Andréfouët Serge auteur aut IRD Ardhuin F. auteur aut IRD Queffeulou P. auteur aut IRD Le Gendre R. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access To implement a numerical model of atoll lagoon circulation, we characterized first the significant wave height (Hs) regime of the Western Tuamotu Archipelago and the local attenuation due to the protection offered by large atolls in the south Tuamotu. Altimetry satellite data and a WAVEWATCH III two-way nested wave model at 5 km resolution from 2000 to 2010 were used. Correlation between altimetry and model was high (0.88) over the period. According to the wave model, the archipelago inner seas experienced attenuated Hs year-long with a yearly average Hs around 1.3 m vs a minimum of 1.6 m elsewhere. The island shadow effect is especially significant in the austral winter. In contrast with southern atolls, Western Tuamotu experienced only few days per year of Hs larger than 2.5 m generated by very high Hs southern swell, transient western local storms, strong easterly winds, and during the passage of distant hurricanes. specialized LAGON CLIMATOLOGIE CIRCULATION OCEANIQUE ALTIMETRIE MODELE NUMERIQUE DE TERRAIN IMPACT DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT POLYNESIE FRANCAISE 032CLIMET 032DYNEAU Andréfouët Serge ed. edt IRD Charpy Loïc ed. edt IRD 65 10-12 415-424 2012 0025-362X https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010056901 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.05.042 0025-362X [F A010056899] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010056901 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers21-01/010056901.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2012-09-07 2024-03-12 fdi:010056901 fre