Inhomogeneous Cooling Process in a Closed Density Stratified Water Body

Abstract

The mechanism of the generation and development processes of the gravity convection induced by water surface cooling were investigated through the flow visualization experiment and the water temperature measurement experiment for a closed density stratified water body covered with aquatic plants. When a part of the water surface is covered by aquatic plants, etc, the waters are inhomogeneously cooled, and the turbulent intensity in each area has changed greatly. The horizontal convection driven by this horizontal density difference greatly influenced the development speed of the mixed layer. And it is understood that the characteristic of the mixed layer in the covering part depends on the parameters; the heat flux from the water surface, temperature descend speed in the mixed layer, the thickness of the mixed layer and the horizontal convection velocity.