Abstract
Abstract. An analytical model for tidal dynamics has been applied to the Yangtze Estuary for the first time, to describe the tidal propagation in this large and typically branched estuary with three-order branches and four outlets to the sea. This study shows that the analytical model developed for a single-channel estuary can also accurately describe the tidal dynamics in a branched estuary, particularly in the downstream part. Within the same estuary system, the North Branch and the South Branches have a distinct tidal behaviour: the former being amplified demonstrating a marine character and the latter being damped with a riverine character. The satisfactory results for the South Channel and the South Branch using both separate and combined topographies confirm that the branched estuary system functions as an entity. To further test these results, it is suggested to collect more accurate and dense bathymetric and tidal information.
Highlights
Savenije (1998, 2001, 2005) determined an analytical expression for tidal damping by subtracting high water (HW) and low water (LW) envelopes maintaining the nonlinear friction term, using an exponentially converging geometry allowing for bottom slope and tidal flats
The results suggest that the analytical model for a single-channel estuary can describe the tidal dynamics in a branched estuary system as well, and confirm that the estuary functions as an entity
An analytical model for tidal dynamics has been applied for the first time to the Yangtze Estuary, a large and typical branched estuary
Summary
There exists a long tradition of analytical solutions for tidal dynamics in estuaries (Dronkers, 1964; Harleman, 1966; Ippen, 1966; Prandle and Rahman, 1980; Jay, 1991; Friedrichs and Madsen, 1992; Friedrichs and Aubrey, 1994; Lanzoni and Seminara, 1998; Savenije, 1998, 2001, 2005; Prandle, 2003; Horrevoets et al, 2004; Savenije and Veling, 2005; Savenije et al, 2008; Toffolon and Savenije, 2011) These solutions usually made assumptions to simplify or linearise the nonlinear set of equations. The results suggest that the analytical model for a single-channel estuary can describe the tidal dynamics in a branched estuary system as well, and confirm that the estuary functions as an entity
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