Observations of Waves and Currents Near the Surf Zone
Abstract
The goal is to understand the form and dynamics of the various flows and exchanges near shore. These flows are forced mainly by waves and wind, with weaker influences due to larger scale flows (e.g., freshwater outflow from Chesapeake Bay, etc.). The dynamics near shore are also influenced by topography, strongly affecting both the wave field and the circulation itself. Such understanding should lead to predictions of the features such as instabilities and rip currents, the net effects on horizontal mixing and diffusion, and the feedback on morphological evolution and beach erosion. To understand this complex system, a reasonable approach is to focus on times and places where one or just a few of the influences dominate, until each is understood well enough to combine into a unified theory of nearshore dynamics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA629633
Entities
People
- Jerome A. Smith
Organizations
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography