CMG COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Wave Breaking Dissipation Modeling and Parametrization in Wave/Current Interactions

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

Beach erosion and pollution in our near shores, tsunamis and other rogue waves and their impact on maritime activities and on flooding of low lands, oceanic currents and oceanic thermodynamic exchanges: all of these are examples of dynamic oceanic processes of clear practical interest, with regard to their impact on our environment and on human activities. They have been listed above in order of increasing spatio-temporal scales. Science has been able to develop an understanding of certain key features of each of the above problems, in isolation, exploiting scale differences. Our general thrust is to develop ways to understand the interaction of these scales, as it is clear that none of the examples mentioned above happen without having a bearing on each other. A fundamental multi-scale interaction is that of waves and currents. Our research specifically aims to develop models of these complex interactions, and with these models, an understanding of oceanic dynamics at many scales simultaneously. We build upon our past successes to make new inroads into the problem: a specific theoretical thrust is to find how wave breaking and dissipation affects waves and currents and how these are to be modeled. Another theoretical thrust is to devise ways in which field data can complement models, particularly data that is captured by drifters and path-based measuring devices. On the practical side, we are revisiting classical problems, such as the occurrence of rip currents and long shore currents to examine how our new understanding of waves and currents modifies our knowledge of how these oceanic processes take place. On the operational side, we are also implementing the knowledge gained in these key problems into existing oceanic general circulation models (ROMS), which are being developed for improved regional oceanic forecasting.