Tracking the Nearfield Evolution of an Initially Shallow, Neutrally Buoyant Plane Jet Over a Sloping Bottom Boundary

Abstract Understanding coastal plane jets which occur when a body of water discharges into an ocean or a lake through a channel or outlet is important, since they play a significant role in sediment, nutrient, and pollutant exchange. This study investigates the nearfield of initially shallow, neutra...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: H. Shi, M. E. Negretti, J. Chauchat, K. Blanckaert, U. Lemmin, D. A. Barry
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-04-01
Series:Water Resources Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR034826
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850115206853689344
author H. Shi
M. E. Negretti
J. Chauchat
K. Blanckaert
U. Lemmin
D. A. Barry
author_facet H. Shi
M. E. Negretti
J. Chauchat
K. Blanckaert
U. Lemmin
D. A. Barry
author_sort H. Shi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Understanding coastal plane jets which occur when a body of water discharges into an ocean or a lake through a channel or outlet is important, since they play a significant role in sediment, nutrient, and pollutant exchange. This study investigates the nearfield of initially shallow, neutrally buoyant plane jets, bounded by a free surface and a sloping bottom (Sloping Bottom Jet; SBJ) that issue into a laterally unconfined quiescent ambient both experimentally and numerically, and compares them with a plane jet flowing over a horizontal bottom (Horizontal Bottom Jet; HBJ). Results revealed that, different from the HBJ, the width and centerline velocity of SBJ decrease near the mouth. The SBJ width gradually increases after that as the transverse longitudinal velocity profile progressively transforms from a “top‐hat” into a Gaussian distribution. Once the Gaussian distribution is established, both jets diverge and centerline velocity decreases. Shear layers are generated on the sides of both jets with Kelvin Helmholtz‐type Coherent Structures (KHCS) developing inside. KHCS produce periodic velocity fluctuations with a Strouhal number of ∼0.079 and contribute significantly to momentum exchange and turbulent kinetic energy production. Since the thickness of the SBJ increases longitudinally, the vertical extent of KHCS also increases. When the two shear layers meet and merge at the centerline, they cause a flapping motion of the jet. This location is closer to the jet mouth for SBJs than for the HBJ. These findings demonstrate that a sloping bottom modifies the flow field from quasi‐2D for the HBJ to strongly 3D for SBJs.
format Article
id doaj-art-3bb34bc64e9740c5a0efd61c65f412a3
institution OA Journals
issn 0043-1397
1944-7973
language English
publishDate 2024-04-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Water Resources Research
spelling doaj-art-3bb34bc64e9740c5a0efd61c65f412a32025-08-20T02:36:39ZengWileyWater Resources Research0043-13971944-79732024-04-01604n/an/a10.1029/2023WR034826Tracking the Nearfield Evolution of an Initially Shallow, Neutrally Buoyant Plane Jet Over a Sloping Bottom BoundaryH. Shi0M. E. Negretti1J. Chauchat2K. Blanckaert3U. Lemmin4D. A. Barry5Ecological Engineering Laboratory (ECOL) Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC) Environmental Engineering Institute (IIE) École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Lausanne SwitzerlandUniversité Grenoble Alpes CNRS Grenoble INP LEGI UMR 5519 Grenoble FranceUniversité Grenoble Alpes CNRS Grenoble INP LEGI UMR 5519 Grenoble FranceResearch Unit Hydraulic Engineering and Environmental Hydromechanics Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management Technische Universität Wien Vienna AustriaEcological Engineering Laboratory (ECOL) Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC) Environmental Engineering Institute (IIE) École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Lausanne SwitzerlandEcological Engineering Laboratory (ECOL) Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC) Environmental Engineering Institute (IIE) École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Lausanne SwitzerlandAbstract Understanding coastal plane jets which occur when a body of water discharges into an ocean or a lake through a channel or outlet is important, since they play a significant role in sediment, nutrient, and pollutant exchange. This study investigates the nearfield of initially shallow, neutrally buoyant plane jets, bounded by a free surface and a sloping bottom (Sloping Bottom Jet; SBJ) that issue into a laterally unconfined quiescent ambient both experimentally and numerically, and compares them with a plane jet flowing over a horizontal bottom (Horizontal Bottom Jet; HBJ). Results revealed that, different from the HBJ, the width and centerline velocity of SBJ decrease near the mouth. The SBJ width gradually increases after that as the transverse longitudinal velocity profile progressively transforms from a “top‐hat” into a Gaussian distribution. Once the Gaussian distribution is established, both jets diverge and centerline velocity decreases. Shear layers are generated on the sides of both jets with Kelvin Helmholtz‐type Coherent Structures (KHCS) developing inside. KHCS produce periodic velocity fluctuations with a Strouhal number of ∼0.079 and contribute significantly to momentum exchange and turbulent kinetic energy production. Since the thickness of the SBJ increases longitudinally, the vertical extent of KHCS also increases. When the two shear layers meet and merge at the centerline, they cause a flapping motion of the jet. This location is closer to the jet mouth for SBJs than for the HBJ. These findings demonstrate that a sloping bottom modifies the flow field from quasi‐2D for the HBJ to strongly 3D for SBJs.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR034826sloping bottom jetshear layersKelvin Helmholtz coherent structuresjet flappingturbulent kinetic energy budget
spellingShingle H. Shi
M. E. Negretti
J. Chauchat
K. Blanckaert
U. Lemmin
D. A. Barry
Tracking the Nearfield Evolution of an Initially Shallow, Neutrally Buoyant Plane Jet Over a Sloping Bottom Boundary
Water Resources Research
sloping bottom jet
shear layers
Kelvin Helmholtz coherent structures
jet flapping
turbulent kinetic energy budget
title Tracking the Nearfield Evolution of an Initially Shallow, Neutrally Buoyant Plane Jet Over a Sloping Bottom Boundary
title_full Tracking the Nearfield Evolution of an Initially Shallow, Neutrally Buoyant Plane Jet Over a Sloping Bottom Boundary
title_fullStr Tracking the Nearfield Evolution of an Initially Shallow, Neutrally Buoyant Plane Jet Over a Sloping Bottom Boundary
title_full_unstemmed Tracking the Nearfield Evolution of an Initially Shallow, Neutrally Buoyant Plane Jet Over a Sloping Bottom Boundary
title_short Tracking the Nearfield Evolution of an Initially Shallow, Neutrally Buoyant Plane Jet Over a Sloping Bottom Boundary
title_sort tracking the nearfield evolution of an initially shallow neutrally buoyant plane jet over a sloping bottom boundary
topic sloping bottom jet
shear layers
Kelvin Helmholtz coherent structures
jet flapping
turbulent kinetic energy budget
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR034826
work_keys_str_mv AT hshi trackingthenearfieldevolutionofaninitiallyshallowneutrallybuoyantplanejetoveraslopingbottomboundary
AT menegretti trackingthenearfieldevolutionofaninitiallyshallowneutrallybuoyantplanejetoveraslopingbottomboundary
AT jchauchat trackingthenearfieldevolutionofaninitiallyshallowneutrallybuoyantplanejetoveraslopingbottomboundary
AT kblanckaert trackingthenearfieldevolutionofaninitiallyshallowneutrallybuoyantplanejetoveraslopingbottomboundary
AT ulemmin trackingthenearfieldevolutionofaninitiallyshallowneutrallybuoyantplanejetoveraslopingbottomboundary
AT dabarry trackingthenearfieldevolutionofaninitiallyshallowneutrallybuoyantplanejetoveraslopingbottomboundary