Validation of the WAMC4 wave model for the Black Sea

The present paper describes the set-up and application of the third-generation wave model - WAM Cycle 4 to the Black Sea. The wind fields are calculated by a regional atmosphere model (REMO), which was driven with the conditions from the global NCEP re-analysis project. These atmospheric data are used to force the state-of-the-art WAM model. The validation is done by comparison of wave model output against directional buoy measurements registered at three deep-water locations and wave gauge data taken at a point in intermediate depth near the Black Sea coast. The results reveal that agreement between modeled and measured data is satisfactory and the quality of the simulations increases under more energetic and severer wind and wave conditions. Following the validation, a 41-year wave hindcast was implemented spanning the period 1958-1998. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.