how to Measuring coastal currents of Huludao ?

This article details using ADCP to measure Huludao's coastal currents. It covers Huludao's location, the factors affecting its coastal currents, how ADCP works, the requirements for accurate measurement, and equipment selection tips.

1. Location of Huludao

Huludao is a sea border city in Liaoning Province, China. Located on the western coast of Liaodong Bay, part of Bohai Sea. Huludao City is an important port and holds an important position in the regional economy.

Huludao has a warm-temperate monsoon climate: relatively cold winters and warm summers. There is a certain sea-breeze moderation in the general course of the local climate. The precipitation volume is moderate; it promotes different types of vegetation, including coastal shrubery and forest.

Huludao has a great historical maritime background. The local fishing industry and shipping business are deeply ingrained in the area. On its coasts, there is a chain of fishing harbors with associated accessories. The seabed topography at Huludao is complex, with combined shallow areas close to the shore and further depth afar from the shore. The waters are influenced by variables tides, winds, and oceanic currents coming from the Bohai Sea.

2. What is the situation of coastal currents near Huludao?

Those are various facts affecting the coastal currents near Huludao. First of all, a big factor is the presence of a monsoon climate. In summer, for example, the southeast monsoon can drive surface waters, determining the direction and strength of coastal currents. The winds give way to water in such a pattern that it may influence shipping, fishing, and other marine activities. During winter, it is the northwest monsoon which changes the directions and speeds of the current.

What will be more relevant, however, is the topography of the sea floor. Submarine ridges, troughs, and shoals can make the water leak one way and another, and the flow faster or slower. In shallower places, there are slower currents, but over deeper ones, the flow can be more substantial and more complex. For example, in places around the shoals, the water would be considerably slower on account of the shallower depth, while in troughs it could well be much stronger with a more complicated circulation pattern.

Other important considerations include the tides. In the Bohai Sea, the usual rise and fall of tides result in high tidal currents. Indeed, near estuaries and narrow channels, tidal currents could be very strong. They help transport sediments, nutrients, and marine organisms. The tidal currents likewise influence coastal erosion and sediment deposition that may also impact the shape of the coastline and affect the distribution of marine life.

Moreover, the interaction with more large-scale ocean currents from the Bohai Sea and other adjacent regions can further alter coastal currents around Huludao. These oceanic currents bring in different water masses with distinct features in temperature and salinity, further influencing the local dynamics of currents. For instance, the intrusion of warmer or colder water masses will elevate or lower the temperature in the coastal waters, which affects the local marine ecology and meteorology.

3.How to Observe the Coastal Water Flow of Huludao?

Accurate measurement of the coastal current is of high importance for the local objective in the field of marine safety, fishery management, and coastal protection of Huludao. For decades, traditional observation methods of the coastal water flow prevail in buoys and current meters. Yet there are limitations for the traditional methods in terms of accuracy and coverage.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) represent an improved, more practical method of measuring coastal currents. ADCPs based on the principle of the Doppler principle measure the velocity of water flow.

3.1 How do ADCPs using the Doppler principle work?

ADCP current meter emit sound waves into the water. In turn, the moving particles in the water-suspended sediments and small organisms-interact with these sound waves. As these particles move, the frequency of the reflected sound waves deviates due to a frequency shift related to the velocity of the water current.

The ADCP's transducer array executes the function of transmission and reception of sound waves in different directions. Through multiple directional frequency shifts of the reflected waves, the ADCP current profiler can calculate the speed and direction at different depths. It thus forms a three-dimensional perception of the current structure.

3.2 What is required for high — quality measurement of Huludao coastal currents?

Some of the aspects to consider for high - quality measurement of the coastal currents in Huludao include equipment reliability. The ADCP doppler material must be able to with stand the harsh marine environment.

Titanium alloy is a great material that can be used on the casing of ADCP flow meter. This is owing to its high resistance to corrosion, which is critical in the salty water of the coast. This resists the corrosive activity of sea water and marine organisms, allowing the equipment to have a long working life. Besides that, titanium alloy is light and strong. Its strength will act against the physical stresses in the sea environment while lightness offers easy handling and installation.

Besides material reliability, other characteristics such as small size, low weight, low power consumption, and low cost are welcomed. A compact and lightweight ADCP meter is easier to carry and deploy, making more measurements possible in more locations. Low power consumption allows for longer operations without very frequent battery replacement or large power supply. This cost-effectiveness will enable large-scale deployment for the monitoring of the coastal area as a whole.

3.3 How to Choose the right equipment for current measurement?

For selecting the proper equipment for the measurement of the currents in the coast of Huludao, various factors are to be considered. The key factor will be the usage of the equipment.

For vessel-in-motion measurements, there is the ship-mounted ADCP. It would be used to measure the current in real time as a vessel moves along a coast, in such a way that one is continually monitoring the current conditions.

If the measurement is to be made at a fixed location on the seabed, then a bottom-mounted ADCP profiler will be the proper instrument; it can be installed at a point and measure the current at that point over a long term in a stable manner.

An ADCP is available that mounts on a buoy for applications in open water, or anywhere a fixed installation is just not possible. It is able to measure the current over a larger area and transmit the results wirelessly.

For the choice of frequency, different frequencies suit different water depths. The 600 kHz ADCP would be generally appropriate for water depths up to 70 meters. Where the water depth is between 70 and 110 meters, the ADCP of frequency 300 kHz would be a better choice. If it is for quite deeper water, say up to 1000 meters, then it should be 75 kHz.

When it comes to choosing an ADCP brand, well - known international brands such as Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek are popular options. However, for those seeking a cost - effective yet high - quality alternative, the ChinaSonar PandaADCP is worth considering. Made entirely of titanium alloy, it combines durability and reliability with an excellent price - performance ratio. You can find more information about it at https://china-sonar.com.

Here is a table with some well known ADCP instrument brands and moels.

Brandmodel
Teledyne RDIOcean Surveyor ADCP , Pinnacle ADCP , Sentinel V ADCP , Workhorse II Monitor ADCP, Workhorse II Sentinel ADCP, Workhorse II Mariner ADCP, Workhorse Long Ranger ADCP, RiverPro , RiverRay , StreamPro  , ChannelMaster  etc.
NORTEKEco, Signature VM Ocean, Signature, AWAC, Aquadopp Profiler etc.
SonTek SonTek-RS5, SonTek-M9, SonTek-SL, SonTek-IQ, etc.
China SonarPandaADCP-DR-600KPandaADCP-SC-300K, PandaADCP-DR-75K-PHASED, PandaADCP-DR-300K, etc.
Jack Law November 4, 2024
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