RCEX: Rip Current Experiment
Abstract
Long term goals are to understand processes that cause the formation and maintenance of quasi-stationary rip channel / shoal systems in the surf zone. It is now recognized that this 3D configuration of the surf zone bathymetry is widespread and more representative than the simpler straight and parallel beaches that have been studied in recent years. A combination of detailed field observations and concurrent numerical modeling of the system are being used in this research. The research objectives of the proposed work focus on obtaining new observations of the three-dimensional structure of the rip current system utilizing a suite of in situ instruments with the addition of repeated deployments of a fleet of 30 inexpensive surf zone drifters to measure mean flow patterns, vorticity, dispersion, and diffusion. The second related effort applies a numerical model (Delft3D) to evaluate the dynamics of the rip current system and its interaction with the surface wave field and bottom topography. These new observations will be used to validate Delft3D and extend our understanding of rip current processes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA541734
Entities
People
- Timothy P. Stanton
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School