Wave Generation of Gravity-Driven Sediment Flows on a Predominantly Sandy Seabed

Wave-supported gravity flows (WSGFs) generate rates of sediment flux far exceeding other cross-shelf transport processes, contributing disproportionately to shelf morphology and net cross-shelf fluxes of sediment in many regions worldwide. However, the conditions deemed necessary for the formation of WSGF limit them to a narrow set of shelf...

Cross-shore stratified tidal flow seaward of a mega-nourishment

The Sand Engine is a 21.5 million m³ experimental mega-nourishment project that was built in 2011 along the Dutch coast. This intervention created a discontinuity in the previous straight sandy coastline, altering the local hydrodynamics in a region that is influenced by the buoyant plume generated by the Rhine River. This work...

Cross-shore transport of nearshore sediment by river plume frontal pumping

We present a new mechanism for cross-shore transport of fine sediment from the nearshore to the inner shelf resulting from the onshore propagation of river plume fronts. Onshore frontal propagation is observed in moorings and radar images, which show that fronts penetrate onshore through the nearshore and surf zone, almost to the waterline....

Spatial variability of the wave bottom boundary layer over movable rippled beds

Observations of the spatially dependent velocity field over movable bed forms subjected to slightly skewed and asymmetric regular wave forcing were collected. The dynamics between the ripple elements is dominated by coherent vortices, characterized by the swirling strength, and evidenced in the temporal and spectral characterization. Within the...

Surf zone surface retention on a rip?channeled beach

The retention of floating matter within the surf zone on a rip-channeled beach is examined with a combination of detailed field observations obtained during the Rip Current Experiment and a three-dimensional (3-D) wave and flow model. The acoustic Doppler current profiler–observed hourly vertical cross-shore velocity structure variability over a...