Introduction to Estuarine Hydrodynamics

This textbook provides an in-depth overview of the hydrodynamics of estuaries and semi-enclosed bodies of water. It begins by describing the typical classification of estuaries followed by a presentation of the quantitative tools needed to study these basins: conservation of mass salt heat momentum and the thermodynamic equation of seawater. Further topics explore tides in homogeneous basins including shallow water tides and tidal residual flows wind-driven flows in homogeneous basins density-driven flows as well as interactions among tides winds and density gradients. The book proposes a classification of semi-enclosed basins that is based on dominant dynamics comparing forcing agents and restorative or balancing forces. Introduction to Estuarine Hydrodynamics provides an introduction for advanced students and researchers across a range of disciplines - Earth science environmental science biology chemistry geology hydrology physics - related to the study of estuarine systems.