A New Model for Velocity Profiles in Estuarine Waters

Water motion in estuarine waters is the result of the action of various dynamic factors. Firstly, based on the hydro-dynamic characteristics in estuarine waters, neglecting the nonlinear effects of various flow hydrodynamic factors, the logarithm velocity profile of tidal current and the cubic velocity profile of Hansen and Rattray (1965) made for linear superposition at a sense of first order, a new model for velocity profile in estuarine waters is established. Then, by introducing the least square method combination of enumeration, the velocity profile data of wind-driven current measured in the laboratory and that observed at the North and the South Branches of the Yangtze Estuary are verified and compared with other formulas, all with satisfactory results. The results show that the new model not only considers the influences of various dynamic factors, such as tide, wind force, run-off and density pressure with high accuracy, but also provides reasonable boundary conditions on the bottom for hydrodynamics numerical simulation in estuarine waters. Thereby, the accuracy and credibility of numerical computation and prediction of water flow are improved. The research is theoretically important for the estuarine hydrodynamics.