A model for ocean circulation on the Iberian coast

We used a three-dimensional model with generic vertical coordinate to investigate the structure of flow and transports on the Iberian shelf-slope region. Two different types of experiments were conducted. The first was a process-oriented study to investigate the role of thermohaline forcing in the generation and meridional variability of the poleward slope current. The second experiment was a more realistic simulation for the year of 1994, a period for which there are several long-term current meter data sets available. Comparisons between model, data and other published works have shown a reasonable agreement both qualitatively and quantitatively. The results obtained included the seasonal cycle with upwelling during the summer and a winter surface poleward current over the shelf, with a permanent undercurrent transporting Mediterranean Water along the Portuguese and Spanish slopes. The along-slope transports were predominant especially in the OMEX II-II study area. The meridional transport is poleward all year round, decreasing from winter to summer and from the south to the north. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.