Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [195]-201).

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / Naval operations are highly dependent upon environmental conditions that can either adversely affect successful completion or hinder the safety of personnel. Each warfare community has defined environmental thresholds and operating limits that restrict the execution of any intended maneuver. As the warfare environment continues to shift from open ocean to the littoral, environmental prediction and modeling efforts of the shallow water surroundings need to be developed in order to support these operations. A hydrodynamic model, Water Quality Management and Analysis Package (WQMAP), has been developed by Applied Sciences Associates, Inc. that is designed specifically to provide accurate littoral environmental prediction. WQMAP is one of several hydrodynamic models used operationally by the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) to predict currents and water elevations in littoral regions. Implementations of shallow water hydrodynamic models in foreign waters are usually data-starved for model forcing and validation. In a series of studies, NAVOCEANO intends to model various bays within the continental United States, where sufficient data exists, to study the sensitivity of lack of data on model results. This study will utilize WQMAP to design a hydrodynamic model in San Diego Bay to predict currents in order to investigate the impact of grid resolution on model results, and to provide proper current predictions for Fleet training and operations. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

Accurate prediction of nearshore waves and currents is of critical importance in littoral naval operations. This study examines the effects of complex bathymetry on nearshore currents. Data collected by an array of 12 pressure and velocity sensors in the Nearshore Canyon Experiment (NCEX), conducted near La Jolla, California in 2003, were analyzed to investigate the variability of nearshore currents near a submarine canyon. Time series of pressure, 3-component velocity, and wave heights along the 10 meter depth contour were analyzed to determine the relative importance of tides, waves, and winds in the forcing of nearshore currents outside the surf zone. Additionally, the spatial variability of the observed currents was investigated in relation to the nearby canyon head. Case studies are examined to determine how different wave and tide conditions affect the currents near the canyon. In low-moderate wave conditions, tides dominate longshore currents, whereas cross-shore currents show the passage of irregular bore-like features. The currents are coherent away from the submarine canyon and decay towards the canyon head. Strong longshore currents were observed near the canyon head during a large wave event that were likely driven by an alongshore pressure gradient associated with wave set-up variations.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-99).

Thesis (M.S.)--Naval Postgraduate School, 1968. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-54).

Thesis (M.S. in Applied Science (Physical Oceanography))--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2005. / Thesis Advisor(s): Thomas H.C. Herbers. Includes bibliographical references (p. 45). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238-244). Also available on the World Wide Web.

This thesis investigates sublittoral epibenthic assemblages, the ecological processes associated with distributions of benthic assemblages and potential ecological impacts arising from the de-ployment of tidal energy devices (TEDs) at a key tidal energy development site. An extensive field campaign was undertaken to collect fine-scale, in-situ data for local hydrodynamics, seabed structure and epibenthic assemblages. Data from a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model com- plemented in-situ flow data and provided an insight into possible changes to local tidal patterns after the deployment of a tidal array. The study revealed a highly complex tidal stream structure with maximal velocities reaching 4.2 ms1 during spring tide. The seabed was predominantly formed by scoured bedrock. Deployment of a tidal array was predicted to decrease tidal flow within and downstream of the array by up to 24 % for peak flows, whereas effects on the seabed were thought to be minor. Epibenthic assemblages were typical for tide-swept channels with a fringe of dense kelp forest along the shallow, sheltered waters of the channel, followed by a 'tran- sition zone' dominated by foliose red algae in the mid-depth ranges and animal turf assemblages in the deeper, very tide-swept waters. Multivariate analyses identified depth and bed-shear stress as being strongly associated with the distribution and composition of assemblages. In conjunction with presence-only data for epibenthic species, depth and bed-shear stress were used as predic- tor variables to develop site-specific habitat suitability models (HSMs) for a baseline and TED deployment case. Comparison of probability of occurrence values between the respective HSMs indicated a potential increase of suitable habitat for species inhabiting the deep, very tide-swept circalittoral following the deployment of TEDs, whilst assemblages along the fringes of the channel were mostly unaffected. This is the first attempt of using HSM as a tool for identification of potential changes in distributions of benthic species arising from the deployment of TEDs. The good overall performance of the models shows this tool may be valuable for for impact analysis of tidal energy development projects.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.