Field Study and Prediction of Longshore Currents, Argentine Coast

Abstract

Daily measurements were made during 1982 and 1983 on the Union beach, Argentina. Breaker angle of incidence was measured by a graduate limb, breaker height observed to the nearest tenth of a meter, current estimated by afloat timing, and wind velocity and direction were measured simultaneously with an nemometer. A stepwise multi-regression analysis was performed on the data to evaluate which variables are significant to explain the longshore current velocity, and to attain with them a predictor equation like V= f(α_b,T_b, H_b,W_p).

In a second part of this study, using a linear correlation, it was evaluated whether other predictor equations available in the literature were applicable to this area. Lastly, it was investigated whether the inclusion of wind velocity could improve ability to predict longshore current velocity.