Tidal Characteristic Numbers of Temperature

graphical representations of the characteristic numbers of salinity

Motivation

The calculation as well as the graphic visualization of various tidal characteristic numbers of temperature and also for the advective transport of heat contributes to an improved understanding of tidally dominated transport processes in estuaries. Spatial variations of temperature, advective transport of heat 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 temperature resulting from the local maximum as well as the local minimum of temperature can be quite large. This is a consequence of the different temperature of e.g. sea and fresh water. The value for the local temperature variation is mainly the result of the product between the horizontal temperature gradient and the lagrangian drift of a water particle during a complete tidal cycle.

An automatic analysis of all tidal characteristic numbers of temperature is carried through by the computer programs TDKSF and NCANALYSE.

Definitions for the Tidal Characteristic Numbers of Temperature

Program NCANALYSE

Flood Current

Mean Temperature Flood Current

Mean value of temperature during the flood current duration of a tide.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Ebb Current

Mean Temperature Ebb Current

Mean value of temperature during the ebb current duration of a tide.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Tidal Cycle

Maximum Temperature

maximum value of temperature during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current).
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Minimum Temperature

minimum value of temperature during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current).
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Mean Temperature

average value of temperature during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current).
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Tidal Variation of Temperature

difference between the extreme values of temperature during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current).
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Mean Temperature Flood Current : Mean Temperature

Ratio of mean temperature of flood current to mean temperature during the complete tide.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Mean Temperature Ebb Current : Mean Temperature

Ratio of mean temperature of ebb current to mean temperature during the complete tide.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Mean Temperature Flood Current : Mean Temperature Ebb Current

Ratio of mean temperature of flood current to mean temperature of ebb current.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Tidal Variation of Temperature : Mean Temperature

Ratio of tidal variation of temperature to mean temperature value of the tide.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Maximum Temperature : Mean Temperature

Ratio of maximum temperature of the tide to mean temperature value of the tide.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Minimum Temperature : Mean Temperature

Ratio of minimum temperature of the tide to mean temperature value of the tide.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Program TDKSF

Flood Current

Advective Flood Transport of Heat

amount of heat, which is transported by means of flood current through a cross section
Example: not available.

Ebb Current

Advective Ebb Transport of Heat

Amount of heat, which is transported by means of ebb current through a cross section
Example: not available.

Tidal Cycle

Maximum Temperature

Maximum value of temperature during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current)
Example: not available.

Minimum Temperature

Minimum value of temperature during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current)
Example: not available.

Mean Temperature

Average value of temperature during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current)
Example: not available.

Tidal Variation of Temperature

Difference between the extreme values of temperature during a complete tidal cycle (period between two subsequent slack water times of ebb current)
Example: not available.

Advective Residual Transport of Heat

Residual amount of heat 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 heat.
Example: not available.

Advective Temperature, Flood-Ebb-Ratio

Flood to ebb ratio for the amounts of heat which are transported by means of flood and ebb currents
Example: not available.

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