Citation

Haas KA, Svendsen IA. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 2002; 107(C5): 15-1–15-19.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, William Byrd Press for John Hopkins Press)

DOI

10.1029/2001JC000911

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper describes the three-dimensional variation of rip currents through the use of experimental measurements of rip currents in a directional wave basin. The rip currents are unstable, appearing sporadically at any given location. The vertical profile of the rip current is found to vary from depth-uniform inside the channel to depth-varying further offshore. Offshore from the channel the rip current has much stronger velocities at the surface than near the bottom. The instantaneous profiles twist rapidly over depth farther offshore and are fairly uniform in the channel. The depth variations are shown to be sensitive to the total volume flux in the rip.

Keywords: Drowning; Drowning Prevention; Water Safety

Language: en