Características hidrográficas y sedimentológicas en el estuario del río Aconcagua, Chile Central.

Abstract

The study presents the hydrographical characteristics of the Aconcagua Estuary, Central Chile (32° 55' S and 71° 30' 30" W) performed during a hydrographical campaign in April of 2001. In this microtidal estuary to were obtained bathymetry data, salinity, temperature, turbidity and bottom characteristics. The dynamics of the estuary indicates the presence of a saline intrusion, facilitated by the bottom morphology, with a tendency to a hyper synchronous state. It was observed a stratification of the water column and increased values of salinity in depth, indicating a saline wedge. To the interior of the estuarial lagoon brief (30cm of depth), abundance of gravel and sands were observed, associated to the greater depths (4m), fine textural ranks were identified, varying between muddy sand and silt-clay sediments