Author(s): I. Iglesias; X. Couvelard; P. Avilez-Valente; R. M. A. Caldeira
Linked Author(s): Paulo Avilez-Valente
Keywords: Cross-shore transport; Alongshore currents; Advection; Buoyant plumes
Abstract: The River Douro, one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, is located on the NW Iberian coast. Its daily averaged discharge can range from 0 to 13 000 m3/s, which impacts on the formation of the river plume and on its dispersion along the continental shelf. The scenarios of plume generation, retention and dispersion were simulated with the ROMS model. The results show that the plumes behaviour depends on the wind strength and direction and on the offshore geostrophic current system. It was also found that the plume might induce offshore mesoscale eddies that transport the plume waters across-shore.
Year: 2014