Lagrangian Measurements of Orbital Velocities in the Surf Zone
Maria Bjørnestad, Mark L. Buckley, Henrik Kalisch, Michael Streßer, Jochen Horstmann, Håvard G. Frøysa, Olufemi E. Ige, Marius Cysewski, R. Carrasco‐Alvarez
Abstract
Abstract Eulerian and Lagrangian measurements of orbital velocities in waves approaching a beach are analyzed with the goal of understanding the relative influence of wave‐by‐wave variations in mean‐water level, wave height and incipient wave breaking on mass transport properties of waves in the surf zone. It is shown quantitatively that elevated local mean‐water level correlates positively with increased Lagrangian mass transport at the free surface. Eulerian ADV measurements in the fluid column suggest that the depth‐integrated wave‐by‐wave mass transport also correlates positively with the local mean‐water level, and is only weakly linked to wave height and wave‐breaking events.