Water Exchange Characteristics of Wind-Driven Density Current System in Semi-Enclosed Stratified Basins

Abstract

In order to examine mixing and turbulent mass transport processes in a wind-driven density current, a turbulence model analysis is performed. The system considered here is a 2-D semi-enclosed stratified basin whose downwind boundary is opened to an ocean; this flow system is analogous to the wind-enerated currents in a small inlet, a bay, etc., Focus is placed on water mass exchange rate across the open boundary, which is found to have a strong functional dependency on the so-called “overall Richardson number”. The present analysis give us useful information on what sort of hydrodynamic conditions could generate upwelling of polluted bottom layer fluid and water quality exchange between the basin and the external water area.