Reconnaissance of the general circulation of the North-Western European Continental Shelf by means of a three-dimensional turbulent closure model

The general circulation of the North-Western European Continental Shelf is investigated by means of a three-dimensional macroscale mathematical model. Results corresponding to typical winter and summer conditions are described in detail. Prominent features are explained from a dynamic point of view by referring to the main forcing factors of the macroscale circulation on the North-Western European Continental Shelf: seasonal mean wind stress and atmospheric pressure, large scale sea surface slope, non-linear interactions of the higher frequency processes and density differences. The role of the bottom topography is also highlighted. rgest seasonal variations are mainly due to the occurrence of a thermal stratification in summer over large parts of the shelf. In such conditions, there is only a weak interaction between the surface and bottom layers that have therefore significantly different dynamics.