The Coastal Dynamics of Heterogeneous Sedimentary Environments: Numerical Modeling of Nearshore Hydrodynamics and Sediment Transport

Abstract

This report discusses details of the numerical models used to simulate wave, tide, and wind-driven hydrodynamics and sedimentation in water depths less than 10 m. These simulations have used the Princeton Ocean Model (POM), the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM), the SWAN wave model, and the Littoral Sedimentation and Optics Model (LSOM). The problems include: (1) nearshore erosion and mass conservation on the shoreface; (2) coastal erosion during a hurricane; (3) sand resuspension and optical characteristics on the shoreface; and (4) barrier island erosion during cold fronts. These results demonstrate several important conclusions: (a) the nearshore is an open system with respect to sediment transport; (b) nearshore hydrodynamics is not always dominated by waves but also relies on winds and tides; (c) very weak processes can have unforeseen impacts over long periods.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 10, 2010
Accession Number
ADA521202

Entities

People

  • K. Todd Holland
  • Timothy R. Keen

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundary Layer
  • Civil Engineering
  • Climate Change
  • Coastal Engineering
  • Geography
  • Grids
  • Marine Geology
  • Ocean Currents
  • Oceanography
  • Optical Properties
  • Sea Level Rise
  • Seabed
  • Storm Surges
  • Terrain
  • Three Dimensional
  • Topography
  • Tropical Cyclones

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Coastal Oceanography