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Turbulent Processes in Estuaries

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Estuarine and Wetland Processes

Part of the book series: Marine Science ((MR,volume 11))

Abstract

Estuaries usually are regions in which mixing of miscible fluids with differing densities is occurring; thus they are regions in which turbulent processes are of particular importance. Moreover, the nature of these turbulent processes, although highly variable, has a profound effect on the circulation. As a first approximation, theoreticians often write the diffusion of mass and momentum in terms of a tensor eddy coefficient having spatially varying components. In some cases this mathematical procedure closely approximates the physics of the problem whereas in others, it is reasonable neither from an oceanographic nor mathematical point of view. Without a physical understanding of the basic processes that ultimately result in mixing in systems of various types, it is impossible to judge the validity of such simplifications for specific embayments. Nevertheless, surprisingly little basic research has been done on the small scale processes that are responsible for turbulence production in such environments.

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Authors
  1. George B. Gardner
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  2. Arthur R. M. Nowell
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  3. J. Dungan Smith
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Science Applications, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

    Peter Hamilton

  2. Woodward-Clyde Consultants, San Diego, California, USA

    Keith B. Macdonald

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© 1980 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Gardner, G.B., Nowell, A.R.M., Smith, J.D. (1980). Turbulent Processes in Estuaries. In: Hamilton, P., Macdonald, K.B. (eds) Estuarine and Wetland Processes. Marine Science, vol 11. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-5177-2_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-5177-2_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-5179-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-5177-2

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