| Abstract: | Several field studies in bays and estuaries have revealed pronounced subsurface maxima in the vertical profiles of the current amplitude of the principal tidal harmonic, or of its vertical shear, over the water column. To gain fundamental understanding about these phenomena, a semi-analytical model is designed and analysed, with focus on the sensitivity of the vertical structure of the tidal current amplitude to formulations of the vertical shape of the eddy viscosity. The new analytical solutions for the tidal current amplitude are used to explore their dependence on the degree of surface mixing, the vertical shape of eddy viscosity in the upper part of the water column and the density stratification. Sources of surface mixing are wind and whitecapping. Results show three types of current amplitude profiles of tidal harmonics, characterised by monotonically decreasing shear towards the surface, “surface jumps” (vertical shear of tidal current amplitude has a subsurface maximum) and “subsurface jets” (maximum tidal current amplitude below the surface), respectively. The “surface jumps” and “subsurface jets” both occur for low turbulence near the surface, whilst additionally the surface jumps only occur if the eddy viscosity in the upper part of the water column decreases faster than linearly to the surface. Furthermore, “surface jumps” take place for low density stratification, while and “subsurface jets” occur for high density stratification. The physics causing the presence of surface jumps and subsurface jets is also discussed. |
