Tidal Straining Research Articles

Tidal and atmospheric influences on near‐surface turbulence in an estuary

Estuarine near‐surface turbulence is important for transport, mixing, and air‐water exchanges of many important constituents but has rarely been studied in detail. Here, we analyze a unique set of estuarine observations of in situ atmospheric and full water column measurements, estimated air‐sea exchanges, and acoustic measurements of several terms in the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budget. Observations from a 5.1 m deep site in the Hudson River estuary include dissipation at 50 cm depth (ɛ50), as well as profiles of TKE, shear production of TKE (P), and net turbulent vertical TKE transport (TD). Regressions suggest that the principal controlling factor for ɛ50 was wind (through the surface shear velocity, U*) and that the surface heat flux and tidal currents played a secondary role. For ebb spring tides, the TKE budget at 50 cm depth was closed within noise levels. Ebbs had high ɛ50 due to local shear production, which nearly balanced ɛ50. Floods had TD approaching P in the upper water column but generally weak near‐surface shear and turbulence. Examining buoyancy fluxes that impact near‐surface stratification and can indirectly control turbulence, solar heat input and tidal straining caused similar buoyancy fluxes on a sunny, calm weather day, promoting ebb tide restratification. Wind‐driven mixing was found to dominate during a fall season storm event, and strong overnight heat loss after the storm helped delay restratification afterward. These results demonstrate the utility of combining detailed air‐sea interaction and physical oceanographic measurements in future estuary studies.

Semi‐diurnal tidal ellipse variability in a region of freshwater influence

New insight into a key process, instrumental in the onset of stratification in tidally driven systems, is presented for the first time using long‐term field observations from the Liverpool Bay region of freshwater influence (ROFI). Tidal ellipses respond to changes in stratification, becoming more circular with greater vertical structure, and reveal variability in response to tidal straining. An inflection point that occurs before the maximum vertical density difference, at the time of maximum positive bed‐surface cross‐shore shear, is identified as the crucial point where the water column abruptly decouples. The surface and bed layers then rotate in clockwise and anti‐clockwise directions, respectively. The maximum vertical stratification is observed when the maximum negative bed‐surface along‐shore shear is reached. Decoupling to a two‐layer system is therefore not the smooth progression predicted using turbulence closure models, but rather a very sudden switch, highlighting the importance of the role of Reynolds stresses.

Large‐eddy simulation of the tidal‐cycle variations of an estuarine boundary layer

The estuarine boundary layer affected by a horizontal density gradient exhibits temporal evolution over a tidal cycle, in a manner similar to the diurnal cycle of the ocean surface mixed layer. A large eddy simulation (LES) model is developed to investigate the physics controlling the growth of the boundary layer during the flood tide and restratification during the ebb tide. Turbulent kinetic energy, momentum and salt fluxes, bottom stress, and energy dissipation rates calculated from the LES model all show a strong flood‐ebb asymmetry. Analysis of the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budget shows a primary balance between shear production and dissipation in the well‐mixed boundary layer over the tidal cycle. However, TKE transport term is found to be important across the edge of the boundary layer during the flood tide so turbulent energy generated in the bottom boundary layer can be transferred to the stratified pycnocline region. Tidal straining leads to a small and weakly convective region inside the boundary layer during the flood tide but the strain‐induced buoyancy flux does not make a significant contribution to the turbulence generation. Additional LES runs are conducted by switching off the baroclinic pressure gradient term in the momentum equation and the tidal straining term in the salinity equation to show that the baroclinic pressure gradient is the main mechanism responsible for generating the flood‐ebb mixing asymmetry.

Very near‐bottom tidal straining in a sea strait

Large vertical temperature differences up to 3°C m−1 are observed very near (<0.5 m from) the 2‐m sand‐waves bottom in a 20–25 m deep sea strait dominated by tidal flows >1 m s−1. The upper sensor at 0.42 m above the bottom (mab) follows typical temperature variations higher up in the water column, being −90° out‐of‐phase with the main along‐channel current. In contrast, the lower sensor at 0.08 mab is approximately +30–50° more in‐phase with the free‐stream current. The data confirm the mechanism of “tidal straining”, but much closer to the bottom than previously observed and in a 3‐D version with cross‐flow influences. In this mechanism, turbulent shear flow and horizontal density gradients create stable stratification during ebb and unstable conditions during flood. Here, stratification provides a slippery boundary flow‐condition and periodic support of short‐scale internal waves with periods down to 50 s.

Quantifying the Contributions of Tidal Straining and Gravitational Circulation to Residual Circulation in Periodically Stratified Tidal Estuaries

Abstract This numerical modeling study quantifies for the first time the contribution of various processes to estuarine circulation in periodically stratified tidal flow under the impact of a constant horizontal buoyancy gradient. The one-dimensional water column equations with periodic forcing are first cast into nondimensional form, resulting in a multidimensional parameter space spanned by the modified inverse Strouhal number and the modified horizontal Richardson number, as well as relative wind speed and wind direction and the residual runoff. The along-tide momentum equation is then solved for the tidal-mean velocity profile in such a way that it is equated to the sum of the contributions of tidal straining (resulting from the temporal correlation between eddy viscosity and vertical shear), gravitational circulation (resulting from the depth-varying forcing by a constant horizontal buoyancy gradient), wind straining, and depth-mean residual flow (resulting from net freshwater runoff). This definition of tidal straining does not only account for tidal asymmetries resulting from horizontal buoyancy gradients but also from wind straining and residual runoff. For constant eddy viscosity, the well-known estuarine circulation analytical solution with polynomial residual profiles is directly obtained. For vertically parabolic and constant-in-time eddy viscosity, a new analytic solution with logarithmic residual profiles is found, showing that the intensity of the gravitational circulation scales with the horizontal Richardson number. For scenarios with realistic spatially and temporally varying eddy viscosity, a numerical water column model equipped with a state-of-the-art two-equation turbulence closure model is applied to quantify the individual contributions of the various processes to estuarine circulation. The fundamental outcome of this study is that, for irrotational flow with periodic stratification and without wind forcing and residual runoff, the tidal straining is responsible for about two-thirds and gravitational circulation is responsible for about one-third of the estuarine circulation, proportionally dependent on the horizontal Richardson number, and weakly dependent on the Strouhal number. This new and robust result confirms earlier estimates by H. Burchard and H. Baumert, who suggested that tidal straining is the major generation mechanism for estuarine turbidity maxima. However, a sensitivity analysis of the model results to details of the turbulence closure model shows some uncertainty with respect to the parameterization of sheared convection during flood. Increasing down-estuary wind straining and residual runoff reduce the quantitative contribution of tidal straining. For relatively small horizontal Richardson numbers, the tidal straining contribution to estuarine circulation may even be reversed by down-estuary wind straining.

Tidal straining effect on the suspended sediment transport in the Huanghe (Yellow River) Estuary, China

Tidal straining effect on sediment transport dynamics in the Huanghe (Yellow River) estuary was studied by field observations and numerical simulations. The measurement of salinity, suspended sediment concentration, and current velocity was conducted during a flood season in 1995 at the Huanghe river mouth with six fishing boats moored at six stations for 25-h hourly time series observations. Based on the measurements, the intra-tidal variations of sediment transport in the highly turbid river mouth was observed and the tidal straining effect occurred. Our study showed that tidal straining of longitudinal sediment concentration gradients can contribute to intra-tidal variability in sediment stratification and to asymmetries in sediment distribution within a tidal cycle. In particular, the tidal straining effect in the Huanghe River estuary strengthened the sediment-induced stratification at the flood tide, thus producing a higher bottom sediment concentration than that during the ebb. A sediment transport model that is capable of simulating sediment-induced stratification effect on the hydrodynamics in the bottom boundary layers and associated density currents was applied to an idealized estuary to demonstrate the processes and to discuss the mechanism. The model-predicted sediment processes resembled the observed characteristics in the Huanghe River estuary. We concluded that tidal straining effect is an important but poorly understood mechanism in the transport dynamics of cohesive sediments in turbid estuaries and coastal seas.

Storm surge induced flux through multiple tidal passes of Lake Pontchartrain estuary during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike

In September 2008, Hurricanes Gustav and Ike generated major storm surges which impacted the Lake Pontchartrain estuary in Louisiana. This paper presents analyses of in situ measurements acquired during these storm events. The main data used in the analyses were from three bottom mounted moorings equipped with conductivity, temperature, and depth sensors, acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), and a semi-permanent laterally mounted horizontal acoustic Doppler profiler (ADP). These moorings were deployed in the three major tidal channels that connect Lake Pontchartrain with the coastal ocean. A process similar to tidal straining was observed: the vertical shear of the horizontal velocity was negligible during the inundation stage, but a shear of 0.8 m/s over a less than 5 m water column was recorded during the receding stage, 2–3 times the normal tidal oscillations. The surge reached its peak in the Industrial Canal 1.4–2.1 h before those in the other two channels. The inward flux of water lasted for a shorter time period than that of the outward flux. The inward flux was also observed to have much smaller magnitude than the outward flux (∼960–1200 vs. 2100–3100 million m 3). The imbalance was believed to have been caused by the additional water into Lake Pontchartrain through some small rivers and inundation over the land plus rainfall from the hurricanes. The flux through the Industrial Canal was 8–12%, while the flux through the other two tidal passes ranged between 17% and 70% of the total, but mostly split roughly half-half of the remaining (∼88–92% of the total).

Analysis of Region of Freshwater Influence Based on Large-Scale In-Situ Observations in the Ariake Sea

We analyzed the Region of Freshwater Influence (ROFI) by three indicators, that is, Estuarine Circulation, Tidal Straining, and Tidal Stirring, using dataset from three large-scale in-situ measurement campaigns in the Ariake Sea. As a result of the present research, the followings were clarified: i) Coastal area off Ohura and Takezaki tends to stratify, but off Shimabara Peninsula to mix well; ii) Stratification is dominated by salinity stratification rather than thermal one in the Ariake Sea. Thus, the analysis taking into account water temperature variation can also evaluate ROFI well.

York River Physical Oceanography and Sediment Transport

The York River is a partially-mixed, microtidal estuary with tidal currents in the mid- to upper estuary approaching 1 m/s. The upper York near West Point is generally less stratified than the lower York near Gloucester Point because of the shallower depths and stronger currents found upstream. Fluctuations in salinity stratification in the York River at tidal, fortnightly and seasonal time-scales are associated with tidal straining, the spring-neap cycle, and variations in freshwater discharge, respectively. Estuarine circulation in the York River, which averages ~5 to 7 cm/s, is often modulated by moderate winds. Waves are usually insignificant, although occasional severe storms have a major impact. The York River channel bed is predominantly mud, while the shoals tend to be sandier, and the mid- to upper York is marked by seasonally persistent regions of high turbidity. Fine sediment is trapped in high turbidity regions in response to tidal asymmetries and local variations in stratification and estuarine circulation. More work is needed to better understand the linkages between physical oceanography, sediment transport and turbidity in the York River system, especially during high-energy events and in response to ongoing climate change.

Asymmetric tidal straining across an inlet: Lateral inversion and variability over a tidal cycle

Tidal straining is a phenomenon of temporal variations in stratification and mixing resulting from the interaction of a longitudinal salinity gradient with the vertical shear of the horizontal tidal velocity. As a result, the theory predicts stronger and weaker stratification during ebb/low tide and flood/high tide, respectively. In contrast to this well-known temporal asymmetry, in this study, we document in situ measurements demonstrating a lateral asymmetry and lateral inversion of tidal straining at Barataria Pass, a narrow (∼600 m wide) tidal inlet of Barataria Bay in southeastern Louisiana. During flood, the eastern side of the channel had strong stratification of 4 PSU salinity change over a 1.5 m thin layer while the western side had a 2 PSU change over a 12 m water column. This strong lateral difference decreased as flood continued until near the end of the flood when it reached vertically well-mixed condition across the channel. During ebb it was just the opposite such that the western side became stratified while the eastern end was well-mixed. This resulted to a small correlation coefficient of −0.05 for stratification between the west and east sides, although the central channel and east side have a high correlation coefficient of 0.88. The tidally averaged salinity was higher on the western end than the eastern end except in a narrow boundary layer close to the eastern shore. This is an apparent contradiction to what the Coriolis effect would produce in classical estuarine dynamics. Our hypothesis for the observed difference arises from the influence of the river water coming out of the Mississippi River through the Southwest Pass of the Birdfoot Delta. This water mass may have played a role in the observed, complicated lateral inversion of the tidal straining. This study underlines the complexity of estuarine dynamics proximal to large deltaic systems and we anticipate that these results will underscore the need for a modeling study to further investigate this dynamic process.

Residual circulation and stratification in the Liverpool Bay region of freshwater influence

Wind and tidal straining are proposed as key mechanisms influencing the magnitude and timing of the horizontal flux of freshwater across regions of freshwater influence (ROFIs). Evidence for this hypothesis is presented in estimates of the tidally averaged residual current profile, obtained from 5 years of continuous acoustic doppler current profiler measurements in the Liverpool Bay ROFI. The modified horizontal Richardson number ( $R_{x}^{wt}$ ), which includes both the tidal and the wind forcing, was assessed as a measure of stratification. $R_{x}^{wt}$ was found to be a good indicator of the timing of the evolution and destruction of stratification, but was not as successful as an indicator of the magnitude of stratification, both enduring and periodic. The observed mean residual velocities are compared to those predicted by a classical solution, and the eddy viscosity (N z ) is shown to be a control on differences between the observed and predicted circulation. Principal component analysis is used to show that the strongest residual currents occur when the water column periodically alternates between a well-mixed and stratified state, a consequence of straining, rather than simply related to the density gradient. Evidence of wind straining was found in the correspondence between the wind direction and the near surface and near bed residual current direction.

Modeling Influence of Stratification on Lateral Circulation in a Stratified Estuary

Abstract The dynamics of lateral circulation in the Passaic River estuary is examined in this modeling study. The pattern of lateral circulation varies significantly over a tidal cycle as a result of the temporal variation of stratification induced by tidal straining. During highly stratified ebb tides, the lateral circulation exhibits a vertical two-cell structure. Strong stratification suppresses vertical mixing in the deep channel, whereas the shoal above the halocline remains relatively well mixed. As a result, in the upper layer, the lateral asymmetry of vertical mixing produces denser water on the shoal and fresher water over the thalweg. This density gradient drives a circulation with surface currents directed toward the shoal, and the currents at the base of the pycnocline are directed toward the thalweg. In the lower layer, the lateral circulation tends to reduce the tilting of isopycnals and gradually diminishes at the end of the ebb tide. A lateral baroclinic pressure gradient is a dominant driving force for lateral circulation during stratified ebb tides and is generated by differential diffusion that indicates a lateral asymmetry in vertical mixing. Over the thalweg, vertical mixing is strong during the flood and weak during the ebb. Over the shoal, the tidally periodical stratification shows an opposite cycle of that at the thalweg. Lateral straining tends to enhance stratification during flood tides and vertical diffusion maintains the relatively well-mixed water column over the shoal during the stratified ebb tides.

Tidal and river discharge forcing upon water and sediment circulation at a rock-bound estuary (Guadiana estuary, Portugal)

The relative impacts of tidal (neap, spring) and river discharge (including a flood event) forcing upon water and sediment circulation have been examined at the rock-bound Guadiana estuary. Near-bed and vertical profiles of current, salinity, turbidity, plus surface suspended sediment concentrations (SSC, at some stations only), were collected at the lower and central/upper estuary during tidal and fortnightly cycles. In addition, vertical salinity and turbidity profiles were collected around high and low water along the estuary. Tidal asymmetry produced faster currents on the ebb than on the flood, especially at the mouth. This pattern of seaward current dominance was enhanced with increasing river flow, due to horizontal advection that was confined within the narrow estuarine channel. The freshwater inputs and, at a degree less, the tidal range controlled the vertical mixing and stratification importance. Well-mixed (spring) and partially stratified (neap) conditions alternated during periods of low river flows, with significant intratidal variations induced by tidal straining (especially at the partially stratified estuary). Highly stratified conditions developed with increasing river discharge. Intratidal variability in the pycnocline depth and thickness resulted from current shear during the ebb. A salt wedge with tidal motion was observed at the lower estuary during the flood event. Depending on the intensity of turbulent mixing, the residual water circulation was dominantly controlled either by tidal asymmetry or gravitational circulation. The SSC was governed by cyclical local processes (resuspension, deposition, mixing, advection) driven by the neap-spring fluctuations in tidal current velocities. More, intratidal variability in stratification indicated the significance of tidal pumping at the partially and highly stratified estuary. The estuary turbidity maximum (ETM) was enhanced with increasing current velocities, and displaced downstream during periods of high river discharge. During the flood event, the ETM was expelled out of the estuary, and the SSC along the estuary was controlled by the sediment load from the drainage basin. Under these highly variable river flow conditions, our observations suggest that sand is exported to the nearshore over the long-term (>years).

Circular plumes in Lake Pontchartrain estuary under wind straining

Circular shaped density plumes of low turbidity, low fecal indicator ( Escherichia coli and enterococci) concentrations, and high salinity have been observed near the Industrial Canal in Lake Pontchartrain, north of the City of New Orleans. A conceptual model in polar coordinates and a numerical model are developed, together with data analysis, to illustrate the dense plume. It is demonstrated that the northward expansion of the plume occurs under northerly winds. The northward expansion of the plume occurs under northerly winds that drive downwind flow at the surface and upwind radial flow at the bottom. Northerly wind-induced straining, similar to tidal straining, promotes vertical stratification. As a result, the water becomes stratified near a thin bottom layer (<1 m), within which density currents are facilitated. The stability of the stratified plume suppresses wind-induced turbulent mixing inside the plume. The bottom water outside of the plume is more effectively stirred by the wind, the result being that the suspended sediment concentration outside of the plume area is much higher than inside. This contrast in mixing makes the plume visible from the surface by satellites even though the stratification is at the bottom. Laterally, wind stress produces a torque (vorticity) in areas of non-uniform depth such that upwind flow is developed in deep water and downwind flow in shallow water. The continuity requirement produces an upwind flow along the axis of the Industrial Canal (IC). The upwind flow is balanced by the downwind flow over the shallower peripheral areas along the coast.

Boils and Turbulence in a Weakly Stratified Shallow Tidal Sea

Abstract Measurements of turbulence are made in a weakly but variably stratified region of tidal straining in the eastern Irish Sea using turbulence sensors profiling vertically through the water column on the Fast Light Yo-yo (FLY) profiler and horizontally on the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Autosub. The tidal currents exceed 1 m s−1 at the location of the measurements in water of a depth of about 43.5 m, and result in turbulence extending from the seabed to the surface with a cycle period that is half that of the tides, as previously observed. The time of onset of enhanced turbulence that is measured by the sensors on FLY and Autosub as the speed of tidal currents increases are in good agreement, as are their mean levels. Boils on the sea surface are identified using the Autonomously Recording Inverted Echo Sounder, version 2 (ARIES II), a two-beam upward-pointing side-scan sonar mounted on a rig resting on the seabed. The boils have mean horizontal dimensions of about 25 m. They are continually present when turbulence within the water column near the surface is large, typically when the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass ɛ exceeds about 3 × 10−6 W kg−1, compared to the rate of about 1 × 10−7 W kg−1 near times of slack tide when no boils are observed. The top of a region with a relatively high ɛ gradually extends upward from the seabed as the tidal flow increases and, in stably stratified conditions resulting from tidal straining during ebb tides, can be detected in the ARIES II sonographs as it approaches the sea surface, although only after sound reflection from the sea surface. Upward-moving bursts of enhanced turbulence below the surface with horizontal dimensions of about 5–9 m in the direction of the tidal flow are identified in the AUV record in periods of high tidal flow using conditional sampling. The bursts result in slight upward displacements of the AUV from its set operational depth. Boils first appear at times before the region of generally enhanced turbulence reaches the surface: large localized upward-moving bursts appear to precede the main advancing region of small-scale turbulence.

Tidal variations of flow convergence, shear, and stratification at the Rio de la Plata estuary turbidity front

Intratidal variability of density and velocity fields is investigated at the turbidity front of the Río de la Plata Estuary, South America. Current velocity and temperature‐salinity profiles collected in August 1999 along a repeated transect crossing the front are analyzed. Horizontal and vertical gradients, stability of the front, convergence zones, and transverse flow associated to the frontal boundary are described. Strong horizontal convergence of the across‐front velocity and build up of along‐front velocity shear were observed at the front. In the proximity of the front, enhanced transverse (or along‐front) flow created jet‐like structures at the surface and near the bottom flowing in opposite directions. These structures persisted throughout the tidal cycle and were advected upstream (downstream) by the flood (ebb) current through a distance of ∼10 km. During peak flood, the upper layer flow reversed from its predominant downstream direction and upstreamflow occupied the entire water column; outside the peak flood, two‐layer estuarine circulation dominated. Changes in density field were observed in response to tidal straining, tidal advection, and wind‐induced mixing, but stratification remained throughout the tidal cycle. This work demonstrates the large spatial variability of the velocity field at the turbidity front; it provides evidence of enhanced transverse circulation along the frontal boundary; and reveals the importance of advective and frictional intratidal processes in the dynamics of the central part of the estuary.

Impact of Density Gradients on Net Sediment Transport into the Wadden Sea

Abstract This study tests the hypothesis that horizontal density gradients have the potential to significantly contribute to the accumulation of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Wadden Sea. It is shown by means of long-term observations at various positions in the Wadden Sea of the German Bight that the water in the inner regions of the Wadden Sea is typically about 0.5–1.0 kg m−3 less dense than the North Sea water. During winter this occurs mostly because of freshwater runoff and net precipitation; during summer it occurs mostly because of differential heating. It is demonstrated with idealized one-dimensional water column model simulations that the interaction of such small horizontal density gradients with tidal currents generates net onshore SPM fluxes. Major mechanisms for this are tidal straining, estuarine circulation, and tidal mixing asymmetries. Three-dimensional model simulations in a semienclosed Wadden Sea embayment with periodic tidal forcing show that SPM with sufficiently high settling velocity (ws = 10−3 m s−1) is accumulating in the Wadden Sea Bight because of density gradients. This is proven through a comparative model simulation in which the dynamic effects of the density gradients are switched off, with the consequence of no SPM accumulation. These numerical model results motivate future targeted field studies in different Wadden Sea regions with the aim to further support the hypothesis.

Asymmetric Tidal Mixing due to the Horizontal Density Gradient*

Abstract Stratification and turbulent mixing exhibit a flood–ebb tidal asymmetry in estuaries and continental shelf regions affected by horizontal density gradients. The authors use a large-eddy simulation (LES) model to investigate the penetration of a tidally driven bottom boundary layer into stratified water in the presence of a horizontal density gradient. Turbulence in the bottom boundary layer is driven by bottom stress during flood tides, with low-gradient (Ri) and flux (Rf) Richardson numbers, but by localized shear during ebb tides, with Ri = ¼ and Rf = 0.2 in the upper half of the boundary layer. If the water column is unstratified initially, the LES model reproduces periodic stratification associated with tidal straining. The model results show that the energetics criterion based on the competition between tidal straining and tidal stirring provides a good prediction for the onset of periodic stratification, but the tidally averaged horizontal Richardson number Rix has a threshold value of about 0.2, which is lower than the 3 suggested in a recent study. Although the tidal straining leads to negative buoyancy flux on flood tides, the authors find that for typical values of the horizontal density gradient and tidal currents in estuaries and shelf regions, buoyancy production is much smaller than shear production in generating turbulent kinetic energy.

Using the potential energy anomaly equation to investigate tidal straining and advection of stratification in a region of freshwater influence

In this paper we derive the potential energy anomaly equation suitable for the analysis of three-dimensional numerical models. We apply this equation to the results of an idealised numerical model simulation of the Rhine River Plume and demonstrate how we can use the potential energy anomaly equation to analyse the physical processes affecting stratification, in this region of freshwater influence (ROFI). For this test case, we use the 10 terms from the potential energy anomaly equation that dominate the evolution of stratification in the Rhine ROFI. The principal terms are the cross-shore and along-shore straining and cross-shore and along-shore advection of horizontal density gradients. In addition non-linear shear dispersion terms representing correlations between density and velocity perturbations over the vertical control horizontal exchange and mixing in the cross-shore and along-shore directions. Moreover, in the vertical direction two terms dominate the vertical exchange processes: a term describing the effect of vertical mixing on the density profile, and a term related to up and downwelling. Analysis of the model results using the potential energy anomaly equation allows us to present a detailed overview of the spatial distribution of the terms affecting the evolution of stratification in the Rhine ROFI. The results highlight the important role of cross-shore tidal straining in the downstream coastal current region of the plume. In addition, the roles of along-shore straining, as well as along-shore and cross-shore advection in the Rhine ROFI, in particular in the region of the bulge near the river mouth, are also of importance. The results for the Rhine ROFI show that the potential energy anomaly equation provides a powerful tool with which to analyse the mechanisms contributing to mixing and stratification in coastal seas and estuaries.

Boils and turbulence in a weakly stratified shallow tidal sea

Measurements of turbulence are made in a weakly but variably stratified region of tidal straining in the eastern Irish Sea using turbulence sensors profiling vertically through the water column on the Fast Light Yo-yo (FLY) profiler and horizontally on the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Autosub. The tidal currents exceed 1 m s−1 at the location of the measurements in water of a depth of about 43.5 m, and result in turbulence extending from the seabed to the surface with a cycle period that is half that of the tides, as previously observed. The time of onset of enhanced turbulence that is measured by the sensors on FLY and Autosub as the speed of tidal currents increases are in good agreement, as are their mean levels. Boils on the sea surface are identified using the Autonomously Recording Inverted Echo Sounder, version 2 (ARIES II), a two-beam upward-pointing side-scan sonar mounted on a rig resting on the seabed. The boils have mean horizontal dimensions of about 25 m. They are continually present when turbulence within the water column near the surface is large, typically when the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass ε exceeds about 3 × 10−6 W kg−1, compared to the rate of about 1 × 10−7 W kg−1 near times of slack tide when no boils are observed. The top of a region with a relatively high ε gradually extends upward from the seabed as the tidal flow increases and, in stably stratified conditions resulting from tidal straining during ebb tides, can be detected in the ARIES II sonographs as it approaches the sea surface, although only after sound reflection from the sea surface. Upward-moving bursts of enhanced turbulence below the surface with horizontal dimensions of about 5–9 m in the direction of the tidal flow are identified in the AUV record in periods of high tidal flow using conditional sampling. The bursts result in slight upward displacements of the AUV from its set operational depth. Boils first appear at times before the region of generally enhanced turbulence reaches the surface: large localized upward-moving bursts appear to precede the main advancing region of small-scale turbulence.