MODEL SIMULATION OF THE SKAGERRAK CIRCULATION AND HYDROGRAPHY DURING SKAGEX

A 3-dimensional barotropic/baroclinic numerical circulation/transport model system is set up and run for an extended North Sea area in the p eriod October 1989 to August 1990. The model system consists of a ''la rge scale'' model with a 20 x 20 km(2) horizontal resolution, coupled to a finer scale (4 x 4 km(2)) similar model set up for the Skagerrak/ Kattegat area. The performance of this model system is evaluated again st the Skagex-90 data set containing several drifting buoy tracks, tra nsport estimates from moored current meters, ship-mounted ADCP current velocities, and 10 synoptic hydrographical field data over most of th e area obtained every third day in May/June 1990. The Skagex data set also contains chemical (nutrients) and biological (chlorophyll concent ration, primary production etc.) data which later will be used for eva luation of this physical model system coupled to a primary production model. The model system is forced with realistic wind and atmospheric pressure fields. Although some of the outputs (after more than half a year prognostic running) still are questionable, the results so far ar e very promising both with respect to the simulated vertical and horiz ontal structure and magnitude of the circulation and the salinity dist ribution.