Water Resources Research Program: review and appraisal of numerical circulation models for Lake Michigan

Technical Report · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7230462· OSTI ID:7230462

Allender, J. H.

Output from four numerical-hydrodynamical models for the lake is compared to data from the field program of the Federal Water Pollution Control Agency (FWPCA) for September 1963 and/or to other limited data from which lake currents could be inferred. The comparisons between model-generated and observed currents are made by using real-time graphs for fixed locations, power spectra, lake-wide plots of average motion, progressive vector diagrams, cumulative scalar- and vector-averaged currents at fixed locations; horizontal scalar averages at various depths; and Fourier norms. The major merit of the models is their apparent ability to simulate circulation patterns. This ability can be used to expose important avenues of exchange between the northern and southern basins of the lake and to locate dominant features in the motion of the lake. The major failing of the models is their inability to simulate time-series currents at a fixed location. This failing is shown to be primarily the result of inadequate knowledge of wind and temperature fields. Choice of an appropriate means for data and model comparison evolves as a difficult and important task. Suggestions are made for model improvement and synthesis with future observations in order to focus on average motion in the deep lake.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 7230462
• Report Number(s): ANL/WR-76-6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LAKE MICHIGAN
HYDRODYNAMICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA ANALYSIS
FOURIER ANALYSIS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
WATER POLLUTION
FLUID MECHANICS
GREAT LAKES
LAKES
MATHEMATICS
MECHANICS
POLLUTION
SURFACE WATERS
520100* - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (-1989)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)