Turbulence measurements in stratified and well-mixed estuarine flows

From mean velocities measured in estuarine flows it has been found that the velocity distributions are log-linear in stratified flows and logarithmic in well-mixed flows. The results of salinity measurements reveal that the mean salinity profiles are geometrically similar and expressible as a power law. The buoyancy parameters, such as the Monin-Obukhov length scale, the gradient and the flux Richardson numbers, are independent of the flow state. The gradient and the flux Richardson numbers are almost equal, indicating the existence of a local equilibrium layer. The non-dimensional parameter describing dissipation rates of turbulent kinetic energy is a constant of 0·2 and 0·3 for stratified and well-mixed flows respectively. In well-mixed flow the drag coefficient varies with time approaching a constant of about 3·2 × 10^?3 when the flow is stratified. The shape of the turbulent energy spectra are generally flatter and broader in stratified as compared with those of well-mixed flows.