Sloping Bathymetry Research Articles

Distinct Impacts of Topographic versus Planetary PV Gradients on Baroclinic Turbulence

Abstract The impacts of topographic versus planetary potential vorticity (PV) gradients on fully developed geostrophic turbulence are often treated as dynamically equivalent in theoretical understanding and parameterizations of ocean mesoscale turbulence. Using a suite of homogeneous, two-layer quasigeostrophic (QG) turbulence simulations, we identify similarities and distinctions of topographic versus planetary PV gradients in modulating turbulent eddy energy and fluxes. We show that, while an elevated background PV gradient can suppress geostrophic turbulence, a positive (negative) bottom slope with respect to the orientation of isopycnal slope barotropizes (debarotropizes) the turbulent energy at large scales, which contrasts with a dynamically inert planetary PV gradient in the modewise energy transfer. Then, in the presence of weak bottom drag, a positive slope energizes large-scale along-slope jets and limits small-scale barotropic eddies, both of which yield stronger eddy suppression effects than from a planetary PV gradient; by contrast, a negative slope hinders along-slope jet formation by enhancing the dual-energy cascade cycling, which alleviates the topographic suppression on eddies. In the presence of strong bottom drag, a positive slope elevates barotropic eddy energy, which further enhances the eddy-driven fluxes; by contrast, a negative slope confines turbulent energy to the baroclinic mode, which is strongly damped, causing further weakened turbulent energy and eddy fluxes. A flow regime captured by linear QG theories also emerges as the turbulent energy cascade is jointly suppressed by negative slopes and strong bottom drag. This study provides insights into parameterizing mesoscale eddy effects across sloping bathymetry in predictive ocean models.

Cetaceans of the Saya de Malha bank region, Indian Ocean: A candidate Important Marine Mammal Area

The banks of Saya de Malha and the surrounding Mascarene Plateau in the Indian Ocean are among the least studied shallow sea water regions in the world. The steep sloping bathymetry of this region is thought to drive high levels of primary productivity and support a diverse range of marine species. Until now, no surveys for cetaceans have been conducted in the waters surrounding Saya de Malha, and so the diversity of cetaceans is unknown. Opportunistic visual and acoustic surveys for cetaceans were conducted onboard a platform of opportunity, the MY Arctic Sunrise, which was involved in a wider project to document the marine life in the region. Survey effort was conducted over 7,700 km, with twelve species of cetacean encountered, including Bryde’s, sperm, beaked and killer whales, along with spinner, striped, pantropical spotted and bottlenose dolphins. A match of a sperm whale coda vocalisation to another, well-studied population off the coast of Mauritius suggests possible connectivity between these regions although further data would be required to confirm this. The banks of Saya de Malha appear to support a diverse range of cetacean species and further systematic surveys are required to increase our understanding of how different species utilise the banks. We provide whistle contours from visually confirmed acoustic detections to contribute towards building a region-specific whistle classifier. Given the diversity of species detected in the region, we suggest that the Saya de Malha bank area be designated, either as an Important Marine Mammal Area or as a marine protected area.

Experimental investigation on the hydrodynamic characteristics of extreme wave groups over unidirectional sloping bathymetry

A series of physical experiments were conducted to investigate the characteristics of extreme wave groups over a shoal. An improved method for detecting wave groups based on instantaneous energy was verified, which can identify wave groups reasonably and effectively. As a result, it was found that a linear relationship exists between the wave group energy and group time length on the logarithmic coordinate diagram, and the same tendency holds for extreme wave groups. Moreover, a steeper slope of the linear curve was observed for larger significant wave heights, indicating that the significant wave height significantly affects the wave heights and energy levels of extreme wave groups. The research also found that the average energy of the identified extreme wave group is approximately twice the average energy of the recorded data, thereby supporting the hypothesis that the wave group plays an important role in the generation of extreme waves.

Physical mechanisms of internal seiche attenuation for non-ideal stratification and basin topography

The dynamics of vertical mixing and the occurrence of basin-scale internal waves (internal seiches) in lakes and reservoirs are often classified and described based on the force balance of wind shear and horizontal pressure gradients resulting from wind-generated currents (the Wedderburn number). The classification schemes consider specific time scales that are derived based on a simplified vertical density distribution, a rectangular basin shape, and a constant water depth. Using field measurements and numerical simulations with a validated hydrodynamic model, we analyzed the transfer of energy from wind to the internal seiche field in a small reservoir. Our results demonstrate that the basin shape has a strong influence on the energy dissipation and on the transfer of energy to propagating high-frequency internal waves, thereby attenuating the generation of basin-scale internal seiches. Most of the energy loss of the internal seiche occurs at the sloping boundary, where the internal seiche is susceptible to shoaling and breaking. These findings suggest that the Wedderburn number can be used to predict the occurrence of internal seiche activity in continuously stratified systems. As the Wedderburn number and derived mixing classifications are widely applied also for the interpretation of observed ecological and biogeochemical processes, its application to basins with sloping bathymetry and complex shape should be critically scrutinized, and deviations from predicted dynamics, including the presence of hotspots of turbulent mixing, should be considered.

Flushing the Lake Littoral Region: The Interaction of Differential Cooling and Mild Winds

AbstractThe interaction of a uniform cooling rate at the lake surface with sloping bathymetry efficiently drives cross‐shore water exchanges between the shallow littoral and deep interior regions. The faster cooling rate of the shallows results in the formation of density‐driven currents, known as thermal siphons, that flow downslope until they intrude horizontally at the base of the surface mixed layer. Existing parameterizations of the resulting buoyancy‐driven cross‐shore transport assume calm wind conditions, which are rarely observed in lakes and thereby restrict their applicability. Here, we examine how moderate winds (≲5 m s−1) affect this convective cross‐shore transport. We derive simple analytical solutions that we further test against realistic three‐dimensional numerical hydrodynamic simulations of an enclosed stratified basin subject to uniform and steady surface cooling rate and cross‐shore winds. We show cross‐shore winds modify the convective circulation, stopping or even reversing it in the upwind littoral region and enhancing the cross‐shore exchange in the downwind region. The analytical parameterization satisfactorily predicted the magnitude of the simulated offshore unit‐width discharges in the upwind and downwind littoral regions. Our scaling expands the previous formulation to a regime where both wind and buoyancy forces drive cross‐shore discharges of similar magnitude. This range is defined by the non‐dimensional Monin‐Obukhov length scale, χMO: 0.1 ≲ χMO ≲ 0.5. The information needed to evaluate the scaling formula can be readily obtained from a traditional set of in situ observations.

Can edge waves be generated by wind?

Edge waves, the infragravity waves trapped by near-shore topography, are important in morphodynamics and flooding on mildly sloping beaches. Edge waves are usually generated by swell via triad interactions. Here, we examine the possibility that edge waves might be also generated directly by wind. By processing data from the SandyDuck’97 near-shore experiment, we show that pronounced directional asymmetry of edge waves does occur in nature, apparently unrelated to the direction of swells and along-shore currents. These observations exhibit edge waves propagating in the downwind direction under moderate wind against the along-shore currents, while swell is incident nearly normally to the shoreline, which strongly suggests generation of edge waves by wind. We examine theoretically possible mechanisms of edge-wave excitation by wind. We show that the ‘maser’ mechanism suggested by Longuet-Higgins (Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A, vol. 311, issue 1506, 1969b, pp. 371–389) in the context of excitation of free water waves is effective under favourable conditions: nonlinearly interacting random short wind-forced waves create a viscous shear stress on the water surface with the variation of stress being phase linked to edge waves, which allows self-excitation of a coherent edge wave. The model we put forward is based upon the kinetic equation for short wind waves propagating on the inhomogeneous current due to an edge wave. The model needs a dedicated experiment for validation. Analysis of plausible alternative mechanisms of generation via Miles’ critical layer and via the viscous shear stresses induced by the edge wave in the air revealed no instability in the consideration confined to the main mode and constant slope bathymetry.

Modeling and observation of low-frequency propagation into warm core ring on the New England shelf slope

Analytical and computational modeling is used to examine propagation of low-frequency sound into a warm core ring oceanic front. When the source is placed outside the front and the receiver is placed inside it, the sound field consists of the refracted path and the horizontal lateral wave, which decays exponentially into the front. The analytical solution is presented in 2D (x, y) assuming an adiabatic vertical mode solution in z, wherein the vertical mode-dependence of the propagation paths into the front are considered. A 3D computational acoustic model examines the additional effects of sloping bathymetry and frontal geometry. The modeled results are compared to experimental measurements of into-front propagation during the March 2021 New England Shelf Break Acoustics Experiment using a low-frequency (fc = 115 Hz), shallow towed chirp signal received on an L-shape vertical and horizontal hydrophone array. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.]

South Atlantic deep eastern boundary current driven by Agulhas rings: An idealized study

The deep eastern boundary current (DEBC) in the southeast Atlantic Ocean plays an important role in the global meridional overturning circulation, by carrying a comparable fraction of the North Atlantic Deep Water transport toward the Southern Ocean to that of the deep western boundary current. At the same time, the southeast Atlantic Ocean is constantly influenced by energetic Agulhas rings that are shedded by the Agulhas current. It has been pointed out that the eddy thickness transport by these Agulhas rings is important in enabling the deep water mass that flows southeastward within the interior of the South Atlantic Ocean to cross isolines of large scale potential vorticity toward the eastern boundary where it feeds the DEBC. In this work, we focus on the dynamics of DEBC itself which carries this water mass into the Southern Ocean. We use idealized general circulation model configurations to study the relationship between the Agulhas rings, bathymetry and the southward DEBC in southeast Atlantic Ocean. We find that a DEBC comparable to that in observations and state estimate products is obtained only with combined forcing by Agulhas rings and a sloping bathymetry. The DEBC is then characterized by a mid-depth core at a 2.2 km, again similar to observations. We analyze the momentum and vorticity budgets of the DEBC and show that it is driven by vortex stretching that is sensitive to both eddy temperature transport and the bottom slope.

A wavelet-based wave group detector and predictor of extreme events over unidirectional sloping bathymetry

Extreme waves usually emerge from intensive wave groups. Detection of wave groups from random waves may be a key step in predicting the occurrence of extreme events. A new method to discriminate wave groups in random waves based on the wavelet transform is proposed and investigated. The approach can identify wave groups effectively and efficiently. To test the methods, propagation of random wave trains over constant-spanwise submerged obstacles with a wide range of bottom slopes varying from 1:3 to 1:80 are simulated using a fully nonlinear wave model. Extreme waves satisfying the definition of freak waves are identified close to the top of the obstacles. Steeper slopes increase the probability of freak waves. Moreover, it is found that the non-dimensionalized, maximum of the scaled non-uniformity wavelet power of wave groups can be used as a precursor to predict the occurrence of extreme waves over sloping bottoms. The indicator correlates linearly with the maximum heights of wave groups. Using the simulated data, formulae to predict freak waves for various wave steepness over sloping bottoms are constructed. After testing a large number of cases, it is found that the formulae predict most extreme waves successfully and effectively.

Boundary layer-mediated vorticity generation in currents over sloping bathymetry

AbstractCurrent-topography interactions in the ocean give rise to eddies spanning a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Latest modeling efforts indicate that coastal and underwater topography are important generation sites for submesoscale coherent vortices (SCVs), characterized by horizontal scales of (0.1 – 10) km. Using idealized, submesoscale and BBL-resolving simulations and adopting an integrated vorticity balance formulation, we quantify precisely the role of bottom boundary layers (BBLs) in the vorticity generation process. In particular, we show that vorticity generation on topographic slopes is attributable primarily to the torque exerted by the vertical divergence of stress at the bottom. We refer to this as the Bottom Stress Divergence Torque (BSDT). BSDT is a fundamentally nonconservative torque that appears as a source term in the integrated vorticity budget and is to be distinguished from the more familiar Bottom Stress Curl (BSC). It is closely connected to the bottom pressure torque (BPT) via the horizontal momentum balance at the bottom and is in fact shown to be the dominant component of BPT in solutions with a well-resolved BBL. This suggests an interpretation of BPT as the sum of a viscous, vorticity generating component (BSDT) and an inviscid, ‘flow-turning ’ component. Companion simulations without bottom drag illustrate that although vorticity generation can still occur through the inviscid mechanisms of vortex stretching and tilting, the wake eddies tend to have weaker circulation, be substantially less energetic, and have smaller spatial scales.

Near-inertial wave critical layers over sloping bathymetry

AbstractThis study describes a specific type of critical layer for near-inertial waves (NIWs) that forms when isopycnals run parallel to sloping bathymetry. Upon entering this slantwise critical layer, the group velocity of the waves decreases to zero and the NIWs become trapped and amplified, which can enhance mixing. A realistic simulation of anticyclonic eddies on the Texas-Louisiana shelf reveals that such critical layers can form where the eddies impinge onto the sloping bottom. Velocity shear bands in the simulation indicate that windforced NIWs are radiated downward from the surface in the eddies, bend upward near the bottom, and enter critical layers over the continental shelf, resulting in inertially-modulated enhanced mixing. Idealized simulations designed to capture this flow reproduce the wave propagation and enhanced mixing. The link between the enhanced mixing and wave trapping in the slantwise critical layer is made using ray-tracing and an analysis of the waves’ energetics in the idealized simulations. An ensemble of simulations is performed spanning the relevant parameter space that demonstrates that the strength of the mixing is correlated with the degree to which NIWs are trapped in the critical layers. While the application here is for a shallow coastal setting, the mechanisms could be active in the open ocean as well where isopycnals align with bathymetry.

Near-Field Body-Wave Extraction From Ambient Seafloor Noise in the Nankai Subduction Zone

Ambient noise correlation is capable of retrieving waves propagating between two receivers. Although waves retrieved using this technique are primarily surface waves, the retrieval of body waves, including direct, refracted, and reflected waves, has also been reported from land-based observations. The difficulty of body wave extraction may be caused by large amplitudes and little attenuation of surface waves excited by microseisms, indicating that body wave extraction using seafloor records is very challenging because microseisms are generated in ocean areas and large amplitudes of surface waves are presumably observed at the seafloor. In this study, we used a unique dataset acquired by dense arrays deployed in the Nankai subduction zone, including a permanent cabled-network of 49 stations, a borehole sensor, and 150 temporary stations, to attempt to extract near-field body waves from ambient seafloor noise observed by multivariate sensors of broadband and short-period seismometers, differential pressure gauges (DPGs), and hydrophones. Our results show thatPwaves are extracted only in the DPG-record correlations at a frequency of 0.2–0.5 Hz, which can be seen up to a separation distance of two stations of 17 km with an apparent velocity of 3.2 km/s. At 1–3 Hz,Pwaves are observed only in the vertical-record correlations up to a separation distance of 11 km with an apparent velocity of 2.0 km/s. These velocity differences reflect the vertical velocity gradient of the accretionary prism, because thePwaves at low frequencies propagate at relatively long distances and therefore the turning depth is greater. Moreover, the long-period and short-periodPwaves are observed at the slope and flat regions on the accretionary prism, respectively. To investigate the retrieved wavefield characteristics, we conducted a two-dimensional numerical simulation for wave propagations, where we located single sources at the sea surface above the flat and slope bathymetry regions. Based on our observations and simulations, we suggest that the retrieval of near-field body waves from ambient seafloor noises depends on the relative amplitudes ofPand other surface waves in the ambient noise wavefield, and those are controlled by the subseafloor velocity structure, seafloor topography, and water depth.

The Pi − Finite Element Method for 1D wave simulation using Shallow Water Equations

We study a simple numerical scheme based on a new type of Finite Element Method (FEM) to solve the 1D Shallow Water Equations. In the new scheme, the surface elevation variable is approximated by a linear continuous basis function (P 1) and the velocity potential variable is approximated by the one-dimensional discontinuous linear non-conforming basis function (). Here, we implement the P 1 − finite element pair to solve the 1D Shallow Water Equations on a structured grid, whereas the Runge Kutta method is adopted for time integration. We verified the resulting scheme by conducting several simulations such as a standing wave simulation, and propagation of an initial hump over sloping bathymetry. The resulting scheme free from numerical damping error, conservative and both standing wave and shoaling phenomena are well simulated.

Nongeostrophic Baroclinic Instability over Sloping Bathymetry: Buoyant Flow Regime

AbstractBaroclinic instabilities are important processes that enhance mixing and dispersion in the ocean. The presence of sloping bathymetry and the nongeostrophic effect influence the formation and evolution of baroclinic instabilities in oceanic bottom boundary layers and in coastal waters. This study explores two nongeostrophic baroclinic instability theories adapted to the scenario with sloping bathymetry and investigates the mechanism of the instability suppression (reduction in growth rate) in the buoyant flow regime. Both the two-layer and continuously stratified models reveal that the suppression is related to a new parameter, slope-relative Burger number Sr ≡ (M2/f2)(α + αp), where M2 is the horizontal buoyancy gradient, α is the bathymetry slope, and αp is the isopycnal slope. In the layer model, the instability growth rate linearly decreases with increasing Sr {the bulk form Sr = [U0/(H0f)](α + αp)}. In the continuously stratified model, the instability suppression intensifies with increasing Sr when the regime shifts from quasigeostrophic to nongeostrophic. The adapted theories are intrinsically applicable to deep ocean bottom boundary layers and could be conditionally applied to coastal buoyancy-driven flow. The slope-relative Burger number is related to the Richardson number by Sr = δrRi−1, where the slope-relative parameter is δr = (α + αp)/αp. Since energetic fronts in coastal zones are often characterized by low Ri, that implies potentially higher values of Sr, which is why baroclinic instabilities may be suppressed in the energetic regions where they would otherwise be expected to be ubiquitous according to the quasigeostrophic theory.

Characterization of acoustic attenuation in a coral reef environment

Coral reefs are complicated and understudied acoustic propagation environments. In addition to geometric spreading, there are propagation losses due to bottom attenuation, volumetric scattering, and boundary scattering from bathymetric variability and sea surface roughness. On a Hawaiian coral reef, a field test was performed in shallow water during which low-level tones were projected from an underwater speaker and received by a single hydrophone at various ranges up to 500 m from the source. Acoustic data gathered during the field test were analyzed to characterize the sound propagation environment. Conventional geometric spreading assumptions were challenged for the sloping bathymetry characteristic of the Hawaiian coral reef environment. Geoacoustic parameters of the coral reef environment were extracted from transmission loss measurements using a nonlinear least-squares inversion. Losses were estimated for frequencies of 500 Hz, 2 kHz, 5 kHz, 10 kHz, and 15 kHz.Coral reefs are complicated and understudied acoustic propagation environments. In addition to geometric spreading, there are propagation losses due to bottom attenuation, volumetric scattering, and boundary scattering from bathymetric variability and sea surface roughness. On a Hawaiian coral reef, a field test was performed in shallow water during which low-level tones were projected from an underwater speaker and received by a single hydrophone at various ranges up to 500 m from the source. Acoustic data gathered during the field test were analyzed to characterize the sound propagation environment. Conventional geometric spreading assumptions were challenged for the sloping bathymetry characteristic of the Hawaiian coral reef environment. Geoacoustic parameters of the coral reef environment were extracted from transmission loss measurements using a nonlinear least-squares inversion. Losses were estimated for frequencies of 500 Hz, 2 kHz, 5 kHz, 10 kHz, and 15 kHz.

Analysing the Near-Field Effects and the Power Production of Near-Shore WEC Array Using a New Wave-to-Wire Model

In this study, a series of modules is integrated into a wave-to-wire (W2W) model that links a Boundary Element Method (BEM) solver to a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) motion solver which are in turn coupled to a wave propagation model. The hydrodynamics of the WECs are resolved in the wave structure interaction solver NEMOH, the Power Take-off (PTO) is simulated in the WEC simulation tool WEC-Sim, and the resulting perturbed wave field is coupled to the mild-slope propagation model MILDwave. The W2W model is run for verified for a realistic wave energy project consisting of a WEC farm composed of 10 5-WEC arrays of Oscillating Surging Wave Energy Converters (OSWECs). The investigated WEC farm is modelled for a real wave climate and a sloping bathymetry based on a proposed OSWEC array project off the coast of Bretagne, France. Each WEC array is arranged in a power-maximizing 2-row configuration that also minimizes the inter-array separation distance d x and d y and the arrays are located in a staggered energy maximizing configuration that also decreases the along-shore WEC farm extent. The WEC farm power output and the near and far-field effects are simulated for irregular waves with various significant wave heights wave peak periods and mean wave incidence directions β based on the modelled site wave climatology. The PTO system of each WEC in each farm is modelled as a closed-circuit hydraulic PTO system optimized for each set of incident wave conditions, mimicking the proposed site technology, namely the WaveRoller® OSWEC developed by AW Energy Ltd. The investigation in this study provides a proof of concept of the proposed W2W model in investigating potential commercial WEC projects.

Experimental observations of tsunami induced scour at onshore structures

Tsunami inundation of the coastal environment can induce scour at structure foundations leading to failure. A series of experiments are made using a unique Pneumatic Long Wave Generator to generate tsunami wave periods of 25–147 s equating to 3–17.3 min at 1:50 Froude scale. The waves propagate over a sloping bathymetry and impinge upon a square structure founded onshore in a flat sediment bed. Flow velocity, height and scour depth are recorded as a function of time during tsunami inundation. The rate of scour is observed to be time dependent. Equilibrium, which is not attained, is argued to be an inappropriate measure for time-dependent transient flows such as tsunami in which the flow velocity, depth and direction are variable. The maximum scour depth is recorded and critically is observed not to be equal to the final depth due to significant sediment slumping when flow velocities reduce in the latter stages of inundation. Current and wave scour predictor equations over predict the scour, while the ASCE 7–16 method under predicts. Comparisons with available data in the literature show longer inundation durations increase the amount of scour.

Propagation and Vertical Structure of the Tidal Flow in Nares Strait

AbstractThe southward freshwater flux through Nares Strait is an important component of the Arctic's freshwater budget. On short time scales, flow through the strait is dominated by the tides, and tidal dynamics may be important for the magnitude of the freshwater flux over longer periods. Here we build upon our existing knowledge of the tides in the region by exploring their propagation and vertical structure using data from four bottom‐mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers deployed in Nares Strait between 2003 and 2006. We observe that propagating barotropic semidiurnal tidal waves interact to create a standing wave pattern, explaining the abnormally large tidal amplitudes that are observed in this region. In the along‐strait direction, semidiurnal tidal currents exhibit strong variations with depth. In contrast, the diurnal tides propagate northward through the strait as progressive waves, and the tidal currents are broadly depth invariant. Proximity of Nares Strait to the semidiurnal critical latitude and the topographical restriction imposed by the steep side wall of Ellesmere Island are primary drivers behind the observed vertical variability. In the upper part of the water column, baroclinic activity increases the tidal current amplitude by up to 25%. In the across‐strait direction, a two‐layer structure exists in both the diurnal and semidiurnal tidal flow, with a phase lag of approximately a quarter of a tidal cycle across the strait for the semidiurnal tide. Our results suggest that strong vertical motion exists against the side walls of Nares Strait, as the across‐strait flow interacts with the steeply sloping bathymetry.

Fate of large-scale vortices in idealized tidal lagoons

The generation and evolution of tidally-induced vortices in coastal and estuarine regions can influence water quality and sedimentary processes. These effects must be taken into consideration in the development of coastal reservoirs, barrages and lagoons, among other environmental flow applications. Results are presented here on the fate of large-scale vortices within confined tidally-forced domains. A computational approach is employed using the Thetis depth-averaged coastal ocean modeling framework. Initially, two test cases serve to demonstrate model capability in capturing the formation of dipoles downstream of oscillatory flow channels. Diagnostic quantities of vorticity and localized circulation are used to track the 2-D vortex evolution and dissipation. This approach is then applied to tidal lagoon geometries, where flows through the inlet induce a pair of counter rotating vortices (dipoles). Idealized model geometries and inlet conditions are used to determine the impact of three design parameters on large-scale vortical structures: (a) the lagoon geometry aspect ratio in the horizontal plane, (b) the inlet width and (c) the bathymetry profile as the coastline is approached. The dependence of vortex flushing behavior on the dimensionless ratio {}^{W_text{i}}!/_{UT} (where W_text{i} is the width of the inlet channel, U is the maximum velocity and T is the tidal period) is reaffirmed, while the side walls and the sloping bathymetry are found to affect the vortex dissipation process.

Observations of Water Column and Bathymetric Effects on the Incident Acoustic Field Associated With Shallow-Water Reverberation Experiments

As a part of the 2013 Targets and Reverberation Experiment (TREX13), measurements of the acoustic field generated by a source used in midfrequency (1.8–3.6 kHz) reverberation experiments are studied at 5 and 6 km range. The TREX13 reverberation sources were placed off the coast of Panama City, FL, USA, in waters ∼20 m deep, and data discussed here are from a 2-h period in the late afternoon on April 28, 2013. The observed coda of the source signal is partitioned into an initial primary arrival, and a distinct second arrival delayed by roughly 2 s. Characteristics of the two arrivals are studied in terms of the effective number of modes, interference features, and the direction of acoustic intensity, which was directly measured by a vector sensor located at 5 km range. A shift in frequency within the primary arrival is observed over the 2-h measurement period. Frequency shifts are related to a change in range of dislocations, defined as points of complete destructive interference in the acoustic field, that modulate with tidal variation in the sound-speed profile. Precise frequencies are identified with the vector property called circularity, a nondimensional measure of acoustic intensity curl, that is maximal within the vortex-like intensity field within a dislocation. Using the waveguide invariant β, the frequency shift is used to estimate the tidal change in the thermocline depth. These interference features are absent in the second arrival, which is postulated to be an acoustic path horizontally refracted by the gently sloping bathymetry (∼0.4°) forming the coastal environment. A description of the refraction using modal rays is developed, and the transition of the mode from being trapped to leaky is handled as a transition to a virtual mode near the cutoff depth. Models of the primary and refracted arrivals are presented to support the conclusions.