Physical model study of Lake Constance

This study, carried out at the State University of N.Y. in Buffalo, N.Y. (USA), concerns the construction and operation of a vertically distorted rotating Froude model of Lake Constance and experimentation to determine circulation patterns under both homogeneous and stratified conditions. The model/prototype length ratio equals 1/17,000 and depth ratio 1/650. The rotating model can simulate one prototype day in 2 min 10 s. Briefly the findings indicate: 1. Model seiche periods and decay modulii were equivalent to those in the prototype. 2. Results with the homogeneous model show extreme sensitivity of the model to differing inflow densities. 3. Coriolis effects have a distinct influence on the river-induced circulation. 4. Some aspects of the stratified experiments with wind contrast with earlier interpretations of current patterns. 5. In both the homogeneous and stratified model cases, the effects of wind on circulation patterns dominate over those of the inflowing Alpenrhein. 6. The effects of various wind stress fields were also examined by a two-dimensional mathematical model.