Tidal plume internal wave pumping, mixing and cross shelf exchange of sediment 
and biota in a shallow river plume

Pietrzak, Julie; Rijnsburger, Sabine; Flores Audibert, Raul; Horner-Devine, Alex; Souza, Alex; Lamb, Kevin; Jones, Nicole

doi:10.57757/IUGG23-4557

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Tidal plume internal wave pumping, mixing and cross shelf exchange of sediment and biota in a shallow river plume

Authors

Pietrzak, Julie
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Rijnsburger, Sabine
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Flores Audibert, Raul
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Horner-Devine, Alex
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Souza, Alex
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Lamb, Kevin
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

Jones, Nicole
IUGG 2023, General Assemblies, 1 General, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), External Organizations;

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Citation

Pietrzak, J., Rijnsburger, S., Flores Audibert, R., Horner-Devine, A., Souza, A., Lamb, K., Jones, N. (2023): Tidal plume internal wave pumping, mixing and cross shelf exchange of sediment and biota in a shallow river plume, XXVIII General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) (Berlin 2023).
https://doi.org/10.57757/IUGG23-4557

Cite as: https://gfzpublic.gfz-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_5020967

Abstract

The Rhine River Plume forms one of the largest Regions of Freshwater Influence (ROFI) in Europe. The formation and evolution of the tidal plume fronts on every ebb tide, and the generation of internal waves ahead of the front were captured by the STRAINS (STRAtification Impacts Near-shore Sediment) field campaign off the Dutch coast. Here we explore the trapping of internal waves generated by multiple tidal plume fronts in the mid-field of the Rhine River Plume. Observations and radar images show that tidal plume fronts propagate all the way to the coast into 2 m of water, as well as their reflection and breaking. Using a hydrostatic model and the field data we explore the interaction of the tidal plume fronts, and relic tidal plume fronts in the near to mid-field plume. As the plume fronts propagate onshore they increase cross-shore mixing and also increase sediment resuspension. Using a non-hydrostatic numerical model we explore how the fronts generate high frequency internal waves, that break and mix as they propagate onshore. We describe a cross-shore frontal pumping mechanism, and show how this impacts near shore mixing, sediment resuspension and offshore transport. Tidal plume fronts are thicker and faster under downwelling winds, in contrast they are thinner and slower under upwelling winds. We consider how this changes during periods of extreme drought and floods. We consider similarities and differences to other river plumes, and how we can apply knowledge from highly sampled river plumes, to remote river plume systems.