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Notation

The consistent use of parameters and symbols for parameters is summarized in a notation table stating symbols, associated parameter definitions, and parameter units. Table 1 and Table 2 list Latin and Greek letters (symbols) used in this eBook.

Table 1:Latin letters (symbols) and parameters used in this eBook (in alphabetical order).

Letter

Unit

Description

AA

m2^2

flow cross section

BB

m

channel width at the water surface

bb

m

channel bottom width

bmb_m

m

mean flow width

ccflc_{cfl}

-

Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) condition

ceqc_{eq}

g m3^{-3}

fine material equilibrium near-bed concentration (cf. Suspended Load Formulae)

CDC_{D}

-

drag coefficient (cf. Equation (4))

cfc_{f}

-

combined form drag and skin friction coefficient

cfc'_{f}

-

skin friction coefficient (Equation (11))

cmudc_{mud}

g m3^{-3}

fine material concentration (cf. Equation (3))

cεc_{\varepsilon}

-

convergence constant (cf. Equation (2))

cHSIcHSI

index

combined habitat suitability index

DD

m2^2/s

diffusion coefficient (or diffusivity)

DmD_{m}

m

mean grain diameter of a sediment mixture

DpqD_{pq}

m

grain diameter of which pqpq~%\% of the mixture are finer

DxD_{x}

m

dimensionless grain diameter (cf. Equation (5) and Shields parameter)

FrFr

-

Froude number

fDf_D

-

Darcy-Weisbach friction factor

FebF_{eb}

-

Einstein-Brown (EB) factor (Equation (4))

fehf_{eh}

-

factor in the Engelund and Hansen bedload equation (7)

ffrf_{fr}

-

friction correction factor for bed shear stress (Equation (10))

fksf_{k'_{s}}

-

ratio between skin friction and mean diameter

fmpmf_{mpm}

-

Meyer-Peter and Müller (MPM) factor (Equation (2))

gg

m s2^{-2}

gravitational acceleration

HSIHSI

index

habitat suitability index

hh

m

water depth

ii or i

-

level one scalar iterator (1d space)

jj or j

-

level two scalar iterator (2d space)

k

-

level three scalar iterator (3d space)

kk

m2^2 s2^{-2} or J kg1^{-1}

turbulent kinetic energy

kstk_{st}

m1/3^{1/3} s1^{-1}

Strickler roughness coefficient (fictive units)

MM

kg m2^{-2} s1^{-1}

Partheniades (1965) erosion constant (cf. Equation (6))

mm

-

channel bank slope

NN

-

target value of a matrix iterator

nn

-

target value of a scalar iterator

nmn_m

m1/3^{-1/3} s

Manning’s roughness coefficient (fictive units)

PP

m

wetted perimeter

PrPr

-

probability

QQ (also QiQ_i or QjQ_j)

m3^3 s1^{-1}

discharge (water), fluxes, or volume flow rate

qq

m2^2 s1^{-1}

unit discharge

QbQ_{b}

kg s1^{-1}

bed load transport (capacity)

QbcrQ_{b * cr}

kg s1^{-1}

dimensionless bed load transport (capacity)

qbq_{b}

kg s1^{-1} m1^{-1}

unit bedload transport (capacity)

qb,scq_{b,sc}

kg s1^{-1} m1^{-1}

slope-corrected unit bedload transport (capacity)

QbfQ_{bf}

m3^3 s1^{-1}

bank-full discharge

qsq_{s}

kg s1^{-1} m1^{-1}

unit sediment transport capacity

qs,depq_{s,dep}

kg s1^{-1} m1^{-1}

unit suspended deposition flux (Equation (3))

qs,depq_{s,dep}

kg s1^{-1} m1^{-1}

unit suspended erosion flux (Equation (6))

ReRe

-

Reynolds number

RhR_h

m

hydraulic radius

SS

-

slope

S0S_0

-

channel slope

SeS_{e}

-

energy slope

ss

-

ratio of sediment grain and water density

TT

years

recurrence interval

tt

s

time, duration

uu or uju_j or uku_k

m s1^{-1}

flow velocity in xx, jj, and kk directions, respectively

u\mathbf{u} (bold)

m s1^{-1}

flow velocity vector (multidimensional)

uu_{*}

m s1^{-1}

shear velocity

ucru_{cr}

m s1^{-1}

critical shear velocity for mud deposition (cf. Equation (3))

wsw_{s}

m s1^{-1}

settling velocity (cf. Equation (4))

wsewse

m a.s.l.

water surface elevation (absolute)

xx

m

streamwise coordinate pointing in the upstream direction, or Easting of geodata

yy

m

spanwise coordinate pointing toward the right bank, or Northing of geodata

zz

m

vertical coordinate pointing against the gravity acceleration vector

zbz_{b}

m or m a.s.l.

riverbed elevation pointing against the gravity acceleration vector

Table 2:Greek letters (symbols) and parameters used in this eBook (in alphabetical order).

Letter

Unit

Description

α\alpha

rad or deg

angle between the longitudinal channel (xx) axis and a mass transport vector

β\beta

-

empiric bedload intensity correction factor (e.g., in Gaia)

Δt\Delta {t}

s or years

time period (duration) or timestep length

Δx\Delta {x}

m

horizontal distance or cell size in xx-direction

Δy\Delta {y}

m

spanwise distance or cell size in yy-direction

Δz\Delta {z}

m

difference in height or cell size in zz-direction

ϵ\epsilon

-

porosity

ε\varepsilon

var.

absolute error between two quantities (see Equation (1))

η\eta

m

active layer thickness

ηL\eta_L

-

Kolmogorov length scale

ηT\eta_T

-

Kolmogorov time scale

ηU\eta_U

-

Kolmogorov velocity scale

\nabla

-

operator vector (nabla) of partial differentials xi\frac{\partial}{\partial x_i} where xix_i refers to the dimensions of the flow field Kundu & Cohen, 2008

μ\mu = νρw\nu \cdot \rho_w

kg m1^{-1} s1^{-1}

dynamic viscosity

ν\nu = μρw1\mu \cdot \rho_w^{-1}

m2^{2} s1^{-1}

kinematic viscosity

Φ\Phi

-

dimensionless Sediment transport

Φb\Phi_b

-

dimensionless Bedload transport

ψ\psi

variable

constant of a transported particle (substance)

ρs\rho_s

kg m3^{-3}

sediment grain density

ρw\rho_w

kg m3^{-3}

density of water

τ\tau

N m2^{-2}

bed shear stress

τcr\tau_{cr}

N m2^{-2}

Critical dimensional bed shear stress (cf. Equation (6))

τx\tau_x

-

Dimensionless bed shear stress

τx,cr\tau_{x,cr}

-

Critical Dimensionless bed shear stress or Shields parameter

References
  1. Partheniades, E. (1965). Erosion and Deposition of Cohesive Soils. Journal of the Hydraulics Division, 91(1), 105–139. https://cedb.asce.org/CEDBsearch/record.jsp?dockey=0013640
  2. Kundu, P. K., & Cohen, I. M. (2008). Fluid Mechanics (4th ed.). Elsevier Inc.