ll^ 



PART III: VERIFICATION OF MODEL REPRODUCTION 

 OF PROTOTYPE PHENOMENA 



Astronomical Tides 



22. The first step in preparing the model for testing consisted 

 of verifying the acc\xracy with which it would reproduce observed normal 

 astronomical tides. This was accomplished by adjusting the astronomical 

 tide generator to reproduce a tide of mean range in the model ocean, then 

 verifying the accuracy with which resulting mean tides were reproduced 

 throughout the inner bay system. Prototype mean-tide data were avail- 

 able for a number of gages throughout the bay system, and data for Castle 

 Hill, Newport, Narragansett Marine Laboratory, Quonset Point, V?arwick 

 Point, Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, and Edgewood Yacht Basin gages (see 

 fig. l) were selected for the initial comparison with model data. 



23. An ocean tide of mean range was interpolated from observed 

 records at Block Island (about 22 miles seaward from the bay entrance) 

 and Newport, since no prototype tidal gaging station was in existence at 

 a point approximating the location of the inflow- outflow system of the 

 model astronomical tide generator (designated as ocean head bay, fig. l). 

 The tide generator was adjusted to reproduce the interpolated tide curve 

 in the model ocean, and resulting tides at the seven locations listed in 

 paragraph 22 were measured for comparison with observed prototype mean 

 tide ranges and elevations. As shown on fig. 9^ "the high- water and low- 

 water profiles at all corresponding model and prototype gaging stations 

 were in close agreement, thus indicating that reproduction of an astro- 

 nomical tide of mean range in the model ocean would result in accurate 

 reproduction of the ranges and elevations of this tide throughout the 

 bay system. This same procediire was repeated, using a spring tide having 

 a range eq_ual to that observed on 28 December 1955^ and the agreement 

 between model and prototype tidal ranges and elevations at Castle Hill, 

 Narragansett Marine Laboratory, Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, and Edgewood 

 Yacht Basin for this condition is also shown on fig. ^. These compar- 

 isons indicate satisfactory agreement between model and prototype with 



