Effects of a shallow flood shoal and friction on hydrodynamics of a multiple-inlet system
Authors
Orescanin, Mara M.
Elgar, Steve
Raubenheimer, Britt
Gorrell, Levi
Subjects
A flood shoal can act as a tidal
reflector and limit the influence of an
inlet in a multiple-inlet system
The effects of inertia, friction, and the flood shoal can be separated with a lumped element model
As an inlet lengthens, narrows, and shoals, the lumped element model shows the initial dominance of the shoal is replaced by friction
The effects of inertia, friction, and the flood shoal can be separated with a lumped element model
As an inlet lengthens, narrows, and shoals, the lumped element model shows the initial dominance of the shoal is replaced by friction
Advisors
Date of Issue
2017-07-28
Date
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Language
Abstract
Prior studies have shown that frictional changes owing to evolving geometry of an inlet in a
multiple inlet-bay system can affect tidally driven circulation. Here, a step between a relatively deep inlet
and a shallow bay also is shown to affect tidal sea-level fluctuations in a bay connected to multiple inlets.
To examine the relative importance of friction and a step, a lumped element (parameter) model is used that
includes tidal reflection from the step. The model is applied to the two-inlet system of Katama Inlet (which
connects Katama Bay on Martha’s Vineyard, MA to the Atlantic Ocean) and Edgartown Channel (which connects
the bay to Vineyard Sound). Consistent with observations and previous numerical simulations, the
lumped element model suggests that the presence of a shallow flood shoal limits the influence of an inlet.
In addition, the model suggests an increasing importance of friction relative to the importance
Type
Article
Description
The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016JC012592
The data used in this study are available by sending an e-mail to the authors (elgar@whoi.edu, britt@whoi. edu)
The data used in this study are available by sending an e-mail to the authors (elgar@whoi.edu, britt@whoi. edu)
Series/Report No
Department
Oceanography
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
PVLAB
ASD(R&E)
NOAA Sea Grant
NSF
ONR
ASD(R&E)
NOAA Sea Grant
NSF
ONR
Funder
Format
11 p.
Citation
Orescanin, M. M., S. Elgar,
B. Raubenheimer, and L. Gorrell (2017),
Effects of a shallow flood shoal and
friction on hydrodynamics of a
multiple-inlet system, J. Geophys. Res.
Oceans, 122, 6055–6065, doi:10.1002/
2016JC012502.
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.