Horizontal ADCP measurements of waves and currents in the very nearshore

Hydrodynamic measurements of the very nearshore are valuable, but often difficult to obtain. Large amounts of bubbles due to wave breaking and complex installation complicate the use of acoustic instruments in this zone. This paper presents measurements obtained by a horizontal looking ADCP (hADCP) installed in the very nearshore to measure waves and wave currents. The observations are separated into the various timescales ranging from high frequency orbital motion to very low frequency oscillations and mean flow. Results reveal the presence of significant very low frequency oscillations and the potential of a hADCP to capture wave transformation in the nearshore.