“Meandering” Effects on the Diffusion of Continuous Dye Plumes in Coastal Currents

Experimental data on the diffusion of fluorescent dye plumes were obtained in the nearshore zone of the Great Lakes. The transport and diffusion of continuous dye plumes may be studied either in a frame of reference moving with the centre of gravity of the plume or in a frame of reference fixed to the stationary source. Conventionally, the former is referred to as “relative” diffusion and the latter as “absolute” diffisuion. The inter-link between the two concepts is explained by the random movements of the centre of gravity of the diffusing dye plume usually referred to as the “meandering”.In the past, experimental data from continuous dye plumes in coastal currents have been used to study “relative” diffusion, neglecting the random movements of the centre of gravity. In reality, however, “meandering” appears to be a more efficient agency than “relative” diffusion from the practical point of view of dispersing effluents over larger volume of the water body.In the present analysis, particular attention is given to delineate the two component physical processes of “relative” diffusion and “meandering” diffusion, by extended sampling of the dye plume to cover time scales of both the processes. Calculated horizontal eddy diffusivity K_y in “absolute” diffusion is greater by a factor of 2 as compared to “relative” diffusion. Very high peak/mean concentration ratios observed as the centre of the plume are a direct result of “meandering” due to large scale turbulent eddies.