Abstract
Abstract Perturbation analysis based on small α = Ra0.23Fm0.9, where Ra is the Rayleigh number and Fm is the Froude number, is used to study steady-state circulation and salinity distribution in estuaries. The classical Hansen and Rattray's similarity solution is obtained for the special case of linear variation of longitudinal dispersion coefficient KH, in a channel of constant width B and depth D. It is argued that KH, B and D must vary in real estuaries in such a way that the general solution is regular throughout the length of the estuary and shows a salinity structure which resembles that observed in a real estuary. It is shown that Hansen and Rattray's theory for predicting the importance of upstream salt transport due to the vertical gravitational circulation in estuaries is valid to a good degree of approximation for arbitrary longitudinal variations in width, depth, fresh water discharge, wind stress and various dispersion and mixing coefficients. This finding is checked against available observa...
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