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Cross-Shore and Inlets (CSI) Processes

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By Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center September 19, 2018

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

The interactions of waves and currents near an inlet influence sediment and alter sea-floor bedforms, especially during winter storms. As part of the Cross-Shore and Inlets Processes project to improve our understanding of cross-shore processes that control sediment budgets, the U.S. Geological Survey deployed instrumented platforms at two sites near Matanzas Inlet between January 24 and April 13,
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Publications associated with CSI Processes Project

Meteotsunamis triggered by tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclones are one of the most destructive natural hazards and much of the damage and casualties they cause are flood-related. Accurate characterization and prediction of total water levels during extreme storms is necessary to minimize coastal impacts. While meteotsunamis are known to influence water levels and to produce severe consequences, they have been disregarded during tropical cycl
Authors
Maitane Olabarrieta, Luming Shi, David Nolan, John C. Warner
By
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Summary of oceanographic and water-quality measurements offshore of Matanzas Inlet, Florida, 2018

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and technical staff deployed instrumented underwater platforms and buoys to collect oceanographic and atmospheric data at two sites near Matanzas Inlet, Florida, on January 24, 2018, and recovered them on April 13, 2018. Matanzas Inlet is a natural, unmaintained inlet on the Florida Atlantic coast that is well suited to study inlet and cross-shore processes
Authors
Marinna A. Martini, Ellyn Montgomery, Steven E. Suttles, John C. Warner
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Comparison of physical to numerical mixing with different tracer advection schemes in estuarine environments

The numerical simulation of estuarine dynamics requires accurate prediction for the transport of tracers such as temperature and salinity. During the simulation of these processes, all numerical models introduce two kinds of tracer mixing: 1) by parameterizing the tracer eddy diffusivity through turbulence models leading to a source of physical mixing and 2) discretization of the tracer advection
Authors
Tarandeep S. Kalra, Xiangyu Li, John C. Warner, W. R. Geyer, Hui Wu
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Alongshore momentum balance over shoreface-connected ridges, Fire Island, NY

Hydrodynamic and hydrographic data collected on the inner shelf of Fire Island, NY, over a region of shoreface-connected ridges (SFCRs) are used to describe wind-driven circulation over uneven topographies along relatively straight coastlines. The data revealed a predominantly alongshore flow, under westward wind forcing, with localized offshore current veering over the SFCR crests associated with
Authors
Conor Ofsthun, Xiaodong Wu, George Voulgaris, John C. Warner
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Investigating bedload transport under asymmetrical waves using a coupled ocean-wave model

Transport by asymmetrical wave motions plays a key role in cross-shore movement of sand, which is important for bar migration, exchange through tidal inlets, and beach recovery after storms. We have implemented a modified version of the SANTOSS formulation in the three-dimensional open-source Coupled-Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave-Sediment Transport (COAWST) modeling framework. The calculation of bedload t
Authors
Tarandeep S. Kalra, Christopher R. Sherwood, John C. Warner, Yashar Rafati, Tian Jian Hsu
By
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Observations and 3D hydrodynamics-based modeling of decadal-scale shoreline change along the Outer Banks, North Carolina

Long-term decadal-scale shoreline change is an important parameter for quantifying the stability of coastal systems. The decadal-scale coastal change is controlled by processes that occur on short time scales (such as storms) and long-term processes (such as prevailing waves). The ability to predict decadal-scale shoreline change is not well established and the fundamental physical processes contr
Authors
Ilgar Safak, Jeffrey H. List, John C. Warner, Nirnimesh Kumar
By
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Inner-shelf ocean dynamics and seafloor morphologic changes during Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy was one of the most destructive hurricanes in US history, making landfall on the New Jersey coast on Oct 30, 2012. Storm impacts included several barrier island breaches, massive coastal erosion, and flooding. While changes to the subaerial landscape are relatively easily observed, storm-induced changes to the adjacent shoreface and inner continental shelf are more difficult to eva
Authors
John C. Warner, William C. Schwab, Jeffrey H. List, Ilgar Safak, Maria Liste, Wayne E. Baldwin
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Advanced Research Computing (ARC), Hurricane Sandy

Barrier island breach evolution: Alongshore transport and bay-ocean pressure gradient interactions

Physical processes controlling repeated openings and closures of a barrier island breach between a bay and the open ocean are studied using aerial photographs and atmospheric and hydrodynamic observations. The breach site is located on Pea Island along the Outer Banks, separating Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean. Wind direction was a major control on the pressure gradients between the bay and
Authors
Ilgar Safak, John C. Warner, Jeffrey H. List
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy

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

The interactions of waves and currents near an inlet influence sediment and alter sea-floor bedforms, especially during winter storms. As part of the Cross-Shore and Inlets Processes project to improve our understanding of cross-shore processes that control sediment budgets, the U.S. Geological Survey deployed instrumented platforms at two sites near Matanzas Inlet between January 24 and April 13,
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Publications associated with CSI Processes Project

Meteotsunamis triggered by tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclones are one of the most destructive natural hazards and much of the damage and casualties they cause are flood-related. Accurate characterization and prediction of total water levels during extreme storms is necessary to minimize coastal impacts. While meteotsunamis are known to influence water levels and to produce severe consequences, they have been disregarded during tropical cycl
Authors
Maitane Olabarrieta, Luming Shi, David Nolan, John C. Warner
By
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Summary of oceanographic and water-quality measurements offshore of Matanzas Inlet, Florida, 2018

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and technical staff deployed instrumented underwater platforms and buoys to collect oceanographic and atmospheric data at two sites near Matanzas Inlet, Florida, on January 24, 2018, and recovered them on April 13, 2018. Matanzas Inlet is a natural, unmaintained inlet on the Florida Atlantic coast that is well suited to study inlet and cross-shore processes
Authors
Marinna A. Martini, Ellyn Montgomery, Steven E. Suttles, John C. Warner
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Comparison of physical to numerical mixing with different tracer advection schemes in estuarine environments

The numerical simulation of estuarine dynamics requires accurate prediction for the transport of tracers such as temperature and salinity. During the simulation of these processes, all numerical models introduce two kinds of tracer mixing: 1) by parameterizing the tracer eddy diffusivity through turbulence models leading to a source of physical mixing and 2) discretization of the tracer advection
Authors
Tarandeep S. Kalra, Xiangyu Li, John C. Warner, W. R. Geyer, Hui Wu
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Alongshore momentum balance over shoreface-connected ridges, Fire Island, NY

Hydrodynamic and hydrographic data collected on the inner shelf of Fire Island, NY, over a region of shoreface-connected ridges (SFCRs) are used to describe wind-driven circulation over uneven topographies along relatively straight coastlines. The data revealed a predominantly alongshore flow, under westward wind forcing, with localized offshore current veering over the SFCR crests associated with
Authors
Conor Ofsthun, Xiaodong Wu, George Voulgaris, John C. Warner
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Investigating bedload transport under asymmetrical waves using a coupled ocean-wave model

Transport by asymmetrical wave motions plays a key role in cross-shore movement of sand, which is important for bar migration, exchange through tidal inlets, and beach recovery after storms. We have implemented a modified version of the SANTOSS formulation in the three-dimensional open-source Coupled-Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave-Sediment Transport (COAWST) modeling framework. The calculation of bedload t
Authors
Tarandeep S. Kalra, Christopher R. Sherwood, John C. Warner, Yashar Rafati, Tian Jian Hsu
By
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Observations and 3D hydrodynamics-based modeling of decadal-scale shoreline change along the Outer Banks, North Carolina

Long-term decadal-scale shoreline change is an important parameter for quantifying the stability of coastal systems. The decadal-scale coastal change is controlled by processes that occur on short time scales (such as storms) and long-term processes (such as prevailing waves). The ability to predict decadal-scale shoreline change is not well established and the fundamental physical processes contr
Authors
Ilgar Safak, Jeffrey H. List, John C. Warner, Nirnimesh Kumar
By
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Inner-shelf ocean dynamics and seafloor morphologic changes during Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy was one of the most destructive hurricanes in US history, making landfall on the New Jersey coast on Oct 30, 2012. Storm impacts included several barrier island breaches, massive coastal erosion, and flooding. While changes to the subaerial landscape are relatively easily observed, storm-induced changes to the adjacent shoreface and inner continental shelf are more difficult to eva
Authors
John C. Warner, William C. Schwab, Jeffrey H. List, Ilgar Safak, Maria Liste, Wayne E. Baldwin
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Advanced Research Computing (ARC), Hurricane Sandy

Barrier island breach evolution: Alongshore transport and bay-ocean pressure gradient interactions

Physical processes controlling repeated openings and closures of a barrier island breach between a bay and the open ocean are studied using aerial photographs and atmospheric and hydrodynamic observations. The breach site is located on Pea Island along the Outer Banks, separating Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean. Wind direction was a major control on the pressure gradients between the bay and
Authors
Ilgar Safak, John C. Warner, Jeffrey H. List
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Hurricane Sandy
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