MIXING IN COASTAL AREAS INFERRED FROM LYAPUNOV EXPONENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSPORT

Abstract

We study the horizontal surface mixing and the transport induced by waves, using local Lyapunov exponents and high resolution data from numerical simulations of waves and currents. By choosing the proper spatial (temporal) parameters we compute the Finite Size and Finite Time Lyapunov exponents (FSLE and FTLE) focussing on the local stirring and diffusion inferred from the Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCS). The methodology is tested by deploying a set of eight lagrangian drifters and studying the path followed against LCS derived under current field and waves and currents.