Analytical study of the transverse distribution of along-channel and transverse residual flows in tidal estuaries

Huijts, K.M.H.; Schuttelaars, Henk M.; Swart, H.E. de; Friedrichs, Carl T.

doi:10.1016/j.csr.2007.09.007

Cited by 103 publications

(111 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…In low flow conditions, on the other hand, advective forcing appears to be of relatively low importance. This seems to disagree with the results obtained by Huijts et al (2009) for a realistic cross-sectional bathymetry. For comparatively weak tidal conditions, they found advection to play a substantial role in the residual flow pattern.…”

Section: Introductioncontrasting

confidence: 55%

“…For a laterally idealized geometry, the analytic model results of Huijts et al (2009) are reproduced using a fully non-linear model by Schramkowski et al (2007) under specific conditions. For a sufficiently large tidal discharge, Schramkowski et al (2007) find that in computing residual flow, advection cannot be neglected in leading order.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The insight gained with these idealized bottom profiles has been applied to more realistic cross-sectional bathymetries. Huijts et al (2009) considered a cross section in the Chesapeake Bay and compared results obtained with an analytical model to observations gathered in this cross section. The order of magnitude of the tide-residual along-channel flow is reproduced correctly.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Wong 1994;Valle-Levinson et al 2003;Cheng and ValleLevinson 2009) or residual and tidal flow (e.g. Friedrichs and Hamrick 1996;Huijts et al 2006Huijts et al , 2009Huijts et al , 2011 in estuarine cross sections. Recently, Burchard et al (2011) adapted a numerical code that partly bridges the gap between complex numerical models on the one hand and analytical models on the other hand.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The difference in cross-channel bottom topography may be part of an explanation for this discrepancy. The model computations of Schramkowski et al (2007) concern a smooth, mildly sloping bottom, whereas Huijts et al (2009) considered a channel with a somewhat craggy bottom where gentle slopes are alternated by steep parts (their Fig. 2).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Importance of cross-channel bathymetry and eddy viscosity parameterisation in modelling estuarine flow

Zitman

Schuttelaars

2012

Ocean Dynamics

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For a proper understanding of flow patterns in curved tidal channels, quantification of contributions from individual physical mechanisms is essential. We study quantitatively how such contributions are affected by crosschannel bathymetry and three alternative eddy viscosity parameterisations. Two models are presented for this purpose, both describing flow in curved but otherwise prismatic channels with an (almost) arbitrary transverse bathymetry. One is a numerical model based on the full threedimensional shallow water equations. Special feature of this diagnostic model is that assumptions regarding the relative importance of particular physical mechanisms can be incorporated in the computations by switching corresponding terms in the model equations on or off. We also present an idealized model that provides semi-analytical approximate solutions of the shallow water equations for all three considered alternative eddy viscosity parameterisations. It forms an aid in explaining and theorising about results obtained with the numerical model. Observations regarding Chesapeake Bay serve as a reference case for the present study. We find that the relative importance of both alongchannel advective forcing and transverse diffusive forcing depends on local characteristics of the cross-sectional bottom profile rather than global ones. In our reference case, tide-residual along-channel flow induced by these forcings is not small compared to the total tidal residual. Building on this observation, we present an indicative test to judge whether advective processes should be included in leading order in modelling tide-dominated estuarine flow. Furthermore, depending on the applied eddy viscosity parameterisation (uniformly or parabolically distributed over the vertical), we find qualitatively different spatial patterns for the along-channel advective forcing.

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Section: Introductioncontrasting

confidence: 55%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Importance of cross-channel bathymetry and eddy viscosity parameterisation in modelling estuarine flow

Zitman

Schuttelaars

2012

Ocean Dynamics

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Subtidal variability in water levels inside a subtropical estuary

Henrie

Valle‐Levinson

2014

J. Geophys. Res. Oceans

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Year-long time series of water level are analyzed at five locations along the St. Johns River Estuary, Florida, to investigate propagation of subtidal pulses. Hilbert-transformed Empirical Orthogonal Functions (HEOFs) are obtained after a dominant seasonal signal is extracted from the data. These functions provide information on spatial structure and propagation phase of subtidal water level pulses. The first HEOF mode explains 96% of the subtidal variability and features an unusual spatial structure: amplitude attenuation (averaging 1 mm/km) to 55 km upstream, slight amplification (0.16 mm/km) over the middle 70 km, and attenuation (2.3 mm/km) over the final 18 km of the estuary. The phase suggests a shift from progressive to quasistanding wave behavior at 55 km from the estuary mouth. Additionally, local minima in the phase suggest two sources of subtidal forcing: the coastal ocean and the upstream end. An analytical model describing the evolution of long waves through a channel with frictional damping is fit to the amplitude of HEOF mode 1. Solutions are obtained as a function of two parameters: the nondimensional length of the basin, j, and the nondimensional frictional depth, d. Values of j between 0.55 and 0.67 and d between 1.45 and 1.7 provide the best fit with the HEOF results (1% error or less). These values indicate a highly frictional environment in which the average subtidal wavelength is 10 times the basin length. Subtidal pulses in this estuary, therefore, behave as damped waves that can be represented with idealized models.

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Numerical analysis of stratification and destratification processes in a tidally energetic inlet with an ebb tidal delta

et al. 2015

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Stratification and destratification processes in a tidally energetic, weakly stratified inlet in the Wadden Sea (south eastern North Sea) are investigated in this modeling study. Observations of current velocity and vertical density structure show strain-induced periodic stratification for the southern shoal of the tidal channel. In contrast to this, in the nearby central region of the channel, increased stratification is already observed directly after full flood. To investigate the processes leading to this different behavior, a nested model system using GETM is set up and successfully validated against field data. The simulated density development along a cross section that includes both stations shows that cross-channel stratification is strongly increasing during flood, such that available potential energy is released in the deeper part of the channel during flood. An analysis of the potential energy anomaly budget confirms that the early onset of vertical stratification during flood at the deeper station is mainly controlled by the stratifying cross-channel straining of the density field. In contrast to this, in the shallow part of the channel, the relatively weak crosschannel straining is balanced by along-channel straining and vertical mixing. An idealized analytical model confirms the following hypothesis: The laterally convergent flood current advecting laterally stratified water masses from the shallow and wide ebb tidal delta to the deep and narrow tidal channel has the tendency to substantially increase cross-channel density gradients in the tidal channel. This process leads to stratification during flood.

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Analytical study of the transverse distribution of along-channel and transverse residual flows in tidal estuaries

Cited by 103 publications

References 17 publications

Importance of cross-channel bathymetry and eddy viscosity parameterisation in modelling estuarine flow

Importance of cross-channel bathymetry and eddy viscosity parameterisation in modelling estuarine flow

Subtidal variability in water levels inside a subtropical estuary

Numerical analysis of stratification and destratification processes in a tidally energetic inlet with an ebb tidal delta

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