Vortical surf zone velocity fluctuations with 0(10) min period

Observations of velocity fluctuations with periods between about 4 and 30 min, thus longer than infragravity waves and referred to as very low frequency (VLF) surf zone motions, are described and compared with numerical simulations. The VLF motions discussed here exclude instabilities (generated by the wave-driven alongshore current velocity...

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...

Surf zone diffusivity on a rip-channeled beach

Absolute and relative diffusivity are measured on a rip-channeled beach using 30 position-tracking drifters released in clusters (4–12 drifters) deployed on 7 days with different wave forcing and tidal elevations at Sand City, Monterey Bay, California. Diffusivity and dispersion were found to be larger on days with rip current flow patterns and...

Planktonic subsidies to surf-zone and intertidal communities

Plankton are transported onshore, providing subsidies of food and new recruits to surf-zone and intertidal communities. The transport of plankton to the surf zone is influenced by wind, wave, and tidal forcing, and whether they enter the surf zone depends on alongshore variation in surf-zone hydrodynamics caused by the interaction of breaking...