Torrey Pines Experiment

Wind generated surface gravity waves are the dominant driving force for surf zone dynamics on open coasts. A major thrust of the NSTS study was an investigation of the relationship between the incident waves and the processes that they drive (e. g., surf zone currents and sediment motion). A useful description of a linear wave field is obtained by the measurement of the frequency-directional spectrum. Particular attention is paid to certain moments of this spectrum. For example, S _xy , the onshore flux of longshore directed wave momentum, is an important wave parameter involved with longshore currents and resulting sediment transport. These wave field statistics were sampled with a linear array of pressure sensors in a mean depth of 9.6 m and by a pressure sensor and orthogonal-axis current meter in 5.7 m depth.