Excellence in Research: Wave Effects on the Dynamics of a Multiple-Inlet Bay System During Storms

河口，如马里兰州海岸海湾(MCB)，对当地生态系统和经济至关重要。然而，像许多发达海岸的河口一样，MCB正在经历水质恶化，这可能是由于入海口交换的变化。由于潮汐和潮下过程之间的反馈以及水深测量，海湾和海洋之间通过进水口的相互作用非常复杂。海浪可以通过推动当地(海湾内部)和远场(海湾内部)水位、水流和交换的变化，显著改变这些入口动态，特别是在风暴期间，但其机制尚不清楚。此外，虽然在数值模式中有两种受人尊敬的方法来估计波浪强迫，但很少有实例与进口航道内的现场观测进行比较来确定这些方法的优点和局限性。这项研究利用为MCB开发的现有三维数值模式，以及来自美国陆军工程兵部队的现有现场观测和新的现场观测，以：(1)现场测试和改进模型中的波浪强迫的数值参数，以及(2)使用观测和现场测试的模拟来研究(A)波浪对通过入口的水位、水流和水和盐交换的影响取决于入口特征(即浅滩形态、航道深度和相对于波向的方向)，以及(B)由风和风暴驱动的入口处的波浪效应调制，在泻湖内，在第二进气口的两进气口系统的情况下。2014年，只有23%的地球/大气/海洋科学学士学位授予非白人学生(2%授予非裔美国学生)。该项目将帮助扩大科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)领域这一规模虽小但有价值的少数族裔学生群体，办法是支持历史悠久的黑人学院/大学(HBCU)内的一个物理海洋学数值模拟实验室，并通过研究性学习为HBCU的本科生和研究生提供机会，将研究与他们的教育结合起来。这项研究是与美国海军学院(USNA)合作进行的，它将为非HBCU(USNA)提供一条途径，向HBCU学习如何在STEM教育中改善少数群体的留存和促进包容性文化。拟议研究的结果将在学术会议以及地方利益攸关方和公共宣传活动中公布，科学发现将发表在同行评议的科学期刊上。尽管这项研究将侧重于MCB，但该项目预计将通过开发用于模拟波浪效应的经现场测试的参数，并将关于波浪效应的知识扩展到新的几何尺度和物理条件，从而造福于更广泛的物理海洋学领域。几十年来，科学家们一直在争论波流理论的优点和局限性，但几乎没有达成共识；对这些理论进行实地测试将为这些讨论提供有价值的见解。此外，波浪对多进气口系统动力学的影响还没有得到足够的重视，这项研究将扩大对波浪影响到新几何形状的理解。还将研究波浪和潮下过程之间的反馈，以量化总体风暴影响的变化，这取决于力量的组合。这一裁决反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Estuaries, such as the Maryland Coastal Bays (MCBs) are crucial to local ecosystems and economies. However, like many estuaries on developed coasts, the MCBs are experiencing degraded water quality, potentially due to changes in exchange at the inlets. Interactions between the bay and ocean through inlets are highly complex owing to feedbacks between tidal and subtidal processes and bathymetry. Waves can significantly alter these inlet dynamics by driving changes to local (inside the inlet) and far-field (inside the bay) water levels, currents, and exchange, particularly during storms, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. In addition, although there are two respected methods for estimating wave forcing in a numerical model, there are few instances of comparisons with field observations inside the inlet channels to determine the merits and limitations of these methods. This study utilizes an existing three-dimensional numerical model developed for the MCBs, along with existing field observations from U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and new field observations, to: (1) field-test and improve numerical parameterizations of wave forcing in the model and (2) use the observations and field-tested simulations to study (a) wave effects on water levels, currents, and water and salt exchange through an inlet depend on inlet characteristics (i.e., shoal morphology, channel depth and orientation relative to wave direction), and (b) wind and storm driven modulations of wave effects at the inlet mouth, within the lagoon, and in the case of a two-inlet system at the second inlet. In 2014, only 23% of B.S. degrees in Earth/Atmospheric/Ocean Sciences were awarded to non-white students (2% to African-American students). This project will help expand that small, but valuable, pool of minority students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, by supporting a physical oceanography numerical modeling laboratory within a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) and by providing opportunities for undergraduate students and graduate students at an HBCU to integrate research with their education through inquiry-based learning. The study is in collaboration with the US Naval Academy (USNA) and it will provide an avenue for a non-HBCU (USNA) to learn from an HBCU ways to improve minority retention and promote an inclusive culture in STEM education. Results from the proposed study will be presented at academic conferences as well as to local stakeholders and in public outreach events and the scientific finding will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.Although the study will focus on the MCBs, this project is expected to benefit the broader field of physical oceanography by developing field-tested parameterizations for the modeling of wave effects and by expanding knowledge of wave effects to a new range of geometric scales and physical conditions. For decades, scientists have debated the merits and limitations of wave-current theories, with little consensus; field-testing these theories will provide valuable insight into these discussions. In addition, wave effects on the dynamics in a multiple-inlet system like the MCBs have received little attention; this study will broaden understanding of wave effects to new geometries. Feedbacks between waves and subtidal processes will also be examined to quantify the change in overall storm effects, depending on the combination of forcings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.