Numerical Simulation of Currents and Water Quality in Kamaishi Bay (Japan) by MEC Model

Abstract

A three dimensional Marine Environmental Committee (MEC) model was run to describe the patterns of currents, water temperature, and salinity in Kamaishi Bay at Iwate Prefecture. The tidal elevation, water temperature, and salinity were reproduced well during January 2009. Then the effects of breaking waters were discussed by numerical simulation. Some changes could be found around the breakwater, while the change in circulation pattern was a little detected on the whole. As future studies, the resolution of grids will be improved and the effects of the breaking waters will be discussed in the context of the impacts on ecosystem.