The steep continental slopes of the southern Celtic shelf have long been thought to be a major export region for the flux of sediment from the south west approaches to the deep ocean (47-49°). Recent studies have suggested that the transfer of energy from the large barotropic tidal currents to internal tides, and higher frequency internal waves is locally enhanced, and provides a mechanism for the re-suspension and downslope transport of bed material on the upper slope region. This material is thought to be preferentially transported at the head of the many submarine canyons that exist along these ocean margins, where the barotropic tidal currents are locally amplified and internal wave energy focused. A unique 23 day deployment of the benthic lander STABLE (Sediment Transport and Boundary Layer Equipment) in July 1990, was at a depth of 388m on La Chapelle Bank continental slope. The site was at the head of a canyon, and at a depth thought to be critical for the generation of internal tidal energy. It was also at the deep water end of a transect of two current meter moorings across the slope. These measurements have shown that during summer stratified conditions the barotropic and baroclinic tides are sufficiently energetic near to the bed to mobilise the sand/gravel sized sediment on the upper slopes and at the shelf break. Eulerian residual bottom currents and maximum tidal currents are orientated cross-slope and this has important implications for sediment transport. The shelf break is predicted to be a region of bed load parting with bedload transport shelfwards at the shelf break and downslope immediately oceanward. On the critical slope region peaks in suspended sediment concentration occur at times of locally enhanced maximum down-slope flow (40cmsˉ¹) and maximum current shear. This suggests that sediment is being eroded from the bed locally and confirms a net flux of material downslope. Above the boundary layer suspended particulate matter will be transported with the net flow of water which is predominantly along-shelf and polewards. A second 10.4 day deployment of STABLE (II) in January 1994 was at a depth of 879m on the Goban Spur. These observations demonstrated the variability of continental slope processes on the margins of the Celtic shelf. During the deployment, weaker tidal currents (maximum of 24cmsˉ¹) were orientated along-slope and there was no evidence to suggest that the fine cohesive sand/mud sized sediment was mobile. Current meter measurements show that any suspended material will be predominantly transported along-slope and poleward. This will be periodically reversed and the net flux will be equatorward. The two studies have highlighted the temporal and alongslope variability of geological and hydrodynamical conditions near to the bed and highlight the difficulties in estimating shelf-ocean fluxes of material across the whole of the north-west European continental margin.

The travelling magnetic wave of a linear induction motor induces eddy currents in a secondary circuit (usually a sheet consisting at least partly of a non-magnetic metal, often aluminium), which cause the unrestrained member to move linearly in the direction of the travelling wave. A linear motor can also transport ferromagnetic powder, although this travels in the opposite direction to the travelling magnetic field. The motion is therefore due to a mechanism other than the eddy currents flowing in the sheet secondary. Expressions for the forces acting on an iron particle due to a travelling magnetic field are derived in the thesis. Preliminary experiments support the assumptions made in the derivations of the force expressions and lead to the formation of an hypothesis. This is shown to be capable of predicting both linear and rotational particle speeds and, with greater accuracy, the distance travelled and the rotation experienced by the particles. Experiments conducted on tubular and transverse flux motors have enabled different linear motors to be identified as suitable for a number of powder transportation applications. The results obtained show also the importance of large flux density values, the tangential to normal flux density ratio and large pole-pitch winding arrangements, with the latter lending support to the original hypothesis. The results of a finite element investigation of the tubular motor did not closely agree with the results from the experimental motor although similar trends were evident. Flux density values within particles were found to be considerably greater than those outside, as assumed in the hypothesis.

The physical characteristics of continental shelf waters off Oregon during late winter and spring of 1975 are described and compared with observations taken previously during summer. The currents in winter are barotropic in the monthly means while in summer the currents are baroclinic. Alongshore current fluctuations on the time scale of a few days are depth dependent in winter but become depth independent in summer. The current shear changes sign on the several day time scale in winter while in summer the deeper currents are always northward with respect to the near surface currents. Alongshore coherences of sea level and currents indicate that winter fluctuations generally propagate southward rather than northward as previously observed in summer. These winter fluctuations in alongshore currents also have onshore/offshore phase speeds that are comparable in magnitude to their alongshore phase speeds. There is no evidence for free continental shelf wave activity in winter although forced waves (travelling predominately southward, as do the meteorological disturbances) may exist. The Gill and Schumann (1974) model, which predicts sea level from a knowledge of the alongshore components of winds along the coastline, is tested for winter and summer in 1975 and found to have some predictive ability for fluctuations on the time scale of several days. The transition from winter to summer is initiated in a dramatic barotropic event and continues as a longer period baroclinic adjustment. The former is marked by a sudden reversal of currents and a lowering of sea level while the latter is marked by a slow rising of the pycnocline and with it the layer of maximum vertical shear. Both the barotropic changes at the transition event and the adjustment of the density field, which occurs after the transition event, are directly forced by the local wind. / Graduation date: 1977

The geopotential anomalies and the average meridional geostrophic flow off Newport, Oregon, were computed from the data taken during twenty-one hydrographic cruises. The annual average of geopotential anomaly was 1.31 dynamic meters with a seasonal variation of the order of 14 dynamic centimeters. Highest values of geopotential anomaly occurred in September; lowest values occurred in April. Both the highest and lowest value of geopotential anomaly occurred at 105 nautical miles offshore. The currents found by dynamic computation were weak and irregular, generally 5 cm/sec or less. The direction of the average meridional geostrophic flow varied with season. Within 105 nautical miles of the coast, flow was southward in summer, northward in winter. Beyond 105 nautical miles from the coast, flow directions reversed, that is, flow was northward in summer and southward in winter. / Graduation date: 1967

Typescript. / Bibliography: leaves 144-147. / Photocopy. / xvi, 147 leaves ill

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Applied Mathematics, 1998? / Errata pasted onto front end paper. Bibliography: leaves 131-136.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Kuo-Chuin Wong, College of Marine and Earth Studies. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-180). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Canterbury, 2002. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (p. 243-260). Also available via the World Wide Wide.