Modelagem numérica da circulação costeira e das correntes litorâneas na costa de Fortaleza - Ce

Abstract

This work aims to analyze the coastal hydrodynamics in the region of the city of Fortaleza, considering the action of tides, winds and waves. The analysis were made with models of SisBaHiA® - Base System of Environmental Hydrodynamics. The simulated scenarios considered the months of November 2011 and April 2012, periods in which measured data on winds and currents were available. The results revealed that the hydrodynamics of this region is strongly affected by the trade winds, which direct the currents towards west., following the coastline orientation. The model reproduced well the measured data. The modeling represented also the effect of the waves on the nearshore circulation. At Praia do Futuro, the direction of the longshore currents changes frequently in April, what does no occur in November. On the other regions of the coast of Fortaleza, the longshore currents become more intense only when northeast waves reach the coast, forming vortexes. In November the longshore currents presented low intensity and direction towards west, the same direction of the coastal currents.