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A simple and inexpensive turbidity meter for the estimation of suspended sediment concentrations
Author(s) -
Lawler Damian M.,
Brown Robert M.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.3360060204
Subject(s) - turbidity , turbidite , turbidity current , environmental science , sediment , hydrology (agriculture) , shore , estuary , geology , remote sensing , oceanography , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering , sedimentary depositional environment , structural basin
The relatively high cost of commercially available turbidity meters has inhibited detailed and intensive research on spatiotemporal patterns of suspended sediment transport. We describe here the electronic and physical design of an inexpensive turbidity sensor which is easy to construct, simple to interface with portable millivolt meters, dataloggers, computers, or chart recorders, consumes exceptionally small currents, and is robust and reliable. the very low individual cost allows a large number of sensors to be distributed throughout the water body of interest to facilitate turbidity mapping. Turbidity profilers to detect vertical or lateral turbidity changes in rivers, lakes, estuaries, or near‐shore zones are also shown to be feasible. Test data are presented from a highly turbid glacial river in southern Iceland.