NUMERICAL MODELING OF SURFACE WAVES IN SANTA CATARINA STATE – SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Abstract

In this research, surface waves were simulatedfor two months, January and July 2009, in order torepresent summer and winter conditions, in the coastalregion of Santa Catarina State, Brazil, for subsidizingengineering projects and constructions. To simulate theaction of waves, a grid was implemented, extending from49°W to 47.65°W and 28.69°S to 26.8°S, with resolution of 1km, for running the 3rd generation model "SimulatingWaves Nearshore (SWAN)”. Similar to the results of largescalemodels, waves from NE and E, generated by theintensification of the subtropical high pressure center of theSouth Atlantic, reach Santa Catarina coast, but not aspredominant energy. The passage of cold fronts producestronger waves, from SE and SW, which highlight theshadow zone north of the Island of Florianopolis (27.5°S48.5°W).Index terms - Surface waves, numerical modeling, SWAN,Santa Catarina State.