FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF BEDFORMS IN A RIP CHANNEL ON A MACRO-TIDAL BEACH
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Keywords

rip currents
bedforms
megaripples

How to Cite

Thorpe, A., Miles, J., Masselink, G., Russell, P., Scott, T., & Austin, M. (2012). FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF BEDFORMS IN A RIP CHANNEL ON A MACRO-TIDAL BEACH. Coastal Engineering Proceedings, 1(33), sediment.93. https://doi.org/10.9753/icce.v33.sediment.93

Abstract

A Sand Ripple Profiler (SRP) was deployed in a rip channel on a dissipative sandy beach to measure bedform height (∆), length (λ) and migration rate (Mr¬) throughout a macro-tidal cycle with an offshore significant wave height of 0.7 m and peak period of 10 s. At lower tidal elevations in the strong offshore flow of the rip current (maximum = 0.4 m/s) bedforms (∆ = 0.15 m, λ = 3 m) were found to migrate offshore (Mr = 0.21 m/hr). Outside of active rip current conditions (water depth (h) = >~2.5 m) bedforms were found to be of smaller scale (∆ = 0.09 - 0.12 m, λ = 1 - 1.2 m) migrating onshore at a rate of 0.35 m/hr at mid tide (h = 3.3 m) and 0.03 m/hr at high tide (h = 6.3 m). Onshore migration rates were found to increase with increased wave skewness and velocity variance.
https://doi.org/10.9753/icce.v33.sediment.93
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