Cross‐shore transport of nearshore sediment by river plume frontal pumping. Issue 12 (28th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Horner‐Devine, Alexander R.; Pietrzak, Julie D.; Souza, Alejandro J.; McKeon, Margaret A.; Meirelles, Saulo; Henriquez, Martijn; Flores, Raúl P.; Rijnsburger, Sabine
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 44:Issue 12(2017)
• Page Start: 6343
• Page End: 6351
• Publication Date: 2017-06-28
• Subjects: river plume -- sediment -- surf zone -- cross‐shore transport -- fronts -- Rhine; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2017GL073378
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

Abstract: We present a new mechanism for cross‐shore transport of fine sediment from the nearshore to the inner shelf resulting from the onshore propagation of river plume fronts. Onshore frontal propagation is observed in moorings and radar images, which show that fronts penetrate onshore through the nearshore and surf zone, almost to the waterline. During frontal passage a two‐layer counterrotating velocity field characteristic of tidal straining is immediately set up, generating a net offshore flow beneath the plume. The seaward flow at depth carries with it high suspended sediment concentrations, which appear to have been generated by wave resuspension in the nearshore region. These observations describe a mechanism by which vertical density stratification can drive exchange of material between the nearshore region and the inner shelf. To our knowledge these are the first observations of this frontal pumping mechanism, which is expected to play an important role in sediment transport near river mouths. Plain Language Summary: The processes that exchange sediment, contaminants, or other materials between the shallow wave‐influenced region very near the shoreline and deeper coastal waters are not well understood, in part because this interface is a boundary between regions where very different processes dominate. This paper illustrates a mechanism that enables exchange across this interface that involves an interesting interplay between wave processes that dominate close to the shoreline and the intrusion of buoyant river water that is circulating offshore. Key Points: Near‐surface density fronts from Rhine River plume propagate onshore through the surf zone Onshore frontal propagation drives offshore flux of fine sediment This process generates exchange between the nearshore and the inner shelf