| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 569094 | Environmental Modelling & Software | 2009 | 5 Pages |
This communication presents a scale-dependent model, called Scaling Dispersion (SD) Model, for simulating solute dispersion and transport in rivers without using a user-specified residence time distribution function. The SD model consists of (1) the advection dispersion equation with a transient storage term which is characterized by a variable residence time, (2) a new method for estimation of the longitudinal Fickian dispersion coefficient involved in the model, and (3) a split-operator method for numerical solution of the equations involved in the model. Comparisons between the SD model and the most widely used transient storage model against tracer test data observed in three US rivers show that the SD model is capable of simulating different types of residence time distributions commonly observed in streams with an accuracy higher than or at least comparable with existing solute transport models, demonstrating the efficacy of the SD model. The SD model unifies the residence time distributions observed in natural rivers within a single modelling framework for the first time. The SD model provides an efficient and cost effective tool for predicting solute dispersion and transport in streams and rivers.
