Interactions between Surface Waves, Tides, and Storm-Induced Currents over Shelf Waters of the Northwest Atlantic

A coupled wave–tide–circulation model is used to investigate wave–current interactions (WCIs) over the shelf waters of the Northwest Atlantic (NWA) during Hurricane Earl (2010). WCIs have substantial impacts on hydrodynamics in the upper ocean. The significant wave heights are modulated by WCIs, par...

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Published in:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Main Authors: Shangfei Lin, Jinyu Sheng
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030555
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spelling ftmdpi:oai:mdpi.com:/2077-1312/11/3/555/ 2023-08-20T04:08:48+02:00 Interactions between Surface Waves, Tides, and Storm-Induced Currents over Shelf Waters of the Northwest Atlantic Shangfei Lin Jinyu Sheng agris 2023-03-06 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030555 EN eng Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Physical Oceanography https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030555 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Journal of Marine Science and Engineering; Volume 11; Issue 3; Pages: 555 wave–current interactions tidal current storm-induced current near-inertial oscillation wave-indued forces wave-enhanced mixing wave-enhanced bottom stress Text 2023 ftmdpi https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030555 2023-08-01T09:07:42Z A coupled wave–tide–circulation model is used to investigate wave–current interactions (WCIs) over the shelf waters of the Northwest Atlantic (NWA) during Hurricane Earl (2010). WCIs have substantial impacts on hydrodynamics in the upper ocean. The significant wave heights are modulated by WCIs, particularly over regions with strong current gradients, with a reduction up to ~2.1 m (20%) during the storm. Noticeable decreases in surface elevations and tidal currents occur in regions with strong tides such as the Gulf of Maine, mainly due to the wave-enhanced bottom stress. Over regions with weak tidal currents, wave effects on currents are dominated by two competitive processes between wave-induced forces and wave-enhanced mixing. The former strengthens surface currents (up to ~0.55 m/s) and increases the peak storm surge (up to ~0.48 m). The latter is responsible for the reduction in storm-induced surface currents (up to ~0.94 m/s) and anticyclonic modulation of current directions. Vertically, WCIs extend the strong vertical current shear and shift it downward during the storm, which enhances the local mixing and changes the structures of near-inertial oscillations (NIOs). Moreover, tidal currents also change the magnitudes of the NIOs and subtidal currents and affect the intensity of WCIs. Text Northwest Atlantic MDPI Open Access Publishing Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 11 3 555
institution Open Polar
collection MDPI Open Access Publishing
op_collection_id ftmdpi
language English
topic wave–current interactions
tidal current
storm-induced current
near-inertial oscillation
wave-indued forces
wave-enhanced mixing
wave-enhanced bottom stress
spellingShingle wave–current interactions
tidal current
storm-induced current
near-inertial oscillation
wave-indued forces
wave-enhanced mixing
wave-enhanced bottom stress
Shangfei Lin
Jinyu Sheng
Interactions between Surface Waves, Tides, and Storm-Induced Currents over Shelf Waters of the Northwest Atlantic
topic_facet wave–current interactions
tidal current
storm-induced current
near-inertial oscillation
wave-indued forces
wave-enhanced mixing
wave-enhanced bottom stress
description A coupled wave–tide–circulation model is used to investigate wave–current interactions (WCIs) over the shelf waters of the Northwest Atlantic (NWA) during Hurricane Earl (2010). WCIs have substantial impacts on hydrodynamics in the upper ocean. The significant wave heights are modulated by WCIs, particularly over regions with strong current gradients, with a reduction up to ~2.1 m (20%) during the storm. Noticeable decreases in surface elevations and tidal currents occur in regions with strong tides such as the Gulf of Maine, mainly due to the wave-enhanced bottom stress. Over regions with weak tidal currents, wave effects on currents are dominated by two competitive processes between wave-induced forces and wave-enhanced mixing. The former strengthens surface currents (up to ~0.55 m/s) and increases the peak storm surge (up to ~0.48 m). The latter is responsible for the reduction in storm-induced surface currents (up to ~0.94 m/s) and anticyclonic modulation of current directions. Vertically, WCIs extend the strong vertical current shear and shift it downward during the storm, which enhances the local mixing and changes the structures of near-inertial oscillations (NIOs). Moreover, tidal currents also change the magnitudes of the NIOs and subtidal currents and affect the intensity of WCIs.
format Text
author Shangfei Lin
Jinyu Sheng
author_facet Shangfei Lin
Jinyu Sheng
author_sort Shangfei Lin
title Interactions between Surface Waves, Tides, and Storm-Induced Currents over Shelf Waters of the Northwest Atlantic
title_short Interactions between Surface Waves, Tides, and Storm-Induced Currents over Shelf Waters of the Northwest Atlantic
title_full Interactions between Surface Waves, Tides, and Storm-Induced Currents over Shelf Waters of the Northwest Atlantic
title_fullStr Interactions between Surface Waves, Tides, and Storm-Induced Currents over Shelf Waters of the Northwest Atlantic
title_full_unstemmed Interactions between Surface Waves, Tides, and Storm-Induced Currents over Shelf Waters of the Northwest Atlantic
title_sort interactions between surface waves, tides, and storm-induced currents over shelf waters of the northwest atlantic
publisher Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
publishDate 2023
url https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030555
op_coverage agris
genre Northwest Atlantic
genre_facet Northwest Atlantic
op_source Journal of Marine Science and Engineering; Volume 11; Issue 3; Pages: 555
op_relation Physical Oceanography
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030555
op_rights https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
op_doi https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030555
container_title Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
container_volume 11
container_issue 3
container_start_page 555
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