Abstract
A diagnostic circulation model is developed for application to coastal regions. The three-dimensional velocity field can be calculated from a specified density field and wind-stress distribution provided transport is given on boundaries where f/H contours enter the model domain (here f is the Coriolis parameter and H is the ocean depth). The model is an extension of that of Mellor. It includes the effect of vertical mixing and bottom friction and avoids explicit calculation of the JEBAR (joint effect of baroclinicity and relief) term, which can be noisy when a realistic density field is combined with realistic topography. The model can also be used in regions of closed f/H contours. An application of the model to Conception Bay, Newfoundland, illustrates the case of calculation and yields comparisons with the more classical technique of dynamic height analysis.
