Article
 

Quantifying the length-scale dependence of surf zone advection

Public Deposited

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/9306t088m

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • We investigate the momentum balance in the surf zone, in a setting which is weakly varying in the alongshore direction. Our focus is on the role of nonlinear advective terms. Using numerical experiments, we find that advection tends to counteract alongshore variations in momentum flux, resulting in more uniform kinematics. Additionally, advection causes a shifting of the kinematic response in the direction of flow. These effects are strongest at short alongshore length scales, and/or strong alongshore-mean velocity. The length-scale dependence is investigated using spectral analysis, where the effect of advective terms is treated as a transfer function applied to the solution to the linear (advection-free) equations of motion. The transfer function is then shown to be governed by a nondimensional parameter which quantifies the relative scales of advection and bottom stress, analogous to a Reynolds Number. Hence, this parameter can be used to quantify the length scales at which advective terms, and the resulting effects described above, are important. We also introduce an approximate functional form for the transfer function, which is valid asymptotically within a restricted range of length scales.
  • Keywords: Rip currents, Models, Nearshore circulation, Barred beaches, Stresses, Longshore currents, Nonlinear shear instabilities, Incident sea waves, Shallow water, Alongshore currents
Resource Type
DOI
Date Available
Date Issued
Citation
  • Wilson, G., Ozkan-Haller, H., & Holman, R. (2013). Quantifying the length-scale dependence of surf zone advection. Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans, 118(5), 2393-2407. doi:10.1002/jgrc.20190
Journal Title
Journal Volume
  • 118
Journal Issue/Number
  • 5
Rights Statement
Funding Statement (additional comments about funding)
  • This work was supported by Office of Naval Research Grants N00014-02-1-0198, N00014-07-1-0852, and N00014-11-10393.
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Replaces

Relationships

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details WilsonGregWCEOASQuantifyingLengthScale.pdf 2017-07-25 Public Download