Three-dimensional numerical modeling for transport studies
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Abstract
Modeling three-dimensional transport of salinity and sediments in estuarine flows requires that hydrodynamics be accurately modeled with sufficient precision to describe the advection and turbulent diffusion of salinity and sediments. These demands are considerably more stringent that those required for modeling water levels and discharges. Application of the model RMA10-WES and TABS-MD system of multi-dimensional models to San Francisco Bay salinity and sediment transport and Galveston Bay salinity illustrates the challenges involved. Residual flows in these bays reflect both density-driven flows, which are strongly three-dimensional, and tidal pumping, which are weakly three-dimensional, and tidal pumping, which is weakly three-dimensional. Asymmetry in bed stresses combined with these residual flows to induce three-dimensional sediment fluxes that may or may not be consistent with the residual flows