Data Analysis and Numerical Modelling to Detect Hydrodynamics and Sediment Transport in a semi Enclosed Basin

Current monitoring programs in the nearshore region are necessary to allow a thorough knowledge of coastline erosion as well as diffusion and dispersion of polluting tracers. Collecting a large amount of data in widespread areas is challenging, because of technical and economic limitations, thus numerical models are often preferred to simulate the hydrodynamics and the transport of tracers in extended areas with the desired level of precision. To be accurate, models need to be calibrated and validated by high quality field measurements. Therefore, to examine current and tracer patterns in a basin, using data and numerical modelling in conjunction could be the best practice. The aim of the present work is: i) to provide some information on the typical and recurrent processes occurring in a target basin, by analyzing a set of current field data; ii) to reproduce the principal current patterns and derive information on the possible sediment transport fluxes in the basin by applying mathematical modelling. The site selected for this study is a semi enclosed coastal sea, in southern Italy. The obtained results successfully confirm the typical hydrodynamic behavior of the basin, and delineate areas which are more exposed to erosion.