Saltmarsh Circulation, Inundation and Bathymetric Mapping using HF-radar

由于各种原因，了解世界各地广阔的盐沼生态系统中的循环模式很重要，包括评估沼泽内的沉积物和污染物迁移，以及特定区域相对于具有重要商业价值的生物或污染物的居住或冲洗时间。模拟研究表明，环流路径可能相当复杂，这在很大程度上取决于沼泽小溪的水深和曲率，以及周期性淹没的沼泽潮间带内不同地形水平的连通性。由于在每个潮汐周期中，地形复杂的潮间带相继淹没和排干地形复杂的潮间带，因此很难有效地测量这些系统的循环，因为相互关联的潮汐小溪曲折，需要处理的尺度多种多样，水可能经过的路径也多种多样。PI提议在美国能源部资助的一项由斯基德韦的同事指导的即将进行的密集实地研究中增加一对甚高频雷达系统，以演示雷达的用途，以测量河道和被淹没的沼泽潮间带区域内的矢量速度，监测潮间带沼泽区域内是否有水，并以高水平分辨率反演光谱返回以评估照明区域的水深测量。美国能源部赞助的这项研究将提供一个广泛的数据库，以测试在盐沼中使用甚高频雷达系统的可行性。目标：申请的资金将测试配对的甚高频雷达的能力：1)测量潮汐通道和潮间沼泽内的矢量速度；2)探测淹没和淹没的潮间带之间的过渡，以及探测的深度界限；3)估计浅水淹没区域的深度。广泛的影响以高水平分辨率测量环流的能力将使我们对这些问题的理解有一个新的进步。这样的测量，加上以高分辨率定义盐沼水深和地形的能力，也将极大地提高我们对此类系统进行准确建模的能力。这样的模式将为社会提供一个显著改进的工具--S机构，他们负责沼泽环境的保护和许可。在教育方面，与该项目一起开发的数据库将在未来几年内提供有吸引力的学生项目。最后，该项目将为我们在SKIO招聘的新教师提供一个数据库，他将于2010年7月加入SKIO担任助理教授。她将能够使用这些数据来开发应用于当地丰富的盐沼环境的建模程序。

An understanding of the circulation patterns in the extensive salt marsh ecosystems throughout the world is important for a variety of reasons, including the assessment of sediment and pollutant transport within the marshes, and the residence or flushing times of specific regions with respect to commercially important organisms or pollutants. Modeling studies suggest circulation pathways can be quite complex, depending critically on marsh creek bathymetry and curvature, and on connectivity at differing topographic levels within the cyclically inundated marsh intertidal. Effective measurement of circulation of these systems is difficult, owing to the circuitous interconnected tidal creeks, the variety of scales that must be addressed, and the variability of pathways the water may traverse as the topographically complex intertidal areas are successively flooded and drained through each tidal cycle. The PI proposes to add a pair of VHF-radar systems to an upcoming DOE-funded intensive field study directed by colleagues at Skidaway, to demonstrate the radars utility to measure vector velocity within both the channels and inundated intertidal subregions of the marsh, to monitor the presence or absence of water within the intertidal marsh areas, and to invert spectral returns to assess bathymetry in the illuminated area, all at high horizontal resolution. The DOE-sponsored study will provide an extensive data-base against which to test the feasibility of using the VHF-radar system in the salt marsh.Goals: The funding requested will test the ability of paired VHF radars to:1) measure vector velocities within the tidal channels and intertidal marsh,2) detect the transition between inundated and uninundated intertidal areas, and depth limits of detection,3) estimate depths of shallow inundated areas.Broader ImpactsThe ability to measure circulation at high horizontal resolution will provide an order one improvement in our understanding of these issues. Such measurements, along with the ability to define saltmarsh bathymetry and topography at high resolution, will vastly improve our ability to model such systems accurately as well. Such models would provide a significantly improved tool for the use of society?s agencies who are charged with protection and permitting in the marsh setting. Educationally, the database developed with this project will provide engaging student projects over the next several years. Finally, the project will provide a database for our new faculty hire at SkIO who will be joining SkIO as an Assistant Professor in July 2010. She will be able to use the data to develop her modeling program as applied to the rich local salt-marsh setting.