Premium
Gravity currents in aquatic canopies
Author(s) -
Tanino Y.,
Nepf H. M.,
Kulis P. S.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/2005wr004216
Subject(s) - drag , gravity current , current (fluid) , canopy , cylinder , front (military) , mechanics , drag coefficient , geology , physics , meteorology , environmental science , geometry , mathematics , oceanography , ecology , internal wave , biology
A lock exchange experiment is used to investigate the propagation of gravity currents through a random array of rigid, emergent cylinders which represents a canopy of aquatic plants. As canopy drag increases, the propagating front varies from the classic profile of an unobstructed gravity current to a triangular profile. Unlike the unobstructed lock exchange, the gravity current in the canopy decelerates with time as the front lengthens. Two drag‐dominated regimes associated with linear and nonlinear drag laws are identified. The theoretical expression for toe velocity is supported by observed values. Empirical criteria are developed to predict the current regime from the cylinder Reynolds number and the array density.