The Dynamics of Long-Term Mass Transport in Estuaries

Authors

John M. Hamrick, Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Files

Document Type

Book Chapter

Department/Program

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Editors

Ralph T. Cheng

Publication Date

1-1990

Book Title

Residual Currents and Long‐Term Transport

Publisher

American Geophyscial Union

Volume

38

Series

Coastal and Estuarine Studies

Abstract

The dynamics of long-term mass transport in estuaries having weakly nonlinear long wave dynamics are investigated. Low pass filtered long-term mass transport equations are derived for conditions of weak and strong vertical stratification. The dynamics of the residual mass transport velocity, or lowest order approximation to the Lagrangian residual velocity, are investigated by perturbation analyses of the hydrodynamics equations. For weak vertical stratification conditions, analytical results showing the influence of topography, the earth's rotation, and channel curvature on the distribution of the residual mass transport velocity field are presented. The calculation of the residual mass transport velocity field from field current meter measurements and numerical hydrodynamic model output is also discussed.

Recommended Citation

Hamrick, John M., "The Dynamics of Long-Term Mass Transport in Estuaries" (1990). VIMS Books and Book Chapters. 172.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsbooks/172