Generation and Transport of Vorticity and Effects on Mean Surface Currents: Wave Averaged and Wave Resolving Formulations
Abstract
Our long term goal is to understand the mechanisms controlling the intensity and spatial distribution of vortical structures, such as eddies and rip currents, evolving in the surfzone, and to understand how these flow features influence time-averaged currents, sediment transport and wave statistics. Recent computations (Kirby et al, 2003a, b) have shown that computations of shear waves using either wave-averaged circulation models on the one hand, or wave-resolving Boussinesq models on the other hand, can predict very different nearshore circulation patterns when configured similarly and applied to the same field cases. This discrepancy is troubling, in that a clear basis has not been established for determining which results are typically closer to observed field conditions. In order to resolve this issue, we plan to perform comparisons of model runs for a number of time periods from the SandyDuck field experiment, and compare results to both array measurements of long-shore and cross-shore velocities as well as Doppler Sonar measurements of the study area, which provide more information on the spatial structure of flow features.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA523810
Entities
People
- James T Kirby
Organizations
- University of Delaware