Analytical solution for the wind-driven circulation in a lake containing an island

Abstract

An analysis was carried out to determine analytically the effect of an island on the wind driven currents in a shallow lake (or sea). A general analysis is developed that can be applied to a large class of lake and island geometries and bottom topographies. Detailed numerical results are obtained for a circular island located eccentrically or concentrically in a circular lake with a logarithmic bottom topography. It is shown that an island can produce volume flow (vertically integrated velocities) gyres that are completely different from those produced by a normal basin without an island. These gyres in the neighborhood of the island will produce different velocity patterns, which include the acceleration of flow near the island shore.