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A mechanism for sediment resuspension by internal solitary waves
Author(s) -
Bogucki Darek J.,
Redekopp Larry G.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl900234
Subject(s) - internal wave , geology , boundary layer , instability , mechanics , flow (mathematics) , mechanism (biology) , sediment , geophysics , oceanography , geomorphology , physics , quantum mechanics
A mechanism whereby internal solitary waves can lead to enhanced resuspension in coastal regions is presented. The mechanism involves the creation of a local region of separated flow in the boundary layer under the footprint of a wave. This region is susceptible to a global instability which leads to a coherent dynamics in which gradients in the normal and tangential stresses acting on the bottom surface are increased tenfold. Such increased bottom stresses and the spatio‐temporal character of the flow combine to produce conditions favorable for resuspension.