Surf Zone Eddies Coupled with Rip Current Morphology

Abstract

Energetic very low frequency (VLF) surf zone eddies (SZE) were observed on a beach composed of shore-connected shoals with quasi-periodic incised rip channels at Sand City, Monterey Bay, California. Incident waves consisted of predominantly shore-normal narrow-banded swell waves. SZEs were located outside the gravity region in along-shore wave number, spaced within the VLF band, and did not appear to exist in higher-frequency bands. The SZEs were significant and constant in intensity within the surf zone and rapidly decreased off shore. The along-shore and cross-shore SZE velocity variances were similar in magnitude. FLF SZE velocities were not forced by VLF surface elevations and were not well correlated with rip current flows.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA495882

Entities

People

  • Ad J. Reniers
  • Ed B. Thornton
  • Jamie MacMahan
  • Tim P. Stanton

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Channel Spacing
  • Civil Engineering
  • Coastal Engineering
  • Correlation Analysis
  • Cross Correlation
  • Data Analysis
  • Engineering
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Bands
  • Marine Geology
  • Measurement
  • Modulation
  • Oceanography
  • Standing Waves
  • Two Dimensional
  • Very Low Frequency
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Coastal Oceanography
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster