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atmosphere Article Analysis of Rip Current Characteristics Using Dye Tracking Method Hyun Dong Kim 1,* and Kyu-Han Kim 2,* 1 Department of Civil Engineering, Osaka University, Suita Yamadaoka 2-1, Osaka 565-0871, Japan 2 Department of Civil Engineering, Catholic Kwandong University, Saimdang, Gangneung 641-28, Korea * Correspondence: [email protected] (H.D.K.); [email protected] (K.H.K.) Abstract: Rip currents are strong water channels flowing away from the shoreline. They can occur on any shore with breaking waves. Rip currents play a significant role in changing the topography of shallow water regions by transporting large amounts of bed material offshore. Moreover, they pose a significant danger for people living in nearshore zones and surfers and cause hundreds of deaths annually worldwide. Therefore, rip current generation characteristics have been investigated to prevent casualties. In this study, a GPS drifter survey was chosen as the investigation method; however, a few drawbacks were discovered, such as low accuracy due to the GPS drifter becoming trapped in the surf zone. Therefore, drones and dyes were used to overcome the drawbacks of drifter methods. The results of dye tracking and the 3D wave-induced current numerical simulation were compared; the velocity and formation of the rip current were found to be relatively similar. With the technological advancements and invention of new survey equipment, the survey techniques also evolve, and this paper shows that the disadvantages of the GPS-based Lagrangian method can be overcome using a dye-mounted drone, which observes the rip current easily and accurately. Citation: Kim, H.D.; Kim, K.-H. Analysis of Rip Current Keywords: rip current; drones dye tracking; bathymetry; topography; field investigation Characteristics Using Dye Tracking Method. Atmosphere 2021, 12, 719. https://doi.org/10.3390/ atmos12060719 1. Introduction Academic Editors: Rip currents are fast seaward water currents that flow in a narrow channel from the Halina Kowalewska-Kalkowska and surf zone [1]. As the waves approach the shore, the depth of water becomes shallower and Anna Cedro produces breaking waves; these are a form of energy-carrying wave current. As the wave size increases, the amount of seawater that enters increases, and the waves break at the Received: 27 April 2021 surface as the waves with longer wavelengths push toward the shore. When no waves are Accepted: 30 May 2021 approaching the shore at an angle and meet at a spot where the breaker is low, a strong Published: 3 June 2021 and quick seaward flow, called the rip current, develops because the accumulated seawater cannot flow as a longshore current anymore [2]. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral Rip currents are a significant cause of deaths in coastal regions. The damages caused with regard to jurisdictional claims in by rip currents are increasing every year, and they affect the United States and Australia published maps and institutional affil- more compared to other countries as they have a greater number of large beaches as well iations. as tourists [3]. An increasing number of accidents caused by rip currents are reported every year, indicating the pressing need for a more accurate analysis of rip current characteristics. A numerical rip current prediction can be conducted regularly and optimized using data about rip current features obtained from field observations. In addition, the availability of Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. a large amount of field observation data is expected to improve the accuracy of existing Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. prediction technologies. This article is an open access article Since predicting the rip current generation with exact location is very difficult and distributed under the terms and unexpected rip currents can cause sudden casualties, it is still argued that establishing conditions of the Creative Commons adequate countermeasures against the damage is difficult [4]. Although researchers are Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// delving into ways of obtaining the location of rip currents in real-time, it is a challenging creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ problem due to limited technology. Moreover, the generation of rip currents is influenced 4.0/). Atmosphere 2021, 12, 719. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12060719 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/atmosphere Atmosphere 2021, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 12 Atmosphere 2021, 12, 719 2 of 12 delving into ways of obtaining the location of rip currents in real-time, it is a challenging problem due to limited technology. Moreover, the generation of rip currents is influenced by numerous factors such as the size and regularity of waves, tide, wave direction, and shorelineby numerous structure factors [5]. such The as size the and size regulari and regularityty of waves of waves, determine tide, the wave amount direction, of shore- and wardshoreline flow; structure in addition, [5]. The the sizetide and can regularityaffect the ofpower waves of determine the shoreward the amount flow, and of shoreward the wave directionflow; in addition, and shoreline the tide structure can affect decide the power the wa ofves’ the shorewardshoreline approaching flow, and the angle wave [6]. direction These factorsand shoreline make it structure difficult to decide predict the and waves’ track shoreline rip currents approaching and identify angle their [6]. characteristics. These factors makeQuite it difficult fittingly, to predict in light and of trackthese rip realities, currents many and identifyresearchers their have characteristics. developed a risk scoreQuite calculation fittingly, method in light categorizing of these realities,the rip currents many occurrences researchers into have score developed brackets a con- risk sideringscore calculation the state of method sea weather, categorizing bathymetric the rip topography, currents occurrences and their regional into score characteris- brackets ticsconsidering to be able the to statepredict of seasuch weather, currents bathymetric in the future topography, [1,4,6]. In Korea, and their these regional efforts charac-are re- teristics to be able to predict such currents in the future [1,4,6]. In Korea, these efforts are flected in the indigenous development of a rip current alarm system, which provides rip reflected in the indigenous development of a rip current alarm system, which provides rip current predictions in 3-h intervals, by the Korea Hydrographic Oceanographic Agency current predictions in 3-h intervals, by the Korea Hydrographic Oceanographic Agency (KHOA) [7]. (KHOA) [7]. This study presents a method for rip current measurement, which is based on meas- This study presents a method for rip current measurement, which is based on measur- uring the average flow velocity by dropping a GPS drifter following the Coastal Improve- ing the average flow velocity by dropping a GPS drifter following the Coastal Improvement ment Project Design Guidebook of 2010 [8]. Because GPS drifter observation has draw- Project Design Guidebook of 2010 [8]. Because GPS drifter observation has drawbacks of backs of low accuracy, an alternative dye tracking method is then utilized to measure and low accuracy, an alternative dye tracking method is then utilized to measure and locate rip locate rip currents and identify their movement paths. Numerical simulations are carried currents and identify their movement paths. Numerical simulations are carried out, and out, and the results are directly compared with the field observations. the results are directly compared with the field observations. 2. Identifying the Area of Expected Rip Current Occurrences As mentioned above, nearshore bathymetrybathymetry isis oneone ofof thethe factorsfactors affectingaffecting the the genera- gener- ationtion of of rip rip currents. currents. Therefore, Therefore, our our aim aim was was to to collect collect the the latest latest bathymetric bathymetric information information of ofthe the target target sea sea before before conducting conducting an an on-site on-site investigation investigation and and data data analysis analysis ofof riprip current characteristics. Haeundae Haeundae Beach Beach shown shown in in Figu Figurere 1 1was was chosen chosen as asthe the target target sea, sea, and and the requiredthe required investigation investigation and and coastal coastal bathymetric bathymetric change change analysis analysis were were performed. TheThe bathymetric information was then used in the numericalnumerical simulation for obtainingobtaining basic data to identify and predict the frequent rip current occurrence locations, which are called rip current hot spots in this study. The reason forfor selectingselecting Haeundae Beach as the target beach is thatthat KHOAKHOA mainlymainly focused focused on on preventing preventing damages damages due due to to the the frequent frequent rip rip current cur- rentoccurrences occurrences at Haeundae at Haeundae Beach, Beach, and itand is one it is ofone the of main the main beaches beaches where where a large a large number num- of peopleber of people are exposed are exposed to rip currentto rip current danger danger as it has as the it has highest the highest number number of visitors of visitors during duringthe season. the season. Figure 1. The study location of Haeundae Beach in Busan,Busan, South Korea (images from GoogleGoogle Earth).Earth). Atmosphere 2021, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 12 Atmosphere 2021, 12, 719 3 of 12 2.1. Survey and Measurements for the Numerical Simulation Data 2.1. Survey
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    WaveWave drivendriven sea-levelsea-level anomalyanomaly atat MidwayMidway AtollAtoll RonRon HoekeHoeke CSIROCSIRO SeaSea LevelLevel andand CoastsCoasts JeromeJerome AucanAucan LaboratoireLaboratoire d'Etudesd'Etudes enen GéophysiqueGéophysique etet OcéanographieOcéanographie SpatialeSpatiale (LEGOS),(LEGOS), IRDIRD MarkMark MerrifieldMerrifield SOESTSOEST –– UniversityUniversity ofof HawaiiHawaii Funding:Funding: ••NOAANOAA CRCPCRCP ••JIMARJIMAR –– UniversityUniversity ofof HawaiiHawaii ••AustralianAustralian InstituteInstitute ofof MarineMarine ScienceScience (AIMS)(AIMS) ••CSIROCSIRO SeaSea LevelLevel andand CoastsCoasts ((AusAID)AusAID) photo: Scott Smithers WaveWave set-upset-up atat PacificPacific atollsatolls andand islandsislands “..the power of the breaking waves is utilized to maintain a water level just inside the surf zone about 1.5 ft above sea level.” Munk and Sargent (1948) Adjustment of Bikini Atoll to waves, Transactions, Am. Geo. Union, 29(6), 855-860. Wave set-up may be “as much as 20% of the incident wave height.” Tait, R. J. (1972) Wave Set-Up on Coral Reefs, J. Geophys. Res., 77(12). WaveWave set-upset-up atat PacificPacific atollsatolls andand islandsislands Steep-sloped Continental Shelf: islands/atolls: Wave dissipation Wave dissipation close farther offshore to shore/reef edge Smaller waves Larger waves Larger storm surge Smaller storm surge Graber et al. (2006) Coastal forecasts and storm surge predictions for tropical cyclones: A timely partnership program, Oceanography, 19(1), 130–141. PacificPacific wavewave climateclimate Hoeke et al. (2011) J. Geophys. Res., 116(C4), C04018. WaveWave set-upset-up inundationinundation eventsevents Nov. 28, 1979 Pohnpei Majuro Dec. 8, 2008 Fiji T imes,May 21, 2011 Takuu Dec. 10, 2008 Caldwell,Vitousek, Aucan (2009), Frequency and Duration of Coinciding High Surf and Tides along the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, 1981-2007, J.
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