Initial steps toward validation of a seasonal cycle simulation for Prince William Sound circulation (flow and mass) fields

However, discrepancies in thermohaline and velocity structure indicate the need for future refinements, especially in the forcing functions and domain selection prior to detailed diagnostic studies. For example, the interactions between PWS and the adjacent continental shelf were prescribed at open boundaries from incomplete information, and, thus, did not admit the full range of dynamical interchange between PWS and the shelf. Furthermore, substantially more time-depth observations of the flow and mass fields are needed for validating the present generation of comprehensive numerical circulation models for PWS so they can be more widely used in applications.