Citation

Huntley DA, Short AD. Coast. Eng. (Amsterdam) 1992; 17(3-4): 211-225.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0378-3839(92)90052-V

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

An extensive data set of observed rip currents and associated wave parameters collected on Narrabeen Beach, Australia, is re-examined to determine how rip current spacing is related to incident wave conditions. Rip spacing is found to be better predicted by a simulation of surf zone width, based upon observed wave height and a model for beach profile, rather than the visually estimated surf zone width. This leads to a predictive equation for rip spacing which is proportional to H/32/w2, where H is the breaker height and w the sediment fall velocity. Suprisingly, the ratio of rip spacing to surf zone width appears to be relatively insensitive to incident wave period, though there is slight evidence that it increases with increasing period. Possible reasons for the scatter in the rip spacing to surf zone width ratio are discussed.

Keywords: Drowning; Drowning Prevention; Water Safety