Abstract
The settling velocity of mud flocs in the Elbe and Weser was measured by letting the floes settle in a tube. During the settling process, differential settling of mud flocs can increase the measured settling velocities appreciably. A correction procedure is suggested to counteract the effect of differential settling. In the Elbe, two zones with differing floc settling behaviour were found; in both zones the median settling velocity of mud flocs is proportional to the square of the concentration of suspended solid matter. Compared with the Elbe estuary, flocculation of suspended solids in the Weser estuary is slightly stronger. Flocs in estuaries are continuously destroyed and rebuilt within a time scale that is smaller than the time scale of vertical mixing. A vertical concentration profile is derived for suspended mud flocs.
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© 1988 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Puls, W., Kuehl, H., Heymann, K. (1988). Settling Velocity of Mud Flocs: Results of Field Measurements in the Elbe and the Weser Estuary. In: Dronkers, J., van Leussen, W. (eds) Physical Processes in Estuaries. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73691-9_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73691-9_20
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-73693-3
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