High frequency monitoring of swash hydro-morphodynamics on a reflective beach (Grand Popo, Benin): A new method

Abstract

A new remote sensing video-based method for measuring rapid variations of the bed elevation and free-surface in the swash zone is tested on a steep reflective beach at Grand Popo. The key assumption is that the free-surface has a distinguishable optical signature with respect to the bed level. This new set up enables a high frequency description of the wave transformation, dissipation and reflection in the swash zone as well as the variations of the bed evolution at the wave-by-wave scale. At a more integrated scale, a good correlation is found between the offshore reflected energy measured by an ADCP, the incident offshore wave characteristics and the swash local morphology, suggesting the importance of the swash dynamics on the energy reflection mechanism.