Linking Surface Turbulence with Riverine and Coastal Geometric and Bathymetric Variability
Abstract
Infrared (IR) imagery has proven to be a powerful tool for remotely observing and characterizing a range of riverine and coastal processes, including breaking waves [1], coherent flow structures [2] and surface currents [3]. Previous efforts have utilized infrared imagery to characterize the surface flows of a spatial area of interest over a brief snapshot in time. The primary objective of this study is to quantify the variation in surface flow and turbulence due to spatial variations in river geometry and temporal changes in bathymetry over seasonal time scales. To achieve our objective, we developed and successfully deployed a novel, long-term monitoring station that is capable of observing the thermal signature of the water surface over seasonal time periods. The study included two stations with one deployed in a riverine environment and one deployed in a coastal environment. In latter case, seasonal-scale changes in bathymetry have a significant impact on nearshore hydrodynamics. Both stations demonstrate a significant advancement in the use of IR imaging to observe hydrodynamic processes in a range of environments over long time scales.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 22, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1126209
Entities
People
- Kara M. Koetje
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory