Abstract
Fluvial Acoustic Tomography (FAT) is a powerful hydroacoustic system used in the investigations of estuarine dynamics. This research was designed to explore the effectiveness of using a novel and promising method of monitoring the continuous salinity intrusion and velocity distribution in a tidal channel using the FAT scheme. Four FAT units were installed near the riverbanks using a new zigzag system in a rectangular tomographic domain of 700 m × 170 m. The water velocities and salinities measured by FAT in this study were comparable to the data captured by traditional methods, including moving-boat Stream–Pro ADCP, CTD, and CT sensors. It was found that the delays in time between the maximum salinity and high water level along the channel ranged from 12 min to 1.5 h, with these time lags increasing seaward, primarily due to changes in freshwater flows upstream. In addition, the longitudinal salinity gradient was found to decrease toward the mouth of the river, with tide-driven mechanisms most likely being dominant in the dispersion process. The estuary is ebb-dominant, with an asymmetry in the ebb-tide and flood-tide velocities and the highest velocities occurring during the ebb tide. Furthermore, the residual current was found to be affected primarily by the freshwater discharge from upstream.
Highlights
The ability to accurately estimate the salinity intrusion and mixing in estuaries is critical to coastal engineering and our understanding of estuarine dynamics
The main objective of this study was to apply the new Fluvial Acoustic Tomography (FAT) deployment pattern to investigate the longitudinal distribution of salinity and tidal flow in a tidal channel
Hicoswatetvheer,tathrgeeotbstiatein. ed data were adequate to describe the tidal dynamics at the target site. 4.1
Summary
The ability to accurately estimate the salinity intrusion and mixing in estuaries is critical to coastal engineering and our understanding of estuarine dynamics. 1D, 2D, or 3D models are used to simulate the interactions among factors such as river discharge, tidal variation, bathymetry, and wind effect that significantly influence salinity intrusion and mixing mechanisms [4,11]. Another indirect method that can monitor 2D salinity distribution in the ocean or along the coastal line is satellite remote sensing technique. This technique has been successfully used to observe sea surface salinity [12] or to map the structure of river plumes and salinities [13]
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