View source for Tidal Characteristic Numbers of Tracer Load

[[category:Tidal Characteristic Numbers]]
[[de: Tidekennwerte des Tracergehalts]]

A graphic sketch for the definition of the various tidal characteristic numbers of tracer load is not available. Due to the fact that they are defined in complete analogy to salinity we do refer here to the respective [[Tidal Characteristic Numbers of Salinity|graphical representations of the tidal characteristic numbers of salinity]] for further insight.

==Motivation==
The calculation as well as the graphic visualization of various tidal characteristic numbers of tracer concentration and also for the advective transport of tracer contributes to an improved understanding of tidally dominated transport processes in estuaries. Spatial variations of tracer concentration, advective transport of tracer load by means of flood and ebb currents can be highlighted for areas like coastal seas and estuaries as well.

* As the calculations are performed separately for the durations of ebb- and flood-current it can be shown that transport paths can differ significantly for the two tidal phases. From this one can get additional insight with respect to the relevant transport mechanisms dominated by the tidal currents. This can be related to locally varying flood-ebb asymmetries for ebb volume and flood volume. Also the presence of horizontal gradients can contribute to this effect.

* The variation of tracer concentration resulting from the local maximum as well as the local minimum of tracer concentration can be quite large. This is a consequence of the different availability of tracer load, e. g. inside or outside of the turbidity maximum. The value for the local tracer concentration variation is mainly the result of the product between the horizontal tracer concentration gradient and the lagrangian drift of a water particle during a complete tidal cycle, but also effected by the strong spatial variation of deposition and erosion of tracers throughout the estuary.

An automatic analysis of all tidal characteristic numbers of tracer load is carried through by the computer programs [[TDKSF]] and [[NCANALYSE]].

==Definitions for the Tidal Characteristic Numbers of Tracer Transport==

===Program [[NCANALYSE]]===

====Flood Current====

=====Mean Tracer Load Flood Current=====
Mean value of tracer load during flood current duration of a tide.<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: Mean tracer load flood current]]. <br /> -->

====Ebb Current====

=====Mean Tracer Load Ebb Current=====
Mean value of tracer load during ebb current duration of a tide.<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: mean tracer load ebb current]]. <br /> -->

====Tidal Cycle====

=====Maximum Tracer Load=====
Maximum value of tracer load during a full tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current).<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: maximum tracer load]]. <br /> -->

=====Minimum Tracer Load=====
Minimum value of tracer load during a full tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current).<br /> 
<!-- [[Example figures: minimum tracer load]]. <br /> -->

=====Mean Tracer Load=====
Average value of tracer load during a full tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current).<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: mean tracer load]]. <br /> -->

=====Tidal Variation of Tracer Load=====
Difference between maximum and minimum values of tracer load during a full tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current).<br /> 
<!-- [[Example figures: tidal variation of tracer load]]. <br /> -->

=====Mean Tracer Load Flood Current : Mean Tracer Load=====
Ratio between mean tracer load during flood current and mean tracer load during the full tidal cycle.<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: mean tracer load flood current : mean tracer load]]. <br /> -->

=====Mean Tracer Load Ebb Current : Mean Tracer Load=====
Ratio between mean tracer load during ebb current and mean tracer load during the full tidal cycle.<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: mean tracer load ebb current : mean tracer load]]. <br /> -->

=====Mean Tracer Load Flood Current : Mean Tracer Load Ebb Current=====
Ratio between mean tracer load during flood current and mean tracer load during ebb current.<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: mean tracer load flood current : mean tracer load ebb current]]. <br /> -->

=====Tidal Variation of Tracer Load : Mean Tracer Load=====
Ratio between tidal variation of tracer load and mean tracer load during the tidal cycle.<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: tidal variation of tracer load : mean tracer load]]. <br /> -->

=====Maximum Tracer Load : Mean Tracer Load=====
Ratio between maximum tracer load and mean tracer load during a tidal cycle.<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: maximum tracer load : mean tracer load]]. <br /> -->

=====Minimum Tracer Load : Mean Tracer Load=====
Ratio of minimum tracer load and mean tracer load during a tidal cycle.<br />
<!-- [[Example figures: minimum tracer load : mean tracer load]]. <br /> -->

===Program [[TDKSF]]===

====Flood Current====

=====Advective Flood Transport of Tracer Load=====

Tracer load, which is transported by means of flood current through a cross section<br />
Example: not available.

====Ebb Current====

=====Advective Ebb Transport of Tracer Load=====

Tracer load, which is transported by means of ebb current through a cross section<br />
Example: not available.

====Tidal Cycle====

=====Maximum Tracer Concentration=====

Maximum value of tracer concentration during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current)<br />
Example: not available.

=====Minimum Tracer Concentration=====

Minimum value of tracer concentration during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current)<br />
Example: not available.

=====Mean Tracer Concentration=====

Average value of tracer concentration during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current)<br />
Example: not available.

=====Tidal Variation of Tracer Concentration=====

Difference between the extreme values of tracer concentration during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current)<br />
Example: not available.

=====Advective Residual Transport of Tracer Load=====

Residual tracer load which is transported by means of ebb and flood currents through a cross section (the different transport directions are taken into account). If the advective transport by means of flood current is equal but in opposite direction of the ebb current transport this will result in a zero advective residual transport of tracer load.<br />
Example: not available.

=====Advective Tracer Transport, Flood-Ebb-Ratio=====

Flood to ebb ratio for the tracer load which are transported by means of flood and ebb currents<br />
Example: not available.

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