Dispersion of buoyant material by Langmuir circulation and a tidal current

W. A.M. Nimmo Smith; S. A. Thorpe

doi:10.1016/S0025-326X(99)00070-3

Dispersion of buoyant material by Langmuir circulation and a tidal current

W. A.M. Nimmo Smith^*, S. A. Thorpe

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

An analytical model is developed which quantifies and describes the dispersion of buoyant material caused by wind and wave generated Langmuir circulation in a tidal flow. It is found that the angle between the orientation of the Langmuir bands, taken to be in the wind direction, and the current controls the lateral (across-current) dispersion. Largest values of the dispersion occur when the wind and current are almost perpendicular and the wind is strong relative to the current. The lateral diffusivity caused by Langmuir circulation is compared with that produced by a current alone, and it is shown that the dispersive effects of Langmuir circulation will usually dominate when the wind speed exceeds about 50 times the current. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	824-829
Number of pages	6
Journal	Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume	38
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0025-326X(99)00070-3
Publication status	Published - Sept 1999
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Oceanography
Aquatic Science
Pollution

Keywords

Langmuir circulation
Plume dispersion, tidal current
Windrows

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10.1016/S0025-326X(99)00070-3

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title = "Dispersion of buoyant material by Langmuir circulation and a tidal current",

abstract = "An analytical model is developed which quantifies and describes the dispersion of buoyant material caused by wind and wave generated Langmuir circulation in a tidal flow. It is found that the angle between the orientation of the Langmuir bands, taken to be in the wind direction, and the current controls the lateral (across-current) dispersion. Largest values of the dispersion occur when the wind and current are almost perpendicular and the wind is strong relative to the current. The lateral diffusivity caused by Langmuir circulation is compared with that produced by a current alone, and it is shown that the dispersive effects of Langmuir circulation will usually dominate when the wind speed exceeds about 50 times the current. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.",

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AU - Nimmo Smith, W. A.M.

AU - Thorpe, S. A.

PY - 1999/9

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N2 - An analytical model is developed which quantifies and describes the dispersion of buoyant material caused by wind and wave generated Langmuir circulation in a tidal flow. It is found that the angle between the orientation of the Langmuir bands, taken to be in the wind direction, and the current controls the lateral (across-current) dispersion. Largest values of the dispersion occur when the wind and current are almost perpendicular and the wind is strong relative to the current. The lateral diffusivity caused by Langmuir circulation is compared with that produced by a current alone, and it is shown that the dispersive effects of Langmuir circulation will usually dominate when the wind speed exceeds about 50 times the current. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.

AB - An analytical model is developed which quantifies and describes the dispersion of buoyant material caused by wind and wave generated Langmuir circulation in a tidal flow. It is found that the angle between the orientation of the Langmuir bands, taken to be in the wind direction, and the current controls the lateral (across-current) dispersion. Largest values of the dispersion occur when the wind and current are almost perpendicular and the wind is strong relative to the current. The lateral diffusivity caused by Langmuir circulation is compared with that produced by a current alone, and it is shown that the dispersive effects of Langmuir circulation will usually dominate when the wind speed exceeds about 50 times the current. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.

KW - Langmuir circulation

KW - Plume dispersion, tidal current

KW - Windrows

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U2 - 10.1016/S0025-326X(99)00070-3

DO - 10.1016/S0025-326X(99)00070-3

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SN - 0025-326X

VL - 38

SP - 824

EP - 829

JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin

JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin

IS - 9

ER -

Dispersion of buoyant material by Langmuir circulation and a tidal current

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

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