CHAPTER IV 



PARAMETRIC STUDY 



The purposes of the parametric study were to obtain responses in 

 the Gulf of Mexico to different forcing from hypothetical storms and 

 to investigate those cases where the forerunner surges might be 

 generated. 



1. Selection of paths 



A total of 5 paths, designated as PATHl to PATHS, for which the 

 model storms would traverse the Gulf was selected. The first four 

 paths originated in the Cayman Sea and entered the Gulf through 

 Yucatan Strait. Sequentially, the locations where these four paths 

 crossed land were in the vicinity of Corpus Christi (PATHl), Sabine 

 Pass (PATH2), Burrwood (PATH3) and Apalachicola (PATH4). The last 

 path (PATHS) started at 2S°N and 81.S°W (overland in Florida) and 

 made landfall at Corpus Christi. All of these paths were great 

 circles as shown in Fig. 53. The first and second track (PATHl and 

 PATH2) were similar to those of hurricanes Car la and Allen. The 

 third path (PATHS) was similar to hurricane Camille's (1969) track 

 while the fourth path resembled the track of hurricane Agnes (1972). 

 The last track (PATHS) which is rarely observed in nature, was 

 selected as a special case. 



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