General Measurements

The objective of the surf zone dynamics task was to characterize the horizontal velocity and sea surface elevation fields within the surf zone, and to relate them to the observed incident wave climate. Properties of the waves during shoaling, breaking, and run-up were measured with current meters, pressure sensors, wave staffs, and a run-up meter. This chapter is a brief description of the various sensors, and estimates of their accuracy. General considerations in the design of the experiments, and maps of typical sensor locations, are also given. More detailed information about the sensors (including manufacturers’ specifications and close-up photographs) are given in the Torrey Pines and Santa Barbara experiment reports (Gable, 1979, 1981).