Search USGS⌕ Search

Geology topics

Nobuhiro Yotsukura

Publications and source records attributed to Nobuhiro Yotsukura.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1989

Determination of stream reaeration coefficients by use of tracers

Stream reaeration is the physical absorption of oxygen from the atmosphere by a flowing stream. This is the primary process by which a stream replenishes the oxygen consumed in the biodegradation of organic wastes. Prior to 1965, reaeration rate coefficients could be estimated only by indirect methods. In 1965, a direct method of measuring stream reaeration coefficients was developed whereby a radioactive tracer gas was injected into a stream-the principle being that the tracer gas would be desorbed from the stream inversely to how oxygen would be absorbed. The technique has since been modified by substituting hydrocarbon gases for the radioactive tracer gas. This manual describes the slug-injection and constant-rate-injection methods of measuring gas-tracer desorption. Emphasis is on the use of rhodamine WT dye as a relatively conservative tracer and propane as the nonconservative gas tracer, on planning field tests, on methods of injection, sampling, and analysis, and on techniques for computing desorption and reaeration coefficients.

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations↗
USGS1984

Assessment of steady-state propane-gas tracer method for determining reaeration coefficients, Chenango River, New York

A test was conducted in a meandering 9.6-km reach of the Chenango River, New York, to assess the feasibility of a two-dimensional steady-state propane-gas tracer method as a means of estimating in situ reaeration coefficients. It is concluded that the method, which combines an instantaneous release of dye tracer with a long duration release of propane gas tracer, is very feasible for determining gas-desorption coefficients and wind effects in a wide river. However, the method does not appear to be ready for immediate operational applications. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1979

Status of surface-water modeling in the U.S. Geological Survey

The U.S. Geological Survey is active in the development and use of models for the analysis of various types of surface-water problems. Types of problems for which models have been, or are being developed, include categories such as the following: (1)specialized hydraulics, (2)flow routing in streams, estuaries, lakes, and reservoirs, (3) sedimentation, (4) transport of physical, chemical, and biological constituents, (5) surface exchange of heat and mass, (6) coupled stream-aquifer flow systems, (7) physical hydrology for rainfall-runoff relations, stream-system simulations, channel geometry, and water quality, (8) statistical hydrology for synthetic streamflows, floods, droughts, storage, and water quality, (9) management and operation problems, and (10) miscellaneous hydrologic problems. Following a brief review of activities prior to 1970, the current status of surface-water modeling is given as being in a developmental, verification, operational, or continued improvement phase. A list of recently published selected references, provides useful details on the characteristics of models.

Circular↗
USGS1977

Thermal loading of natural streams

The impact of thermal loading on the temperature regime of natural streams is investigated by mathematical models, which describe both transport (convection-diffusion) and decay (surface dissipation) of waste heat over 1-hour or shorter time intervals. The models are derived from the principle of conservation of thermal energy for application to one- and two-dimensional spaces. The basic concept in these models is to separate water temperature into two parts, (1) excess temperature due to thermal loading and (2) natural (ambient) temperature. This separation allows excess temperature to be calculated from the models without incoming radiation data. Natural temperature may either be measured in prototypes or calculated from the model. If use is made of the model, however, incoming radiation is required as input data. Comparison of observed and calculated temperatures in seven natural streams shows that the models are capable of predicting transient temperature regimes satisfactorily in most cases. (Woodard-USGS)

Professional Paper↗
USGS1977

Derivation of solute-transport equations for a turbulent natural-channel flow

The continuity equation of water and the convection-diffusion equation for a solute are derived by use of an orthogonal curvilinear (natural) coordinate system, which follows the meandering and irregular pattern of natural channel geometry. The solute is assumed to be neutrally buoyant, conservative, and passive. The three-, two-, and one-dimensional equations derived herein represent one of the most satisfactory descriptions of solute transport by turbulent flow in a natural channel.

Journal of Research of the U.S. Geological Survey↗
USGS1970

Measurement of mixing characteristics of the Missouri River between Sioux City, Iowa, and Plattsmouth, Nebraska

Measurements of longitudinal dispersion, transverse mixing, channel geometry, and transverse velocity distribution were made in the Missouri River at a flow of about 33,000 cubic feet per second. The results show that the longitudinal dispersion coefficient for the 141-mile reach from Sioux City, Iowa, to Plattsmouth, Nebr., is about 16,000 square feet per second (approximately 5,600 U*d, where U* is the shear velocity and d is mean depth). The transverse mixing coefficient, Ez, for a 6-mile reach immediately downstream from Blair, Nebr., is about 1.3 square feet per second (approximately 0.6 U*d). The value of the longitudinal dispersion coefficient is one of the largest ever measured, and the value of the ratio Ez/U*d is approximately three times as large as that frequently reported for small straight channels.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1969

Movement of a solute in the Potomac River estuary at Washington, D.C., at low inflow conditions

The movement of a solute, as represented by a soluble fluorescent dye, was observed in the Potomac River estuary at Washington, D.C. The average net rate of downstream movement of the solute centroid was less than 0.6 mile per day. The movement of a solute is highly dependent on the nontidal inflow to the estuary. During the study, the average inflow was 900 cubic feet per second a very low value, equaled or exceeded 98 percent of the time. Using a storage equation, the average movement of a solute was estimated for nontidal inflow of 3,100 and 6,500 cubic feet per second; these inflows are equaled or exceeded 75 and 50 percent of the time, respectively. The study showed that tidal action was fairly efficient in dispersing the solute longitudinally. The solute, which was dumped 1,000 feet upstream from the 14th Street Bridge, was observed as far upstream as Roosevelt Island. A transient longitudinal dispersion coefficient at the end of 150 hours was determined to be 210 square feet per second. On the other hand, the lateral diffusion was a slow process and the lateral distribution of the solute was far from uniform at the end of 6½ days after the release.

Washington D.C.↗