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A two-equation model for contaminant dispersion in natural streams

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2006

Ronald Smith
Ronald Smith
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Silver Street, Cambridge CB3 9EW, UK
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Abstract

A simple two-equation model is derived which has the properties that the total contaminant exposure, the mean time of arrival, the temporal spread, and the skewness, are asymptotically correct at large distances downstream of a discharge. The role of changes in the breadth of a river upon the dispersion process is investigated by a means of an illustrative example. This reveals cubic dependence upon the breadth, and hence the great importance of wide reaches of rivers as regards contaminant dispersion.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 178 , May 1987 , pp. 257 - 277
Copyright
© 1987 Cambridge University Press

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