COHERENS
Test cases
Before releasing the program to a more extended user group a series of
test simulations is performed and intercompared by the partners using
a broad range of computing platforms. The aim of this exercise is to:
- test the portability of the COHERENS code
- verify the model results against exact or approximate analytical
solutions (test cases cones, front, seich and pycno)
or to validate the model against measured data (test case
csnsp)
- show how model results are affected by different choices of model
switches and parameters
- illustrate how model applications are set up
- present an overview of the different processes which can be simulated
with COHERENS
A series of idealised test cases has been developed for this
study. Their source code and input data are available on the CD-ROM. The
first intention is to compare the performance of the
different numerical schemes for the advection of currents and scalars,
and the different turbulence closure schemes, which are implemented in
the program. Secondly, they show the ability of the model to simulate
the strong density fronts in coastal areas, including river plume
salinity fronts and thermal fronts, and seasonal thermal
stratification in shelf seas. One test case illustrates the
performance of the biological and sediment components of the
program. Simplified initial and forcing conditions are considered in
each test case allowing a clear interpretation of the results.
Test case nspbio
click on image to
view the full figure
The test case nspbio simulates the seasonal cycle of temperature and
of microbiological and resuspension processes at 55°30'N, 0°55'E
in the central part of the North Sea. The figures are depth-time
contour plots of chlorophyll and sediment concentration. The spring
bloom is clearly observed. Resuspension into the surface layer is
inhibited during the summer due to the thermocline located at a depth
of 20m. An autumn bloom occurs after erosion of the thermocline
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