Cross-Shore and Inlets (CSI) Processes
Exchange of flows, sediment, and biological particles between the inner shelf and back-barrier estuaries are significant for determination of extreme water levels, maintenance and formation of inlets, barrier-island evolution, and pollutant and larval transport. These connections are controlled by cross-shore processes including wave-driven inner-shelf and near-shore processes, dune overtopping, breaching, transport through existing and new inlets, and estuarine circulation. The Cross-Shore and Inlets (CSI) Processes Project objectives are to further our understanding and increase our ability to predict the mechanisms of cross-shore processes driven by wave asymmetry and skewness, infragravity waves, wave-current interactions, and estuarine circulation that drive morphological change.
Project Tasks
Model Development
We have developed a unique numerical modeling system that allows computation for three-dimensional coupled ocean-atmosphere-wave-sediment transport (COAWST) processes. With the capabilities of grid refinement the modeling system can downscale from basin to nearshore resolution. We will add new capabilities to include infragravity waves (InWave), add new wave-asymmetry formulations, and link to other Projects (Estuarine Processes and BIER) with vegetation and shallow water physics. Continue training/support the ~700 international users.
Cross-Shore Processes
Cross-shore processes that drive on/off-shore sediment fluxes have been identified as primary mechanisms controlling regional-scale sediment budgets. In this task we will identify regional locations where shoreline change is dominated by cross-shore (vs. alongshore) sediment processes. Targeted field and modeled approaches will be used to identify primary mechanisms of cross-shore sediment fluxes.
Inlet Dynamics
Inlets provide the connection between the coastal ocean and backbarrier estuaries. We will investigate the processes that create new inlets (breaching), investigate the dynamics that control inlet stability and closure. Previous efforts at Pea Island breach, Fire Island, and ongoing at Matanzas River breach will investigate the morphodynamic responses of inlets to tides, infragravity waves, and wave-driven flows.
Shelf-Estuary Exchange
Exchange of water and particles between back-barrier estuaries and the inner-shelf are controlled by inlet geometric configurations and the forcings of tidal, wind, and fresh water driven flows. Exchanges are influenced by nearshore processes such as wave-current interactions, infragravity waves, and morphodynamic change. This task will investigate controls on exchange of flows and material transport through inlets, specifically the interaction of waves and the vertical structure of the currents on sediment transport into the bay, ebb shoal effects, and sediment bypassing.
Knowledge Exchange
Publications, outreach, provide access to data and model results via CMGP Portal.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Grain-Size Analysis Data From Sediment Samples in Support of Oceanographic and Water-Quality Measurements in the Nearshore Zone of Matanzas Inlet, Florida, 2018
Publications associated with CSI Processes Project
Meteotsunamis triggered by tropical cyclones
Summary of oceanographic and water-quality measurements offshore of Matanzas Inlet, Florida, 2018
Comparison of physical to numerical mixing with different tracer advection schemes in estuarine environments
Alongshore momentum balance over shoreface-connected ridges, Fire Island, NY
Investigating bedload transport under asymmetrical waves using a coupled ocean-wave model
Observations and 3D hydrodynamics-based modeling of decadal-scale shoreline change along the Outer Banks, North Carolina
Inner-shelf ocean dynamics and seafloor morphologic changes during Hurricane Sandy
Barrier island breach evolution: Alongshore transport and bay-ocean pressure gradient interactions
Exchange of flows, sediment, and biological particles between the inner shelf and back-barrier estuaries are significant for determination of extreme water levels, maintenance and formation of inlets, barrier-island evolution, and pollutant and larval transport. These connections are controlled by cross-shore processes including wave-driven inner-shelf and near-shore processes, dune overtopping, breaching, transport through existing and new inlets, and estuarine circulation. The Cross-Shore and Inlets (CSI) Processes Project objectives are to further our understanding and increase our ability to predict the mechanisms of cross-shore processes driven by wave asymmetry and skewness, infragravity waves, wave-current interactions, and estuarine circulation that drive morphological change.
Project Tasks
Model Development
We have developed a unique numerical modeling system that allows computation for three-dimensional coupled ocean-atmosphere-wave-sediment transport (COAWST) processes. With the capabilities of grid refinement the modeling system can downscale from basin to nearshore resolution. We will add new capabilities to include infragravity waves (InWave), add new wave-asymmetry formulations, and link to other Projects (Estuarine Processes and BIER) with vegetation and shallow water physics. Continue training/support the ~700 international users.
Cross-Shore Processes
Cross-shore processes that drive on/off-shore sediment fluxes have been identified as primary mechanisms controlling regional-scale sediment budgets. In this task we will identify regional locations where shoreline change is dominated by cross-shore (vs. alongshore) sediment processes. Targeted field and modeled approaches will be used to identify primary mechanisms of cross-shore sediment fluxes.
Inlet Dynamics
Inlets provide the connection between the coastal ocean and backbarrier estuaries. We will investigate the processes that create new inlets (breaching), investigate the dynamics that control inlet stability and closure. Previous efforts at Pea Island breach, Fire Island, and ongoing at Matanzas River breach will investigate the morphodynamic responses of inlets to tides, infragravity waves, and wave-driven flows.
Shelf-Estuary Exchange
Exchange of water and particles between back-barrier estuaries and the inner-shelf are controlled by inlet geometric configurations and the forcings of tidal, wind, and fresh water driven flows. Exchanges are influenced by nearshore processes such as wave-current interactions, infragravity waves, and morphodynamic change. This task will investigate controls on exchange of flows and material transport through inlets, specifically the interaction of waves and the vertical structure of the currents on sediment transport into the bay, ebb shoal effects, and sediment bypassing.
Knowledge Exchange
Publications, outreach, provide access to data and model results via CMGP Portal.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Grain-Size Analysis Data From Sediment Samples in Support of Oceanographic and Water-Quality Measurements in the Nearshore Zone of Matanzas Inlet, Florida, 2018
Publications associated with CSI Processes Project