The Influence of Freshwater Discharge and Wind Forcing on the Dispersal of River Plumes Using a Three-Dimensional Circulation Model
Tidal estuaries provide crucial pathways for contaminant transport. The salinity levels in estuaries and coasts are conserved substances that function as natural tracers to easily understand the offshore transport of substances that are subject to environmental factors. A three-dimensional (3D) circ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/429 |
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| author | Wen-Cheng Liu Hong-Ming Liu Chih-Chieh Young Wei-Che Huang |
| author_facet | Wen-Cheng Liu Hong-Ming Liu Chih-Chieh Young Wei-Che Huang |
| author_sort | Wen-Cheng Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tidal estuaries provide crucial pathways for contaminant transport. The salinity levels in estuaries and coasts are conserved substances that function as natural tracers to easily understand the offshore transport of substances that are subject to environmental factors. A three-dimensional (3D) circulation and mass transport model were utilized to delineate the salinity plume in a tidal estuary and continental shelf. The numerical modeling results were compared with the tidal amplitudes and phases, velocities, and salinities at different gauging stations in 2017. Quantitatively, the simulation and measurement results are in reasonably good agreement. Furthermore, the validated model was adopted to estimate the recovery times in tidal estuaries that are subjected to extreme freshwater discharges that come from the upstream reaches during typhoon events and to analyze the influences of freshwater discharge and wind stress on the river plume around the continental shelf. The simulated results revealed that the salinity recovery time at the river mouth due to Typhoon Saola in 2012 was less than 8 days. Increased inputs from freshwater discharge resulted in changes in the distances and areas of the river plumes. Linear regression relationships between the plume distance/plume area and the total freshwater discharge inputs were established. Neap and high slack tides were associated with the maximum plume distances and areas. Excluding tidal forcing resulted in larger plume distances and areas compared to the case in which tidal forcing was considered. The southward-favorable and northward-favorable plumes were controlled by northeasterly winds and southwesterly winds, respectively. The relative importance of freshwater discharges and wind forcing was explored. The results indicate that freshwater discharges frequently dominated the river plume, except when strong southwesterly or northeasterly winds prevailed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:54:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-28bdb8a078764bbca72c38eada344227 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:54:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-28bdb8a078764bbca72c38eada3442272023-11-23T18:11:34ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412022-01-0114342910.3390/w14030429The Influence of Freshwater Discharge and Wind Forcing on the Dispersal of River Plumes Using a Three-Dimensional Circulation ModelWen-Cheng Liu0Hong-Ming Liu1Chih-Chieh Young2Wei-Che Huang3Department of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli 360023, TaiwanDepartment of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli 360023, TaiwanDepartment of Marine Environmental Informatics, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, TaiwanDepartment of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli 360023, TaiwanTidal estuaries provide crucial pathways for contaminant transport. The salinity levels in estuaries and coasts are conserved substances that function as natural tracers to easily understand the offshore transport of substances that are subject to environmental factors. A three-dimensional (3D) circulation and mass transport model were utilized to delineate the salinity plume in a tidal estuary and continental shelf. The numerical modeling results were compared with the tidal amplitudes and phases, velocities, and salinities at different gauging stations in 2017. Quantitatively, the simulation and measurement results are in reasonably good agreement. Furthermore, the validated model was adopted to estimate the recovery times in tidal estuaries that are subjected to extreme freshwater discharges that come from the upstream reaches during typhoon events and to analyze the influences of freshwater discharge and wind stress on the river plume around the continental shelf. The simulated results revealed that the salinity recovery time at the river mouth due to Typhoon Saola in 2012 was less than 8 days. Increased inputs from freshwater discharge resulted in changes in the distances and areas of the river plumes. Linear regression relationships between the plume distance/plume area and the total freshwater discharge inputs were established. Neap and high slack tides were associated with the maximum plume distances and areas. Excluding tidal forcing resulted in larger plume distances and areas compared to the case in which tidal forcing was considered. The southward-favorable and northward-favorable plumes were controlled by northeasterly winds and southwesterly winds, respectively. The relative importance of freshwater discharges and wind forcing was explored. The results indicate that freshwater discharges frequently dominated the river plume, except when strong southwesterly or northeasterly winds prevailed.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/429river plumehydrodynamicsestuaries and coastsfreshwater dischargewindcirculation model |
| spellingShingle | Wen-Cheng Liu Hong-Ming Liu Chih-Chieh Young Wei-Che Huang The Influence of Freshwater Discharge and Wind Forcing on the Dispersal of River Plumes Using a Three-Dimensional Circulation Model Water river plume hydrodynamics estuaries and coasts freshwater discharge wind circulation model |
| title | The Influence of Freshwater Discharge and Wind Forcing on the Dispersal of River Plumes Using a Three-Dimensional Circulation Model |
| title_full | The Influence of Freshwater Discharge and Wind Forcing on the Dispersal of River Plumes Using a Three-Dimensional Circulation Model |
| title_fullStr | The Influence of Freshwater Discharge and Wind Forcing on the Dispersal of River Plumes Using a Three-Dimensional Circulation Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Influence of Freshwater Discharge and Wind Forcing on the Dispersal of River Plumes Using a Three-Dimensional Circulation Model |
| title_short | The Influence of Freshwater Discharge and Wind Forcing on the Dispersal of River Plumes Using a Three-Dimensional Circulation Model |
| title_sort | influence of freshwater discharge and wind forcing on the dispersal of river plumes using a three dimensional circulation model |
| topic | river plume hydrodynamics estuaries and coasts freshwater discharge wind circulation model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/429 |
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