MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logoDSpace@MIT

MIT
View Item 
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Theses - Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering - Ph.D. / Sc.D.
  • View Item
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Theses - Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering - Ph.D. / Sc.D.
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Stratification on the Skagit Bay tidal flats

Author(s)
Pavel, Vera L. (Vera Lynn)
Thumbnail
DownloadFull printable version (12.54Mb)
Other Contributors
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Advisor
Britt Raubenheimer.
Terms of use
M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
Estuarine density stratification may be controlled primarily by cross-shore processes (analogous to longitudinal control in narrow estuaries), or by both cross- and alongshore processes (typical of coastal plumes). Here field observations and numerical modeling are used to investigate stratification on the low-sloped, periodically inundated Skagit Bay tidal flats. Advection of stratification by the depth-averaged velocity, straining of the horizontal density gradient by velocity shear, and turbulent mixing are shown to be the dominant processes. On the south-central flats (near the south fork river mouth) velocities are roughly rectilinear, and the largest terms are in the major velocity direction (roughly cross-shore). However, on the north flats (near the north fork river mouth), velocity ellipses are nearly circular owing to strong alongshore tidal flows and alongshore stratification processes are important. Stratification was largest in areas where velocities and density gradients were aligned. The maximum stratification occurred during the prolonged high water of nearly diurnal tides when advection and straining with relatively weak flows increased stratification with little mixing. Simulations suggest that the dominance of straining (increasing stratification) or mixing (decreasing stratification) on ebb tides depends on the instantaneous Simpson number being above or below unity.
Description
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Joint Program in Applied Ocean Science and Engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2012.
 
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
 
Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-84).
 
Date issued
2012
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/78175
Department
Joint Program in Applied Ocean Science and Engineering.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Joint Program in Applied Ocean Science and Engineering., Mechanical Engineering., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Collections
  • Mechanical Engineering - Ph.D. / Sc.D.
  • Mechanical Engineering - Ph.D. / Sc.D.

Browse

All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

My Account

Login

Statistics

OA StatisticsStatistics by CountryStatistics by Department
MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logo

Find us on

Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube RSS

MIT Libraries navigation

SearchHours & locationsBorrow & requestResearch supportAbout us
PrivacyPermissionsAccessibility
MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Content created by the MIT Libraries, CC BY-NC unless otherwise noted. Notify us about copyright concerns.