Principais forçantes da evolução e dispersão da pluma do Rio Doce - ES - Brasil

Abstract

Buoyancy plumes represent the major mechanism of continent/ocean materials transport. These plumes affect the adjacent areas by their density, which is determined by salinity and temperature. In order to identify the effect of tides, wind and discharge on the dispersion of Doce River different scenarios were simulated with configuration of distinct patterns of these forcings. Delft3D Model developed the simulations used in this study. Were used a range of scenarios in which the wind direction and intensity changes between summer and winter although the discharge is maintained., a scenario where there is no effect of the winds and another two that consider the summer wind effect on situations of summer mean discharge and a condition affected by a maximum discharge. The wind has major role on the dispersion direction of the plume. During the winter was observed a constriction of the plume against the continent, but in the summer the plume presents an offshore transport, these results agree with Ekman’s Theory in the change direction of fluid transport. Besides the wind shows an important role in the vertical mixing of the water column. The discharge present a major role in the extension of the plume, the increasing of your values causes a larger plume over the continental shelf. The Delft3D was capable of describe dispersion patterns to the plume of Doce River under distinct conditions of forcings as tides, winds and river discharge. This study could be helpful to future environmental management directions to the region.