Manuel Díez-Minguito

Use of a Real-Time Remote Monitoring Network (RTRM) to Characterize the Guadalquivir Estuary (Spain)

The temporal variability of hydrological variables in the Guadalquivir estuary was examined during three years through a real-time remote monitoring network (RTRM). The network was developed with the aim of studying the influence of hydrodynamical and hydrological features within the estuary on the functioning of the pelagic ecosystem. Completing this data-gathering network, monthly cruises were performed in order to measure biogeochemical variables that are indicative of the trophic status of the aquatic environment. The results showed that several sources of physical forcing, such as wind, tide-associated currents and river discharge were responsible for the spatio-temporal patterns of dissolved oxygen, salinity and turbidity in the estuary. The analysis was conducted under tidal and flood regime, which allowed us to identify river discharge as the main forcing agent of the hydrology inside the estuary. In particular, episodes of elevated turbidity detected by the network, together with episodes of low salinity and dissolved oxygen were closely related to the increase in water supply from a dam located upstream. The network installed provided accurate data that can be rapidly used for research or educational applications and by policy-makers or agencies in charge of the management of the coastal area.

Structure of the turbidity field in the Guadalquivir estuary: Analysis of observations and a box model approach

A study is presented on the transport of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Guadalquivir estuary during low river flow conditions. Observations show that tidally induced SPM exceeds that associated with catchment-derived inputs. The main mechanisms that contribute to longitudinal transport are identified and quantified by analyzing the tidally averaged and depth-integrated SPM flux decomposition over time and space. The net transport is generally directed upstream, although differences in the direction between spring and neap tides are identified. The transport is largely controlled by the mean advection, the tidal pumping associated with the covariance between SPM concentration and current, and the tidal Stokes transport. The convergence of the transport associated to these mechanisms alone explains the presence of primary and secondary estuarine turbidity maxima. The tidal reflection at the upstream dam appears to play a significant role in their generation, as evidenced by the convergence zones of the M4 and M2 induced tidal pumping transports. The spatial structure of the transport motivates the development of a box model that describes the concentration of SPM and its exchange between different stretches along the estuary at subtidal time scales. The model is fed by the net SPM transport obtained from observations. Analysis of the morphodynamical state of the estuary using the box model indicates that erosion is dominant in the stretches close to the estuary mouth and that this sediment is transported upstream and deposited in the middle part of the estuary. This process is more influential during spring tides than during neap tides.

Lattice Versus Lennard-Jones Models with a Net Particle Flow

We present and study lattice and off-lattice microscopic models in which particles interact via a local anisotropic rule. The rule induces preferential hopping along one direction, so that a net current sets in if allowed by boundary conditions. This may be viewed as an oversimplification of the situation concerning certain traffic and flow problems. The emphasis in our study is on the influence of dynamic details on the resulting (non-equilibrium) steady state. In particular, we shall discuss on the similarities and differences between a lattice model and its continuous counterpart, namely, a Lennard-Jones analogue in which the particles’ coordinates vary continuously. Our study, which involves a large series of computer simulations, in particular reveals that spatial discretization will often modify the resulting morphological properties and even induce a different phase diagram and criticality.

INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOLS: AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF LEARNING

This contribution presents the development and results of an International Summer School organized by CEIMAR Campus and the University of Granada (Spain). The school was intended for graduate students interested in physical processes in nearshore and estuarine systems. The “III CEIMAR International Summer School on Estuarine and Nearshore Systems: From Fundamentals to CuttingEdge Knowledge” consisted of 70 hours in a two-week period, and aimed at providing an integral view of actual coastal systems through topic lectures and hands-on practices (50%-50% of hours) led by international renowned experts. The students’ activities included short individual self-presenting presentations; teamwork to carry out practices and a short research project, and final group presentations of the project outcome. The results of an anonymous survey submitted to the participants after the completion of the school indicated that the experience was highly positive, in personal as well as in professional terms. The participants’ evaluation showed that the development of this type of activities is positive not only for learning and specialization but also to enhance transversal abilities, such as networking.