From Offshore to Harbor: An Integrated Multi-Scale Framework for Wave Transformation at Larache (Morocco)

Understanding sea-state dynamics along the northern Atlantic coast of Morocco is essential for coastal planning because wave transformation plays a key role in the nearshore energy distribution, harbor agitation, and navigation conditions.This study developed and applied a multi-scale modeling framework to simulate wave propagation from offshore to harbor scale and assess wave conditions at Larache Port, Morocco.The methodology was based on a nested numerical framework combining TOMAWAC, TELEMAC-2D, and ARTEMIS to simulate wave propagation from the offshore to the harbor scales.Sensitivity analyses examined the effects of mesh resolution, frequency, and directional discretization, and source-term parameterization on wave predictions.The transfer of boundary conditions between models was refined using the Miche and Ursell criteria to ensure consistent nesting across offshore, nearshore, and harbor domains.The results suggested that nonlinear triad interactions exert a dominant influence on nearshore wave predictions, whereas quadruplet interactions and whitecapping have a weaker effect in the study area.The coupled simulations also showed that tidal currents significantly affect the significant wave height and mean wave direction.Moreover, the refined TOMAWAC-ARTEMIS interface improved the representation of diffraction and harbor agitation within the basin.Overall, the framework offers a robust methodology for improving coastal resilience along the Atlantic coast of Morocco.