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Numerical simulations of rip currents off arc-shaped coastlines

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Abstract

The rip currents induced by waves off arc-shaped coastlines are seriously harmful to humans, but understanding of their characteristics is lacking. In this study, the FUNWAVE model was used to calculate the wave-induced currents in the Haller experiment and the ideal arc-shaped coast similar to Sanya Dadonghai, Hainan Province, China. The results showed that the FUNWAVE model has considerable ability to simulate the rip currents, and it was used to further simulate rip currents off arc-shaped coastlines to investigate their characteristics. The rip currents were found to be stronger as the curvature of arc-shaped coastline increased. Coastal beach slope exerts a significant influence on rip currents; in particular, an overly steep or overly mild slope is not conducive to creating rip currents. Furthermore, the rip currents were found to become weaker as the size of arc-shaped coast decreased. When the height and period of waves increase, the strength of rip currents also increases, and, in some cases, wave heights of 0.4 m may produce dangerous rip currents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Meteorology and Oceanography, National University of Defense Technology, Nanjing, 211101, China

    Hong Wang, Xunqiang Li, Wenjing Zhang & Yu Nie

  2. College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China

    Shouxian Zhu

  3. 91937 Troops, Zhoushan, 316000, China

    Hong Wang

Authors
  1. Hong Wang
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  2. Shouxian Zhu
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  3. Xunqiang Li
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  4. Wenjing Zhang
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  5. Yu Nie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shouxian Zhu.

Additional information

Foundation item: The National Natural Science Foundation under contract Nos 41206163, 41076048 and 41376012; the Operation Expenses for Universities' Basic Scientific Research of Central Authorities under contract Nos 2011B05714 and 2014B06514.

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Wang, H., Zhu, S., Li, X. et al. Numerical simulations of rip currents off arc-shaped coastlines. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 37, 21–30 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-018-1197-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-018-1197-1

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