Summary
This report describes the development of the Eastcoast 2001 database of
computed tidal elevation and velocity constituents within the Western North
Atlantic Tidal (WNAT) domain. The WNAT domain encompasses the Western
North Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. The computations
are based on a strategically designed finite element grid and the coastal hydro-
dynamic circulation model, ADCIRC. The resulting Eastcoast 2001 database
defines the computed elevation and velocity amplitude and phase for the O1, K1,
Q1, M2, S2, N2, and K2 tidal constituents.
The Eastcoast 2001 database is significantly more accurate than the previous
Eastcoast 1995 and Eastcoast 1991 databases based on the following feature
improvements: (a) a new grid generation technique with better node placement
and distribution, (b) a significantly greater number of total nodes, (c) a more
accurate coastal boundary, and (d) inclusion of more reliable bathymetric data-
bases. The new grid generation technique is the combination of two a priori
mesh criteria: (a) the wavelength to grid size ratio and (b) the topographic length
scale criteria. This combination optimally and more accurately places grid nodes
in areas where high resolution is needed. Error analysis of computed versus
measured elevation amplitude and phase at 101 stations in addition to an
assessment of measured data errors globally and locally quantifies the level of
reliability of the computed constituents.
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