The effect of wave-current interactions on the sediment dynamics in the Óbidos Lagoon

Abstract

The combined effect of waves and currents plays a major role on the sediment dynamics of wavedominated inlets. When waves are propagating toward the lagoon, the ebb-currents can partially or totally block the wave motion. Besides analysing the wave blocking phenomenon in the Albufeira lagoon, Dodet et al. (2013) showed that the interaction between waves and currents will increase the sediment transport towards the lagoon during the flood. This study aims at verifying these phenomena in a different scenario through an idealized test case with a constant in space and time wave spectrum.