Validation of Streaklines as Recorders of Synoptic Flow Direction in a Deltaic Setting
Abstract
Knowledge of the flow patterns within distributary systems is key for understanding deltaic hydro- and morpho-dynamics, yet synoptic measurements of flow fields remain virtually nonexistent. As a means of overcoming this problem, a small number of studies have used biogenic surface films as synoptic flow tracers, under the assumption that biofilm streaklines are tangent to the local flow direction. Here we rigorously test this assumption and show that, despite flow patterns that change severely in space and time (over a range >270°), streaklines are relatively accurate synoptic flow tracers for the Wax Lake Delta, in Louisiana. When the incoming discharge was greater than 2400 m3/s with stable or falling tides, the streakline-derived flow direction departed from near bed flow direction measurements of 22.8° (root mean square). When the discharge was greater than 2400 m3/s and the tides were rising greater than 0.03 m/hr, they were accurate within 28.0°. Under conditions of discharge less than 2400 m3/s and tidal change less than a positive 0.03 m/hr, they were accurate within 33.3°, while during low discharge and rising tides they were accurate within 58.9°. Accuracy varied with distance from the delta, with proximal sites having greater precision. Our results demonstrate that amore »
- Authors:
-
[1];
- Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR (United States)
- Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR (United States); Univ. of New Orleans, LA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences Division
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1598317
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0016163
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Remote Sensing
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 12; Journal Issue: 1; Related Information: https://figshare.com/articles/TCM_and_streakling_dataset/10314245/1; Journal ID: ISSN 2072-4292
- Publisher:
- MDPI
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 58 GEOSCIENCES; Flow direction; validation; surface films; tracking; coastal hydraulics; remote sensing; hydrodynamics
Citation Formats
Cathcart, Christopher, Shaw, John B., and Amos, Micheal. Validation of Streaklines as Recorders of Synoptic Flow Direction in a Deltaic Setting. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.3390/rs12010148.
Cathcart, Christopher, Shaw, John B., & Amos, Micheal. Validation of Streaklines as Recorders of Synoptic Flow Direction in a Deltaic Setting. United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12010148
Cathcart, Christopher, Shaw, John B., and Amos, Micheal. Thu .
"Validation of Streaklines as Recorders of Synoptic Flow Direction in a Deltaic Setting". United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12010148. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1598317.
@article{osti_1598317,
title = {Validation of Streaklines as Recorders of Synoptic Flow Direction in a Deltaic Setting},
author = {Cathcart, Christopher and Shaw, John B. and Amos, Micheal},
abstractNote = {Knowledge of the flow patterns within distributary systems is key for understanding deltaic hydro- and morpho-dynamics, yet synoptic measurements of flow fields remain virtually nonexistent. As a means of overcoming this problem, a small number of studies have used biogenic surface films as synoptic flow tracers, under the assumption that biofilm streaklines are tangent to the local flow direction. Here we rigorously test this assumption and show that, despite flow patterns that change severely in space and time (over a range >270°), streaklines are relatively accurate synoptic flow tracers for the Wax Lake Delta, in Louisiana. When the incoming discharge was greater than 2400 m3/s with stable or falling tides, the streakline-derived flow direction departed from near bed flow direction measurements of 22.8° (root mean square). When the discharge was greater than 2400 m3/s and the tides were rising greater than 0.03 m/hr, they were accurate within 28.0°. Under conditions of discharge less than 2400 m3/s and tidal change less than a positive 0.03 m/hr, they were accurate within 33.3°, while during low discharge and rising tides they were accurate within 58.9°. Accuracy varied with distance from the delta, with proximal sites having greater precision. Our results demonstrate that a streakline-derived flow direction can characterize the spatiotemporal variability in the flow directions, but that the accuracy is significantly influenced by the hydrodynamic conditions and location within the network.},
doi = {10.3390/rs12010148},
journal = {Remote Sensing},
number = 1,
volume = 12,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 02 00:00:00 EST 2020},
month = {Thu Jan 02 00:00:00 EST 2020}
}
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