SABv3_60m_Matthew: Demonstrating the effects of subgrid corrections in an ocean-scale hydrodynamic model: model inputs and outputs

Frequently anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How might this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
• How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

What does this data set describe?

1. How might this data set be cited?
   Woodruff, Johnathan L., 20250606, SABv3_60m_Matthew: Demonstrating the effects of subgrid corrections in an ocean-scale hydrodynamic model: model inputs and outputs:.

   This is part of the following larger work.
   Woodruff, Johnathan L., 2025, Demonstrating the Effects of Subgrid Corrections in an Ocean-Scale Hydrodynamic Model: Inputs and Outputs: U.S. Geological Survey data release doi:10.5066/P135GTKH, U.S. Geological Survey - St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida.

   Online Links:

   • https://doi.org/10.5066/P135GTKH

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -97.8867049819
   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -53.812068567
   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 45.8426322965
   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 5.8735059973
   

3. What does it look like?
4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

   Beginning_Date: 16-Sep-2016

   Ending_Date: 11-Oct-2016

   Currentness_Reference:

   model simulation

5. What is the general form of this data set?

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector and tabular digital data
   

6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
   1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a Vector data set.
   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.01. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.01. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees. The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is GRS_1980.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.0.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222101.
      

      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:

      Altitude_System_Definition:

      Altitude_Datum_Name: North American Vertical Datum 1988
      Altitude_Resolution: 0.01
      Altitude_Distance_Units: meters
      Altitude_Encoding_Method: Attribute values
      

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

   maxele_NS.63.nc: Maximum water surface elevations from 01 October 2016 to 11 October 2016 for the conventional simulation. The location and elevation data are provided in vector format in a NetCDF file (.nc). The NetCDF file contains the following variables: world coordinates of the model nodes (x and y; longitude and latitude), maximum water surface elevation at nodes (zeta_max), and time that the maximum water surface occurred (time_of_zeta_max). The Climate and Forecast (CF)-compliant metadata (version CF-1.6) in the header of the NetCDF file provides spatial information for projecting the data into a geographic information system (GIS). It also provides information about the conventions used for attributes in the dataset.

   Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

   The entity and attribute information were generated by the individual and/or agency identified as the originator of the dataset. Please review the rest of the metadata record for additional details and information.

   Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

   maxele_S.63.nc: Maximum water surface elevations from 01 October 2016 to 11 October 2016 for the subgrid simulation. The location and elevation data are provided in vector format in a NetCDF file (.nc). The NetCDF file contains the following variables: world coordinates of the model nodes (x and y; longitude and latitude), maximum water surface elevation at nodes (zeta_max), and time that the maximum water surface occurred (time_of_zeta_max). The Climate and Forecast (CF)-compliant metadata (version CF-1.6) in the header of the NetCDF file provides spatial information for projecting the data into a geographic information system (GIS). It also provides information about the conventions used for attributes in the dataset.

   Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

   The entity and attribute information were generated by the individual and/or agency identified as the originator of the dataset. Please review the rest of the metadata record for additional details and information.

   Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

   ADCIRC Input Files: ADCIRC model input files for Hurricane Matthew (2016) hindcast: A) mesh file (fort.14), B) nodal attribute file (fort.13), C) conventional simulation control file (fort_NS.15), D) subgrid simulation control file (fort_S.15), and E) subgrid lookup table (avgVars.nc). The ASCII files contain all information needed to initiate the ADCIRC model. The proprietary wind fields used in these simulations are not included.

   Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

   The entity and attribute information were generated by the individual and/or agency identified as the originator of the dataset. Please review the rest of the metadata record for additional details and information.

Who produced the data set?

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Johnathan L. Woodruff
2. Who also contributed to the data set?
   U.S. Geological Survey
3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
   U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

   Attn: Johnathan L. Woodruff

   Research Oceanographer

   600 4th Street South

   Saint Petersburg, FL
   

   727-502-8124 (voice)

   jwoodruff@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

How was the data set created?

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   Date: 15-Apr-2024 (process 1 of 1)

   A hindcast model simulated the hydrodynamic conditions from the landfall of Hurricane Matthew (2016) along the South Atlantic Bight (SAB), refer to Woodruff and others (2025). Twenty-five days surrounding landfall were simulated to allow for tidal spin up and model stability. The unstructured triangular SABv3-60m ADCIRC computational mesh (Luettich and others, 1992) consisted of 3413213 nodes and 6812980 elements. The mesh extended out to the 60 degrees West parallel in the western North Atlantic Ocean and covered the entire U.S. East Coast, Caribbean, and Gulf Coast, with higher resolution along the SAB. This mesh, along with the model control files, and nodal attribute file were used to simulate water surface elevations during the storm. The simulation was run both with and without subgrid corrections, with proprietary hurricane wind fields and tidal forcing at the open ocean boundary. For more information regarding mesh design and model setup, please refer to Woodruff and others (2025). Maximum water surface elevations for ten days from 0100 GMT October 1, 2018, to 0000 GMT October 11 are provided in NetCDF (.nc) format. See the entity and attribute information section for more information about these data. These data were imported into python for statistical processing and visualization. Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Johnathan L. Woodruff

   U.S. Geological Survey

   Research Oceanographer

   600 4th Street S

   St. Petersburg, Florida
   

   USA

   727-502-8124 (voice)

   jwoodruff@usgs.gov

   Data sources used in this process:

   • fort.14
   • fort_NS.15
   • fort_S.15
   • fort.13
   • avgVars.nc

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • maxele_NS.63.nc
   • maxele_S.63.nc

3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
   Woodruff, J.L., Dietrich, J.C., Wirasaet, D., Kennedy, A.B., Bolster, D., and Luettich, R.A., 20250605, Resolution sensitivities for subgrid modeling of coastal flooding: Coastal Engineering Volume 201.

   Online Links:

   • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2025.104787

   Luettich, Jr., R.A., Westerink, J.J., and Scheffner, N.W., 19921101, ADCIRC: An advanced three-dimensional circulation model for shelves, coasts, and estuaries, Report I: Theory and methodology of ADCIRC-2DDI and ADCIRC-3DL: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC.

   Online Links:

   • https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA261608.pdf

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

1. How well have the observations been checked?
   
2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
   These files contain the topographic and bathymetric elevations that were input into the ADCIRC model to simulate water level time series. Within the ADCIRC model, the coordinates are in decimal degrees and are projected to the North American Datum 1983 (NAD83).
3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
   Data are projected to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) with an estimated resolution of 0.01 meters (m).
4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
   This model output contains the maximum water levels simulated during the last 10 days of the 25 day time period. This dataset is considered complete for the information presented, as described in the abstract section. Users are advised to read the rest of the metadata record carefully for additional details.
5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
   The water level time series dataset simulates the model-derived water levels for 25 days that the simulation was run for.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
   
   U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

   Attn: USGS SPCMSC Data Management

   600 4th Street South

   Saint Petersburg, FL
   

   United States

   727-502-8000 (voice)

   gs-g-spcmsc_data_inquiries@usgs.gov
2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? maxele_NS.63.nc, maxele_S.63.nc, avgVars.nc, fort.14, fort_NS.15, fort_S.15, fort.13
3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
   Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data for other purposes, nor on all computer systems, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
4. How can I download or order the data?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	NetCDF, text
     Network links:	https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/data-release/doi-P135GTKH/data/SABv3-60m-Matthew.zip

   • Cost to order the data: None

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:

Last modified: 06-Jun-2025

Metadata author:

U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Attn: USGS SPCMSC Data Management

600 4th Street South

Saint Petersburg, FL

United States

727-502-8000 (voice)

gs-g-spcmsc_data_inquiries@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)