Nakdong estuary, where is located in the southeast of Korea, is characterized by very complex bathymetry due to several sandbars parallel to shoreline, and their bathymetry is actively changing in short and longer periods because of the successive wav...
Nakdong estuary, where is located in the southeast of Korea, is characterized by very complex bathymetry due to several sandbars parallel to shoreline, and their bathymetry is actively changing in short and longer periods because of the successive wave actions. The accurate understanding of waves in Nakdong estuary is very important to investigate morphological characteristics of Nakdong estuary, as the waves is one of main driving forces inducing topographical changes over this area. Therefore, the study conducted data analysis with wave measurements and numerical simulations using SWAN wave model to identify spatial wave characteristics depending on the incident wave condition.
The main results from the study are summarized as following.
1) Wave observations present the coastal area of Nakdong estuary is mostly exposed to waves coming from the SW and the NE which develops very different wave climate at inshore of Nakdong estuary; under the southwesterly waves, inshore waves are relatively high, whereas inshore waves are very small less than 0.5 m under the waves from the NE, although offshore waves are over 2 m.
2) To improve the model performance in the study area, SWAN wave model is validated against the wave observations. From the validation work, we achieve reasonal results with the differences of 0.1 sec and 0.03 m on the peak wave period and the significant wave height.
3) Wave simulations were conducted under the 5 representative wave directions (SW, SSW, S, SSE, SE) which is mainly affect to the wave climates in Nakdong estuary. When waves come from the SW and SE, inshore waves are relatively small due to the strong diffraction and sheltering effect by Gadeok Is. and Dadeapo. However, under the incident waves from the SSW ∼ SSE which is nearly normal to the shoreline waves over the study area generally bigger than other directional conditions.
4) Cross sectional waves were compared over the Nakdong estuary. Waves in the eastern region where has rapid seabed slope are suddenly changed along the cross sections. However, the waves in the western region, in front of Jinudo, are mildly changed. The wave steepness are rarely changed over the western area of Nakdong estuary, but they are suddenly increase from the water depths less than 5 m in the eastern region.
5) Wave climates in Nakdong estuary are significantly influenced geological effect depending on the incident wave direction. Under the NE direction which is annually predominant, it has weak influences to inshore waves of Nakdong estuary. Waves from the S and SW directions has lower occurrences compared to the NE direction, it strongly influences to the wave climate of the area.