Transient Rip Current Dynamics: Laboratory Measurements and Modeling of Surfzone Vorticity

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The nearshore region, valued as essential intertidal habitat and recreational grounds, is often compromised by pathogens and excess nutrient supply from terrestrial runoff. When an area becomes contaminated, beach closures, ecological disruption, and associated economic losses can result. Understanding the transport of materials throughout the nearshore region can have important implications for ecosystem and human health. Previous studies analyzing cross-shelf exchange suggest that transient rip currents are the dominant mechanism driving exchange between the surf zone and the inner shelf. Evidence also suggests that transient rip currents are generated from the coalescence of surf zone eddies, with short-crested waves serving as the source of rotation. This project will utilize a laboratory and numerical modeling to study the generation and evolution of surf zone eddies to form transient rip currents. The knowledge of mixing and exchange in the nearshore region will be significantly advanced through this study, which will have important implications for the transport of nutrients, larvae, and pollutants. In collaboration with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists, simple predictors of transient rip currents will be developed to improve hazard forecasts for a broad range of environments. This is essential information for human safety as rip currents are the leading cause of fatalities and rescues on beaches. A graduate student will gain valuable training and education through involvement in this project. Outreach activities highlighting rip currents will be developed as a part of the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory Outreach Program seeking to broaden participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).This project seeks to establish a cradle-to-grave picture of the injection of eddies into the surf zone by short-crested wave breaking, coalescence to form larger eddies, and formation of transient rip currents. The overall objective is to determine if the surf zone can be treated as a two-dimensional turbulence box. This study will improve understanding of the dynamics of surf zone eddy generation and evolution leading to transient rip currents and associated cross-shelf exchange by addressing four specific hypotheses: 1) short-crested waves are an important vorticity source at short spatial and temporal scales, 2) smaller eddies coalesce to create bigger eddies, 3) surf zone eddy decay is controlled by bottom friction, and 4) eddies ejected outside of the surf zone onto the shelf deviate from the two-dimensional paradigm. Laboratory experiments will include in situ and remote (stereo visible and infrared) measurements of sea-surface-elevations and velocities for a range of wave heights, periods, and directional spreads. State-of-the-art numerical modeling will be used to guide laboratory sampling, to analyze dynamics for a range of conditions, and to assess the importance of frictional dissipation and three-dimensional circulation properties. If the surf zone can be treated as a forced two-dimensional turbulence box, simplified models with appropriate forcing can be established to advance the understanding of the role of the surf zone in land-to-sea transport.