Nearshore processes along the Vengurla Coast: An analysis based on measured, modeled, and Reanalysis Data

Abstract

The present study uses measured, reanalysis, and modeled data to examine the nearshore wave characteristics, longshore currents, longshore sediment transport rate along the Vengurla coast. A numerical model (Delft3D wave module), with measured wave data at 15 m water depth as input, is implemented along the Vengurla coast to obtain breaker characteristics along the surf zone. The presence of swells (Tp > 10 s) from the southwest, westerly waves during monsoon (Hs >1.5m) and wind- seas (Hs < 1.5 m & Tp < 8 s) are observed along the domain. Up to 2m waves are observed along the breaker zone during monsoon. Predominantly, a northward directed alongshore current prevails along the Vengurla coast, resulting in a net northward transport rate (0.36 x 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">5</sup> m <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> /yr).