Exploration of numerical results

Objective:

To characterize the switching of residual flow drivers.

 

Expected results

• Longitudinal sections of residual flow and salinity over the thalweg and along the adjacent shoals.
• Transverse structure of residual flow and salinity fields along the estuary.
• Transverse flow index to characterize the residual flow structure (see below).
• Comparison of the ratio of tidal stress terms vs baroclinic pressure gradient term of the momentum equation with Fr0.

Along-estuary density gradients and hydrodynamic switching.

• Relation between the process-oriented experiments (simplified geometry) with the actual physical processes acting at the Guadiana estuary (simulations with real geometry).

 

Transverse flow index

The index (γ) will consist of integrating the along-estuary residual flow (v) at every cross-estuary section along the estuary.

Values of γ will represent predominantly 3 different possibilities for residual flows in the thalweg:

1. vertically sheared exchange flow, typical of estuarine exchange.
2. inflow throughout water column.
3. outflow throughout water column.