A Field Data Assessment of Contemporary Models of Beach Cusp Formation

Authors

  • J. R. Allen
  • N. P. Psuty
  • B. O. Bauer
  • R. W. G. Carter

Keywords:

beach cusps, foreshore changes, edge waves, swash excursion

Abstract

Cusp formation was observed during an instrumented, daily profiled, time series of a reflective beach in Canaveral National Seashore, Florida on January 5, 1988. The monitored cusp embayment formed by erosion of the foreshore and the cusp series had a mean spacing of approximately 28 m, During this time. inshore fluid flows were dominated by two standing edge waves at frequencies of 0.06 Hz (primary) and 0.035 Hz (secondary) whereas incident waves were broadbanded at 0.12-0.16 Hz. Directly measured flows land indirectly estimated swash excursion) data support both the standing wave subharmonic model (GUZA and INMAN, 1975) and the self-organization model (WERNER and FINK, 1993) of cusp formation in this study.

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Published

1996-07-23

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 3 (1996): Journal of Coastal Research

Section

Articles

License

Authorization for personal use is granted by the Coastal Education and Research Foundation [CERF]. By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that the copyright for their article is transferred to the publisher if the article is accepted for publication. Assignment of copyright is not required, however, from authors who work for organizations which do not permit such assignment, The copyright covers the exclusive rights to reprduce and distribute the article, inclduing reprints, photographic reproductions, microform, or any other reproductions of a similar nature, and translations.