Nearshore transport processes affecting the dilution and fate of energy-related contaminants: A one-year progress report, January 1988--January 1989
The conceptual models of cross-shelf exchange developed over the past several years have lead us to hypothesize that the inner shelf circulation induced by fluctuating alongshore wind stress provide the ingredients that store or evacuate dissolved and particulate matter that is formed at or near the coastal boundary. Two experiments were conducted under opposing wind stress directions to measure the advection of low salinity water across the coastal boundary zone (CBZ). The measured current profiles from those experiments showed where in the water column low-salinity water was advected offshore. The basic findings of these detailed experiments have been confirmed by models and subsequent field experiments. Under an autumn-like wind regime (southwestward stress), surface waters are transported shoreward where they encounter the buoyant, less dense waters of the coastal frontal zone. Wind stress and bottom friction also act to destroy stratification induced by the buoyancy flux of freshwater. Thus the water in the CBZ is vertically homogeneous under these wind conditions, but there is still a strong horizontal density gradient present. Since water has been piled up against the coast by the onshore flux of water, there is an offshore pressure gradient force which pushes nearshore flux of water, there is an offshore pressure gradient force which pushes nearshore water offshore. The vertically averaged currents have an offshore component which diminishes with offshore distance across the CBZ as the flow comes into geostrophic balance with the offshore pressure gradient force. 18 refs., 20 figs., 10 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Skidaway Inst. of Oceanography, Savannah, GA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG09-85ER60351
- OSTI ID:
- 6344607
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/60351-4; ON: DE89008282
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
WATER POLLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS
COASTAL WATERS
CONTINENTAL SHELF
DIFFUSION
OCEANOGRAPHY
PROGRESS REPORT
SOUTH ATLANTIC BIGHT
WATER CURRENTS
WIND
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CURRENTS
DOCUMENT TYPES
MASS TRANSFER
POLLUTION
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
580500* - Oceanography- (1980-1989)