TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of wind on flow and sediment transport over intertidal flats
AU - Colosimo, Irene
AU - de Vet, Paul L.M.
AU - van Maren, Dirk S.
AU - Reniers, Ad J.H.M.
AU - Winterwerp, Johan C.
AU - van Prooijen, Bram C.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Sediment transport over intertidal flats is driven by a combination of waves, tides, and wind-driven flow. In this study we aimed at identifying and quantifying the interactions between these processes. A five week long dataset consisting of flow velocities, waves, water depths, suspended sediment concentrations, and bed level changes was collected at two locations across a tidal flat in the Wadden Sea (The Netherlands). A momentum balance was evaluated, based on field data, for windy and non-windy conditions. The results show that wind speed and direction have large impacts on the net flow, and that even moderate wind can reverse the tidal flow. A simple analytical tide–wind interaction model shows that the wind-induced reversal can be predicted as a function of tidal flow amplitude and wind forcing. Asymmetries in sediment transport are not only related to the tide–wind interaction, but also to the intratidal asymmetries in sediment concentration. These asymmetries are influenced by wind-induced circulation interacting with the large scale topography. An analysis of the shear stresses induced by waves and currents revealed the relative contributions of local processes (resuspension) and large-scale processes (advection) at different tidal flat elevations.
AB - Sediment transport over intertidal flats is driven by a combination of waves, tides, and wind-driven flow. In this study we aimed at identifying and quantifying the interactions between these processes. A five week long dataset consisting of flow velocities, waves, water depths, suspended sediment concentrations, and bed level changes was collected at two locations across a tidal flat in the Wadden Sea (The Netherlands). A momentum balance was evaluated, based on field data, for windy and non-windy conditions. The results show that wind speed and direction have large impacts on the net flow, and that even moderate wind can reverse the tidal flow. A simple analytical tide–wind interaction model shows that the wind-induced reversal can be predicted as a function of tidal flow amplitude and wind forcing. Asymmetries in sediment transport are not only related to the tide–wind interaction, but also to the intratidal asymmetries in sediment concentration. These asymmetries are influenced by wind-induced circulation interacting with the large scale topography. An analysis of the shear stresses induced by waves and currents revealed the relative contributions of local processes (resuspension) and large-scale processes (advection) at different tidal flat elevations.
KW - Intertidal flats
KW - Sediment storage
KW - Sediment transport
KW - Suspended sediment fluxes
KW - Tide–wind interaction
KW - Wind-driven flow
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85095984554&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/jmse8110910
DO - 10.3390/jmse8110910
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85095984554
SN - 2077-1312
VL - 8
SP - 1
EP - 26
JO - Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
JF - Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
IS - 11
M1 - 910
ER -