Mixing Within Experimental Enclosures: a Cautionary Note on the Limnocorral

Abstract

A simple theoretical model was constructed to simulate heat transfer from a stratified lake surrounding an experimental enclosure constructed of a thin, flexible, vertical curtain. It was shown that for realistic dimensions of the apparatus and for modest horizontal turbulent diffusion processes within the enclosure, the vertical temperature profiles inside and outside the enclosure could be expected to be closely similar, and that the similarity was a result of horizontal heat transfers. In this situation, similarity of temperature profiles was not evidence of similarity of vertical transfer processes and experimental results within enclosures which depend on vertical transfers should be extrapolated with caution to the main body of the lake.