A nested configuration of Western Iberia with application to Crab Larvae dispersal/recruitment

Álvaro Peliz (1), Patrick Marchesiello (2) and Jesus Dubert.


(1) Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
(2) IRD, Centre of Bretagne, France

A nested configuration using climatological initialization and forcing is being developed for the simulation of the Western Iberia offshore spring transition. A large-scale model (16 km resolution) provides the boundary conditions for the mesoscale model (5 km). The most significant regional circulation features (e.g., Azores Current,
Slope Current and Slope Current eddies and early filament development) are simulated after a three year spin up experiment. A third level of nesting (2 km resolution) is also implemented for the northern portuguese shelf zone. The model includes tides, and river runoff and the local circulation is simulated with a high degree of realism. The model is used to simulate a complete cycle (March-June) of Blue Crab larvae recruitment. Lagrangian particles and passive tracer are used to simulate the main features of the larvae dipersal/agregation and fluxes. Some behavior characteristics like the vertical diel-migrations are being implemented in the model as well.