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Observation of wave transformation on a sloping type B shore platform under wind-wave and swell conditions

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Abstract

An instrumented field study of the across-shore evolution of wave characteristics was conducted under wind-wave and swell-wave conditions on a sloping type B shore platform along the mesotidal, fetch-limited coast of Auckland, New Zealand, based on spectral analysis of hydrodynamic data recorded in pressure-sensor time series during a 24-h deployment on 24–25 November 2008. The results highlight the ability of the shore platform in dissipating wave energy reaching the cliff toe under wind-wave and swell-wave conditions, and the spectral redistribution of wave energy. As waves propagated onto the platform surface and towards the cliff toe, infragravity-wave energy became progressively more dominant, while gravity waves were dissipated. Wave height and period in the central sector of the platform and at the cliff toe were not markedly affected by differences in incident-wave conditions observed during the survey. The findings confirm the importance of platform morphology in modulating wave-energy delivery to the cliff toe. In contrast to previous studies, infragravity-wave height at the cliff toe did not appear to be correlated to incident-wave conditions.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Tom Stephens, David Wackrow and Claire Gregory for their assistance in the field, and Emma Ryan for useful comments. Project funding was provided by the University of Auckland Postgraduate Research Student Support (PReSS) grant. Drs Paul Kench and Mark Dickson of the School of Environment, The University of Auckland, are thanked for critically reading the first draft of the manuscript, and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive assessments.

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  1. School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand

    Hiroki Ogawa

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Ogawa, H. Observation of wave transformation on a sloping type B shore platform under wind-wave and swell conditions. Geo-Mar Lett 33, 1–11 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-012-0303-1

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