Limitations¶
This dataset is derived from numerical model simulations and has inherent limitations that users should understand when applying the data.
Physics Not Included¶
The model does not include:
- Wave-current interaction - Waves are small in the study domains
- Atmospheric forcing - Wind and pressure effects on tidal currents are negligible
- Density-driven estuarine flow - Temperature and salinity effects are small
- Storm surge - Only astronomical tidal forcing from 12 constituents via OSU TPXO Tide Models is applied
Temporal Limitations¶
Results represent a single hindcast year and do not capture interannual variability. Tidal patterns are highly predictable, but extreme values may vary between years due to meteorological effects.
Spatial Limitations¶
- The model uses wetting/drying algorithms for intertidal zones; results in these areas should be interpreted with care
- Model accuracy may be reduced near open ocean boundaries
- Features smaller than approximately 2-3 times the local grid spacing cannot be accurately resolved
Known Data Gaps¶
| Location | Issue |
|---|---|
| Salish Sea | Missing 2015-12-31 |
| Aleutian Islands | File MD_AIS_west_hrBathy_0370.nc excluded |
| Cook Inlet | File cki_0366.nc excluded |
| Piscataqua River | File PIR_0368.nc excluded |
See Quality Assurance for details on data verification.
Free-Stream Conditions¶
All velocity and power density values represent free-stream (undisturbed) conditions. They should not be used directly for turbine array yield estimation. See Unstructured Grid for details on blockage and wake effects.