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Criteria for the use of vertical averaging in environmental dispersion models
Author(s) -
Galloway F. M.
Publication year - 1976
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/wr012i005p00933
Subject(s) - dispersion (optics) , plane (geometry) , dimensionless quantity , range (aeronautics) , thermal diffusivity , turbulence , meteorology , environmental science , geology , mathematics , mechanics , geometry , physics , engineering , optics , quantum mechanics , aerospace engineering
Vertical averaging, or averaging in a plane perpendicular to the mean flow, in environmental dispersion problems is desirable from the standpoint of the efficiency of computer solution. This paper presents a method based on computer solution of a model transport problem for estimating when cross‐plane averaging is appropriate. The method is applied to four examples representing typical lakes, rivers, estuaries, and the atmosphere, respectively. The results are correlated in terms of a characteristic length, velocity and turbulent diffusivity, and two dimensionless parameters that depend on the velocity and vertical diffusivity profiles. It is shown that these parameters vary over a relatively small range for the variety of examples that are considered. The appendix is available with entire article on microfiche. Order from American Geophysical Union, 1909 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. Document W76‐003; $1.00. Payment must accompany order.