Modeling the Secondary Circulation in Stratified Estuaries

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9906787GeyerIn this project, the PIs will investigate the mechanisms of secondary circulation in stratified esturaries, and quantify their contributions to vertical momentum and salt transport and horizontal dispersion. Observations in the stratified Hudson River estuary indicate complex secondary flows that strongly influence the transverse density structure and may be major contributors to vertical momentum flux. Secondary circulations, known to have a dominant influence on lateral exchange and longitudinal dispersion in estuaries, have only been studied in well-mixed environments. A three-dimensional, numerical model will be used for both idealized and realistic simulations, the former focused on isolating particular mechanisms, and the latter applied to the lower Hudson estuary, for which a large array of data is available.