Abstract
Abstract Wave-induced streaming of fluid mud at open coasts under damped, non-breaking waves is examined as a likely mechanism to explain nearshore bottom evolution in such an environment. For a two-layered, water-fluid mud domain in which mud is considered to be a viscous continuum, an expression for the streaming velocity is obtained. Preliminary data on alongshore streaming of fluid mud in a wave basin show an order of magnitude agreement with theory. Previous observations on the rates of mud movement along the coasts of Surinam, Guyana and Louisiana are shown to yield alongshore velocities that are commensurate with those obtained by considering streaming to be the prevalent cause of mud transport. These velocities are considerably lower than those which would occur due to breaking waves. Off the southwestern coast of India, shoreward streaming of mud under monsoonal waves results in the formation of shore-fast mudbanks. It is argued that among transport mechanisms which govern the dynamics of microtidal muddy coasts, streaming may be an important means by which fluid mud influences the formation, migration and dissipation mudbanks in areas where wave breaking is significantly attenuated by viscous damping.
Published Version
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