Abstract
This study considered how the presence of current impacted wave dissipation within a meadow of flexible marsh plants. A wave-damping model was developed from a prediction of current- and wave-induced force on individual plants. The model was validated with laboratory experiments. Wave decay was measured over a meadow of flexible model plants geometrically similar to Spartina alterniflora with and without a following current. Consistent with previous observations, the wave energy dissipation depended on the ratio of current velocity () to wave velocity (). Compared to the same pure wave condition, wave energy dissipation was enhanced by large but can be decreased for small . Once validated, the wave-damping model was used to explore a wider range of wave, current, and meadow conditions in order to illustrate the influence of reconfiguration on wave forces; the impact of current on wave group velocity; and the modification of in-canopy time-mean and wave orbital velocity associated with canopy drag.
1 More- Received 4 August 2021
- Accepted 31 August 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.6.100502
©2021 American Physical Society
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2021 Invited Papers
Physical Review Fluids publishes a collection of papers associated with the invited talks presented at the 73nd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics.
synopsis
Strong Currents Don’t Faze Salt Marsh Coastal Defenses
Published 13 October 2021
A model captures the influence of plant flexibility, leaves, and current on wave dissipation by a meadow of marsh plants.
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