Solute Dispersion From a Continuous Release Source in a Vegetated Flow: An Analytical Study
Jinlan Guo, G.Q. Chen
Abstract
Abstract Steady dispersion of solute in flows with submerged vegetation due to a continuous release source is a focus in water resources research. This paper presents a fully analytical effort for a complete description of the steady‐state concentration field. The analytically predicted vertical concentration profiles agree well with both experimental measurements and numerical simulation results. Relations between the steady dispersion for a continuous release source and the transient dispersion due to an instantaneous release source are also discussed. Results show that the mean concentration in the canopy layer is higher than that in the upper water layer and the steady concentration distribution approaches relative uniformity at a dimensionless downstream distance x = 0.5. The solute release position is shown highly remarkably affecting the way in which the downstream state is approached. Moreover, the vertical concentration profiles predicted by a spatially dependent four‐zone turbulent diffusivity model are better than those predicted by a constant single‐zone model. The obtained analytical results contribute essentially to our understanding of solute transport in water flows with submerged vegetation.