulations at a small scale with a high level of accuracy, may be useful in predicting the pollutants' diffusion in sensitive areas (De Serio and Mossa, 2006). For this reason, the present study aims to reach a further understanding of 2D current dynamics in the open north-eastern area of the Ionian Sea by means of a numerical model. It was forced by various selected input actions, such as the wind and the tide recorded during measurement surveys in the target area. Subsequently, its results were compared with measured velocity intensities and directions, thus allowing for a validation of the model itself. A notable level of agreement was obtained between the field data and model results.