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The role of seaward morphology on wave transformation onto and across a microtidal shore platform

Savige, Thomas R. ; Kowalczyk, Hanna E.L. ; Fellowes, Thomas E. and Kennedy, David M. (2021) In Continental Shelf Research 224.
Abstract

Waves are a primary erosive agent on intertidal shore platforms. In microtidal environments, as waves cross a shore platform the energy transforms from gravity to infragravity frequencies. The morphology of the intertidal zone is a key boundary condition for this energy transformation. Waves approaching the shore however often interact with the seabed at some distance from the intertidal platform. In this study we explore this wave interaction over a gently sloping subtidal ramp (1 km wide) down to 11 m water depth fronting a semi-horizontal intertidal platform (180 m wide). Five non-directional pressure sensors were installed on the sea floor from 5 to 11 m depth for one week with a further four placed on the intertidal platform for... (More)

Waves are a primary erosive agent on intertidal shore platforms. In microtidal environments, as waves cross a shore platform the energy transforms from gravity to infragravity frequencies. The morphology of the intertidal zone is a key boundary condition for this energy transformation. Waves approaching the shore however often interact with the seabed at some distance from the intertidal platform. In this study we explore this wave interaction over a gently sloping subtidal ramp (1 km wide) down to 11 m water depth fronting a semi-horizontal intertidal platform (180 m wide). Five non-directional pressure sensors were installed on the sea floor from 5 to 11 m depth for one week with a further four placed on the intertidal platform for two tidal cycles during the offshore deployment. It is found that a shift in wave frequency starts to occur at the base of the seaward ramp at 7 m water depth, with the primary development of infragravity waves occurring at less than 5 m depth. The offshore energy signal was also tidally modulated with infragravity frequency waves hypothesised to be able to escape seaward across the platform edge at high tide. This new exploration of nearshore wave energy shows that wave dynamics over the entire platform surface should be considered rather than just focussing on the intertidal zone.

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author
; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Gravity waves, Infragravity, Rock coast, Seaward edge, Shore platform
in
Continental Shelf Research
volume
224
article number
104472
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85110397221
ISSN
0278-4343
DOI
10.1016/j.csr.2021.104472
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
b33d4f3e-b752-44bf-ab25-d6406f306ba4
date added to LUP
2021-08-20 12:39:35
date last changed
2022-04-27 03:20:29
@article{b33d4f3e-b752-44bf-ab25-d6406f306ba4,
  abstract     = {{<p>Waves are a primary erosive agent on intertidal shore platforms. In microtidal environments, as waves cross a shore platform the energy transforms from gravity to infragravity frequencies. The morphology of the intertidal zone is a key boundary condition for this energy transformation. Waves approaching the shore however often interact with the seabed at some distance from the intertidal platform. In this study we explore this wave interaction over a gently sloping subtidal ramp (1 km wide) down to 11 m water depth fronting a semi-horizontal intertidal platform (180 m wide). Five non-directional pressure sensors were installed on the sea floor from 5 to 11 m depth for one week with a further four placed on the intertidal platform for two tidal cycles during the offshore deployment. It is found that a shift in wave frequency starts to occur at the base of the seaward ramp at 7 m water depth, with the primary development of infragravity waves occurring at less than 5 m depth. The offshore energy signal was also tidally modulated with infragravity frequency waves hypothesised to be able to escape seaward across the platform edge at high tide. This new exploration of nearshore wave energy shows that wave dynamics over the entire platform surface should be considered rather than just focussing on the intertidal zone.</p>}},
  author       = {{Savige, Thomas R. and Kowalczyk, Hanna E.L. and Fellowes, Thomas E. and Kennedy, David M.}},
  issn         = {{0278-4343}},
  keywords     = {{Gravity waves; Infragravity; Rock coast; Seaward edge; Shore platform}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Continental Shelf Research}},
  title        = {{The role of seaward morphology on wave transformation onto and across a microtidal shore platform}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2021.104472}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.csr.2021.104472}},
  volume       = {{224}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}