Hydrogeology and hydrodynamics of coral reef pore waters

Conference · Wed Jun 29 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6921330

Buddemeier, R W; Oberdorfer, J A

A wide variety of forces can produce head gradients that drive the flow and advective mixing of internal coral reef pore waters. Oscillatory gradients that produce mixing result from wave and tide action. Sustained gradients result from wave and tide-induced setup and ponding, from currents impinging on the reef structure, from groundwater heads, and from density differenced (temperature or salinity gradients). These gradients and the permeabilities and porosities of reef sediments are such that most macropore environments are dominated by advection rather than diffusion. The various driving forces must be analyzed to determine the individual and combined magnitudes of their effects on a specific reef pore-water system. Pore-water movement controls sediment diagenesis, the exchange of nutrients between sediments and benthos, and coastal/island groundwater resources. Because of the complexity of forcing functions, their interactions with specific local reef environments, experimental studies require careful incorporation of these considerations into their design and interpretation. 8 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6921330
• Report Number(s): UCRL-98872; CONF-880873-2; ON: DE88014144
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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CNIDARIA
CORALS
CURRENTS
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GRAVITY WAVES
Geothermal Legacy
HYDRODYNAMICS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID FLOW
MECHANICS
MIXING
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POROSITY
REEFS
SEDIMENTS
TIDE
VELOCITY
WATER
WATER CURRENTS
WATER WAVES