Beach processes and sedimentation / Paul D. Komar

Incluye referencias bibliográficas e índice

There has been a remarkable increase in the scientific and engineering literature dealing with the coastal zone during the 20 years since publication of the first edition of this text. To sug-gest that the present edition is a "revisión" is therefore something of an understatement. In 1976 when the first edition was published, little was known concerning the patterns of wave transformations and dissipation within the surf zone and how these water motions produce cross-shore movements of sediment resulting in beach-profile variations. Profile responses to storms had been documented, but there was little understanding of the underlying causes. By 1976, suggestions had been made that edge waves might be an important form of energy in the nearshore, responsible for the generation of rip currents and for the rearrangement of beach sediments into crescentic bars. At that time, however, no direct measurements had been made of edge waves on ocean beaches to verify that they actually exist outside of the laboratory, and this uncertainty resulted in much debate as to their relevance.This debate has been muted by the clear documentation of the presence of edge waves in the nearshore and that they often contain substantial amounts of energy. We continué to explore their roles in contributing to the transport of sediment in the nearshore and their effects on the beach morphology. These are only a few examples of research advances during the past 20 years, and many others could be cited touching on almost every aspect of beach processes and sedimentation