| Title: | A NEW LOOK AT WAVE GROUP FORCED NEARSHORE CIRCULATION |
| DOI No: | 10.1142/9789812709554_0087 |
| Source: | COASTAL ENGINEERING 2006 (pp 1018-1027)
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| Author(s): | Joseph W. Long
College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, 104 COAS Admin Bldg., Corvallis, OR, 97333, USA
H. Tuba Özkan-Haller
College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, 104 COAS Admin Bldg., Corvallis, OR, 97333, USA
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| Abstract: | A series of idealized model simulations are performed to investigate the dynamics of depth-integrated vortical motions generated by spatially and temporally varying wave groups. In particular, the effect that subsequent wave groups of varying magnitude have on an existing circulation cell is examined. The primary diagnostic tool used in this study is the time history of the enstrophy (mean-squared vorticity) computed over a control area, defined by a particular vortex. We find that variations in the enstrophy occur at time scales associated with the individual wave groups. Hence, the vortical motions appear to be a directly forced response to the alongshore variations in wave group momentum flux and do not exhibit any free very low frequency oscillations or decay as postulated in previous literature. |
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