Fluid Mechanics of Environmental Interfaces

by Gualtieri, Carlo; Mihailovic, Dragutin T.

• ISBN13: 9780203895351
• ISBN10: 0203895355
• Copyright: 2008-02-15
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Summary

An environmental interface is defined as a surface between two abiotic or biotic systems, in relative motion and exchanging mass, heat and momentum through biophysical and/or chemical processes. These processes fluctuate temporally and spatially. The book first treats exchange processes occurring at the interfaces between atmosphere and the surface of the sea, and atmosphere and land surface. These exchanges include the effect of vegetation, transport of dust and dispersion of passive substances within the atmosphere. Processes at the environmental interfaces of freshwater, such as gas-transfer at free-surfaces of rivers, advective diffusion of air bubbles in turbulent water flows and boundary-layers phenomena in vegetated open channels are also described. Finally, the book deals with the phenomena that affect transport of material to and from the surface of an organism, including molecular and turbulent diffusion. The relevant issues related to mass transfer to and from benthic plants and animals are further considered in detail. The book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in environmental sciences, civil engineering and environmental engineering, (geo)physics and applied mathematics.

Table of Contents

Preface1. Environmental fluid mechanics: Current issues and future outlookPart one Processes at atmospheric interfaces2. Point source atmospheric diffusion3. Air-sea interaction4. Modelling of flux exchanges between heterogeneous surfaces andatmosphere5. Desert dust uptake transport and deposition mechanisms impacts ofdust on radiation, clouds and precipitationPart two Processes at water interfaces6. Gas-transfer at unsheared free surfaces7. Advective diffusion of air bubbles in turbulent water flowsPart three Processes at interfaces of biotic systems8. Transport processes in the soil-vegetation-lower atmosphere system9. Turbulence within the forest canopy10. Vegetated flow in open channels11. Mass transport in aquatic environments