b) Barotropic model 



It is important to ascertain the effects of the baroclinic 

 response in deep water on the maximum surge at the coast since both 

 barotropic and baroclinic modes are coupled through the gradient 

 terms, V(H-]^/D) . Therefore, an additional simulation of HUR5 was 

 repeated which excluded the baroclinic mode. 



A maximum peak surge of 6.42 m at grid point (14,46) was 

 obtained from this simulation. This peak is only eight tenths of a 

 centimeter lower than that obtained from the two mode simulation of 

 this storm. Comparisons of the simulated hydrographs from the 

 barotropic model and the original HUR5 reveal that the baroclinic 

 response does not produce a significant contribution to the 

 barotropic response on the shelf except at Key West, Naples and St. 

 Petersburg. The solid and dashed lines in Fig. 103 and 104, 

 respectively, represent the computed hydrographs obtained from the 

 two mode and pure barotropic mode simulations at the indicated 

 stations. The reason that this effect is visible on the Florida 

 shelf rather than other locations may be due to a larger baroclinic 

 transport (through the Florida strait) and a stronger coupling as a 

 result of steeper slopes at the Florida shelf break. 



As expected, the Gulf -wide oscillation as shown in Fig. 105 

 obtained from this simulation is only slightly different from that 

 obtained from the two mode run. 



171 



