Three-dimensional modelling of wave-induced current from the surf zone to the inner shelf

Abstract

We develop and implement a new method to take into account the impact of waves into the 3-D circulation model SYMPHONIE (Marsaleix et al., 2008, 2009a), following the simplified equations of Bennis et al. (2011) which use glm2z-RANS theory (Ardhuin et al., 2008b). These adiabatic equations are completed by additional parameterizations of wave breaking, bottom friction and wave-enhanced vertical mixing, making the forcing valid from the surf zone through to the open ocean. The wave forcing is performed by wave generation and propagation models WAVEWATCH III® (Tolman, 2008, 2009; Ardhuin et al., 2010) and SWAN (Booij et al., 1999). The model is tested and compared with other models for a plane beach test case, previously tested by Haas and Warner (2009) and Uchiyama et al. (2010). A comparison is also made with the laboratory measurements of Haller et al. (2002) of a barred beach with channels. Results fit with previous simulations performed by other models and with available observational data. <br><br> Finally, a realistic case of energetic waves travelling over a coast of the Gulf of Lion (in the northwest of the Mediterranean Sea) for which currents are available at different depths as well as an accurate bathymetric database of the 0–10 m depth range, is then simulated. A grid nesting approach is used to account for the different forcings acting at different spatial scales. The simulation coupling the effects of waves and currents is successful to reproduce the powerful northward littoral drift in the 0–15 m depth zone. More precisely, two distinct cases are identified: when waves have a normal angle of incidence with the coast, they are responsible for complex circulation cells and rip currents in the surf zone, and when they travel obliquely, they generate a northward littoral drift. These features are more complicated than in the test cases, due to the complex bathymetry and the consideration of wind and non-stationary processes. Wave impacts in the inner shelf are less visible since wind and regional circulation seem to be the predominant forcings. Besides, a discrepancy between model and observations is noted at that scale, possibly linked to an underestimation of the wind stress. Lastly, this three-dimensional method allows a good representation of vertical current profiles and permits to calculate the shear stress associated with wave and current. Future work will focus on the combination with a sediment transport model

Temporal evolution of the momentum balance terms and frictional adjustment observed over the inner shelf during a storm

“…In particular, the radiation stresses were 1 order of magnitude smaller than the dominant acceleration, pressure gradient and frictional terms, consistent with other studies that ignored wave forcing outside the surf zone (Lentz et al, 1999;Fewings and Lentz, 2010). In a region 150 km north of our study area, in water depths of 28 m off the Tet River, Michaud et al (2012) confirmed numerically that the wave effects on the inner-shelf circulation are relatively small even during a storm event.…”

Assessment of the amount of cesium‐137 released into the Pacific Ocean after the Fukushima accident and analysis of its dispersion in Japanese coastal waters

“…The 30 vertical levels were irregularly distributed, with increased resolution near the sea surface. The horizontal grid corresponded to the orthogonal curvilinear system used by Michaud et al [2012] with the pole of the grid at 37.5°N, 140°E, corresponding to the center of the circle shown on Figure 1. The horizontal resolution was variable and increased linearly with the distance from the Fukushima NPP, where the size of the grid mesh was about 600 m. At the open lateral boundaries, the horizontal resolution reached its maximum value of 5.5 km.…”

A comparative study of wave‐current interactions over the eastern Canadian shelf under severe weather conditions using a coupled wave‐circulation model

“…Based on Michaud et al . [], the surface boundary condition for the turbulent equation in the coupled model is expressed by where is the mixing coefficient. In addition, the surface length scale is set as , where is the von Karman's constant.…”