Can tide dominance be inferred from the point bar pattern of tidal meandering channels?

Abstract

We performed 2‐D numerical simulations of flow and bed topography in a channel consisting of a sequence of tidal meanders connected to a tidal sea at one end and closed at the other end. Our main goal was to investigate whether the location of point bars relative to the bend apex is correlated with the character of the local flow field, i.e., its flood or ebb dominance. Validation of the model was achieved performing a comparison with results of laboratory observations. Simulations did reproduce the observed evolution of the laterally averaged bed profile toward an equilibrium configuration characterized by the classical landward aggrading trend typical of straight tidal channels with the formation of a shore at the landward end. The presence of meanders led to small amplitude spatial oscillations of the profile on the meander scale. The bar pattern developed when the morphology was far from equilibrium, such that the sediment transport was sufficiently intense to drive significant morphodynamic perturbations. Numerical results did show conclusively that the key factor controlling the phase of the point bar pattern relative to curvature is the flood‐ or ebb‐dominant character of the basic flow field. More precisely, ebb/flood dominance led to point bars located seaward/landward relative to the bend apex. Moreover, two almost symmetrical long lobes that trailed away from the meander apex in both the ebb and flood directions formed in the transition region where the flow field shifts from flood into ebb dominant.