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CH3041
THE OCEAN AS
REACTOR
• Estuaries provide
the mixing zone
between the low ionic strength river water
and the high ionic strength sea water.
between the low ionic strength river water
and the high ionic strength sea water.
• Strong chemical ionic gradients exist and
mixing is influenced by the higher r of seawater (1.03g/cm3).
mixing is influenced by the higher r of seawater (1.03g/cm3).
• Ion
concentrations vary with seawater content and so salinity is chosen as a
variable that reflects simple physical mixing.
variable that reflects simple physical mixing.
• Estuaries
function as sediment traps for fine-grained suspended
solids (95%), often
colloidal, as the water velocity drops to zero at high and low tides. (0.5g/L 80SS:20D)
colloidal, as the water velocity drops to zero at high and low tides. (0.5g/L 80SS:20D)
