Morphodynamic processes of the Elbe River estuary, Germany: the Coriolis effect, tidal asymmetry and human dredging

Li, Maotian; Ge, Jianzhong; Kappenberg, J.; Much, Dagmar; Ohle, Nino; Chen, Zhongyuan

doi:10.1007/s11707-013-0418-3

Cited by 16 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 18 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Movements of water and sediment particles in all coastal and estuarine environments are ubiquitously influenced by Coriolis forces, due to the rotation of the Earth [e.g., Schramkowski and de Swart, 2002;Van der Vegt, 2006;Li et al, 2011]. Due to the Coriolis effects, the flow and sediment motions lean to right-hand side of the estuary (looking seaward).…”

Section: Mechanisms For the Estuarine Dextral Morphological Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Coriolis force deflects the bulk of a gravity current to the right in the Northern Hemisphere (dextral diversion) [e.g., Schramkowski and de Swart, 2002;Van der Vegt, 2006;Li et al, 2011] and leads to secondary circulations in estuarine waters. Gradual propagation in association with dextral diversion affects the sediment transport pathways and the delta-coastal morphology in the Northern Hemisphere [e.g., Li et al, 2011]. In estuarine environments, such dextral morphological extension can be identified worldwide, e.g., the Elbe, Ganges-Brahmaputra, Nile, and Chesapeake Bay [Goodbred and Kuehl, 2000;Woodroffe et al, 2006;Huijts et al, 2009;Li et al, 2011;Bravard et al, 2014].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gradual propagation in association with dextral diversion affects the sediment transport pathways and the delta-coastal morphology in the Northern Hemisphere [e.g., Li et al, 2011]. In estuarine environments, such dextral morphological extension can be identified worldwide, e.g., the Elbe, Ganges-Brahmaputra, Nile, and Chesapeake Bay [Goodbred and Kuehl, 2000;Woodroffe et al, 2006;Huijts et al, 2009;Li et al, 2011;Bravard et al, 2014]. Based on past charts and geological surveys, the morphological developments of the three largest estuaries in China, namely, the Changjiang, Yellow, and Pearl, as well as QE, are characterized by the dextral morphology and thought to be related to the Coriolis force [Chen et al, 1990[Chen et al, , 1988Li, 2007].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Jin and Shen [1993] proposed an analytical method for the water level difference induced by the Coriolis force in the Changjiang Estuary. Using hydrological survey data from several stations in CE, Li et al [2011] proved that the Coriolis effect on the tidal currents and sediment fluxes is significant and argued that it is responsible for the dextral morphology. Schramkowski and de Swart [2002] analyzed the role of Coriolis force on the lateral geomorphological development in straight tidal channels using a three-dimensional morphodynamic model and found that the sediment-dispersive flux generated by the Coriolis force is much larger than the flux due to gravitational downslope effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Morphodynamic modeling of a large inside sandbar and its dextral morphology in a convergent estuary: Qiantang Estuary, China

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We investigate the evolution of a large‐scale sand body, a unique type of sandbars in a convergent estuary. Specifically, we analyze and simulate the sand deposition system (defined as an inside bar) in the Qiantang Estuary (QE) in China. The deposit is 130 km long and up to 10 m thick and is characterized by a dextral morphology in the lower QE. Numerical simulation is carried out using an idealized horizontal 2‐D morphodynamic model mimicking the present QE settings. Our results indicate that the morphological evolution is controlled by the combination of river discharge and tides. The seasonal and interannual cycles of river discharges play a major role on the inside bar evolution. The bar is eroding during high river discharge periods, but accretion prevails during low river discharge periods. Meanwhile, the highest part of the sand body can move downstream or upstream by several kilometers, modifying the seasonal sediment exchange patterns. We also show that the Coriolis force plays an important role on the dextral morphology patterns in wide, convergent estuaries. It induces a significant lateral water level difference and a large‐scale gyre of residual sediment transport. Subsequently, the seaward tail of the inside bar shifts southward to help create a condition for the development of tidal flats in the lower reach of the estuary. The lateral bed level differences induced by Coriolis force are up to several meters. Coriolis effects also modify the behavior of flood and ebb tidal channels.

show abstract

Section: Mechanisms For the Estuarine Dextral Morphological Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%