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From Substrate to Surface: A Turbulence-based Model to Predict Interfacial Gas Transfer across Sediment-water-air Interfaces in Vegetation Streams with Sediments
  • Chien-Yung Tseng,
  • Rafael Tinoco
Chien-Yung Tseng
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Corresponding Author:cytseng2@illinois.edu

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Rafael Tinoco
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
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Abstract

Turbulence generated by aquatic vegetation plays a vital role in the interfacial transfer process at the air-water interface and sediment-water interface (AWI and SWI), impacting the dissolved oxygen (DO) level, a key indicator of water quality for aquatic ecosystems. We investigated the influence of vegetation, under different submergence ratios and plant densities, on the interfacial gas transfer mechanisms. We conducted laboratory experiments in a unidirectional recirculating flume with simulated rigid vegetation on a sediment bed. Two-dimensional planar Particle Image Velocimetry (2D-PIV) was used to characterize the mean flow field and turbulent quantities. Gas transfer rates at the AWI were determined by monitoring the DO concentration during the re-aeration process in water. SWI interfacial transfer fluxes were estimated by measuring the DO concentration difference between the near-surface and near-bed values. Compared to previous observations on a smooth bed without sediment, the presence of sediment enhances the bottom roughness, which generates stronger bed-shear turbulence. The experimental result shows that turbulence generated from the bed does not affect the surface transfer process directly. However, the near-bed suspended sediment provides a negative buoyancy term that reduces the transfer efficiency according to the predictions by a modified Surface Renewal model for vegetated flows. The measured interfacial transfer fluxes across the SWI show a clear dependence on the within-canopy flow velocity, indicating that bed shear turbulence and within-canopy turbulence are critical indicators of transfer efficiency at SWI in vegetated flows. A new Reynolds number dependence model using near-bed turbulent kinetic energy as an indicator is proposed to provide a universal prediction for the interfacial flux across the SWI in flows with aquatic vegetation. Our study provides critical insight for future studies on water quality management and ecosystem restoration in natural water environments such as lakes, rivers, and wetlands.