development of this zone, which has been increasing in the last years. A possibility
to decrease this inconsistency is determined by the results of the recent field
investigations, according to which the group structure of waves and infragravity
waves strongly influence the sediment transport and currents generated by waves in
the zone of wave transformation and breaking. In the existing models, water
circulation and sediment transport are considered only as the time averaged characteristics without taking into account the group structure of waves, their transformation in the coastal zone of the sea, and the contribution of the fluctuation
component of sediment transport and admixtures at different frequencies of the
spectrum of irregular waves.
Since the mid-1980s, a notable progress appeared in the understanding of
physical regularities and methods of the calculation of wave parameters, coastal
currents, and sediment transport during storms in the coastal zone of the sea. The
field studies showed that in the first approximation, the variations in the higher
moments (asymmetry, excess, etc.) of the wave motions when the waves approach
the shore determine the character of wave breaking, generation of infragravity
waves and wave currents, suspension processes, and sediment transport, which is
the entire dynamics of the coastal zone. The theoretical studies are mainly focused
on the analysis of quantitative characteristics of hydrodynamic processes by means
Fig. 7.2 Coupling of the
small-, intermediate-, and
large-scale processes
7 Lithodynamics of the Coastal Zone
127
to decrease this inconsistency is determined by the results of the recent field
investigations, according to which the group structure of waves and infragravity
waves strongly influence the sediment transport and currents generated by waves in
the zone of wave transformation and breaking. In the existing models, water
circulation and sediment transport are considered only as the time averaged characteristics without taking into account the group structure of waves, their transformation in the coastal zone of the sea, and the contribution of the fluctuation
component of sediment transport and admixtures at different frequencies of the
spectrum of irregular waves.
Since the mid-1980s, a notable progress appeared in the understanding of
physical regularities and methods of the calculation of wave parameters, coastal
currents, and sediment transport during storms in the coastal zone of the sea. The
field studies showed that in the first approximation, the variations in the higher
moments (asymmetry, excess, etc.) of the wave motions when the waves approach
the shore determine the character of wave breaking, generation of infragravity
waves and wave currents, suspension processes, and sediment transport, which is
the entire dynamics of the coastal zone. The theoretical studies are mainly focused
on the analysis of quantitative characteristics of hydrodynamic processes by means
Fig. 7.2 Coupling of the
small-, intermediate-, and
large-scale processes
7 Lithodynamics of the Coastal Zone
127