Longshore Sediment Transport Directions and Rates from Northern Maine to Tampa Bay, Florida: Literature Compilation and Interpretation

摘要

This paper examines site-specific and regional longshore sediment transport directions and rates along the U.S. seaward coast from the northern Maine border to the mouth of Tampa Bay, Florida. From previous studies, it is known that along the coast, there are nodal zones, i.e. locations of divergence or convergence in longshore current, as well as variations in current direction and sediment transport rate. Available published field-based studies of sediment transport directions and rates were compiled to create a map of the direction and rate of longshore transport. A detailed compilation of local and regional published studies is provided in tables and in a sequence of eight regional maps. Compiled studies of longshore transport reveal a dominant southward direction. On the regional scale, 12 nodal zones are identified. At the local scale, the number of nodal zones increases by approximately an order of magnitude. This work builds upon the Master's thesis of van Gaalen (2004).