Abstract
The sustainability of harbour management from an environmental standpoint is a current concern for port authorities. It includes dealing with problems that may affect the quality of in-harbour waters. In semi-enclosed basins, the characteristics of the circulation pattern are one of the main factors influencing the water quality, since they determine the residence time of pollutants inside the basin and govern the interaction between inside waters and the cleaner outside waters. Although harbour hydrodynamics are affected by the constant traffic of vessels and the physical constraints imposed by harbour structures, the water dynamics in ports are generally governed by three mechanisms: tidal forcing, wind surface stress, and baroclinic effects. This study presents the characterisation of winter circulation features in Tarragona harbour (northeast Spain), based on both field data and numerical simulations. Due to the microtidal nature of the Mediterranean Sea, three-dimensional water density distribution and local wind are expected to be the most relevant driving mechanisms. The results obtained suggest that, although wind effects may be important in determining the water flow in and out of the harbour for small time-scales, in the long term the most important water exchange mechanism is related to the waterbody’s baroclinic structure, with wind forcing playing only a second-order role.
Highlights
A harbour can be defined as a sheltered part of a body of water that is deep enough to provide anchorage and operative conditions for loading/unloading of ships
This paper focuses on the numerical modelling of winter hydrodynamics in Tarragona Harbour, as the first step in the numerical procedure—including pollutant transport simulation—that will lead to an estimation of water quality in harbours
All the simulations reveal a strong influence of baroclinic forcing on the 3D hydrodynamics inside Tarragona harbour, combined with a smaller influence of the wind stress, basically limited to the upper layers of the water column
Summary
A harbour can be defined as a sheltered part of a body of water that is deep enough to provide anchorage and operative conditions for loading/unloading of ships. It is a place in which upland activities interface with waterborne activities. In contrast with this simple definition, a port is a very complex system in which almost all the elements that can be associated with anthropogenic pollution can be found (Darbra et al, 2004). Pollution sources may include activities or facilities that do not belong strictly to the port, but are closely linked to it, such as neighbouring industrial installations or fisheries (Darbra et al, 2004)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
