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CONVECTIVE-DISPERSIVE TRANSPORT MODEL FOR WASTES DISPOSED AT THE 106-MILE OCEAN DISPOSAL SITE
Citation:
Walker, H., J. Paul, AND V. Bierman. CONVECTIVE-DISPERSIVE TRANSPORT MODEL FOR WASTES DISPOSED AT THE 106-MILE OCEAN DISPOSAL SITE. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/D-90/189 (NTIS PB91130161).
Description:
A two-dimensional, convective-dispersive transport model was used to predict bounds on the expected long-term time-averaged dilutions for wastes disposed of at the 106-Mile Ocean Disposal Site (between 38 degrees 40' and 39 degrees 00'N, and 72 degrees 00' and 72 degrees 30'W). otential concentrations of wastes near the outer continental shelf were of particular interest because of the presence of commercial and sportfishing grounds. he major model assumptions were (1) the wastes were completely mixed vertically and remained in the upper mixed layer, (2) the expected center of mass of a discrete dump of material was convected from the disposal site with the mean horizontal current, (3) the expected dispersion of a discrete dump of material about its center of mass was determined by the variance and correlation structure of current velocities, and (4) the expected long-term time-averaged plume can be estimated by superimposing the expected distributions of the individual dumps. n order to obtain bounds on the long-term time-averaged dilutions of wastes in the slope-water regions, and in particular along the shelf-slope front, the front was treated in the model either as a transparent, or nonimpeding, boundary or as a reflecting boundary. ransparent boundary was more appropriate for summer conditions above the seasonal thermocline. s a first approximation, a reflecting boundary was more appropriate for winter simulations. he Gulf Stream was modeled as the downstream sink for wastes.