Marine Geology, 65 (1985) 47--71 -- 47

Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands

RIP-CURRENT TYPE, SPACING AND PERSISTENCE, NARRABEEN

BEACH, AUSTRALIA

A.D. SHORT
Coastal Studies Unit, Department o f Geography, University of Sydney, Sydney,
N.S.W. 2006 (Australia)
(Received April 17, 1984, revised and accepted August 31, 1984)

ABSTRACT

Short, A.D., 1985. Rip-current type, spacing and persistence, Narrabeen Beach, Australia.
Mar. Geol., 65: 47--71.

Long-term daily rip observations on Narrabeen Beach, Australia, were made together
with daily measurements of wave height, period, direction, surf-zone width and beach
state. A total of 3513 rips were observed on 270 days over a 19-month period. Results
show that rips accompany moderate to high waves and are associated with intermediate
beach types. Rip spacing follows wave conditions increasing in spacing, size and intensity
as waves rise, and conversely as they fall. Rips are a function of both the prevailing and
antecedent wave conditions and the rate and direction of change in wave conditions. Rips
are classified into three types: erosion, mega and accretion. Erosion rips are initiated by
rising seas in the transverse bar and rip and higher beach states. They accompany general
beach erosion. They are widely spaced (Narrabeen Ys = 300--500+ m, a = 100--200 m)
increasing in size and intensity with the waves until the fully dissipative (ripless) state is
reached. They are both temporally and spatially highly variable persisting in one location
for only hours to a day or so, except where topographically controlled. They are a major
mechanism for the seaward transport of sediment and under extreme conditions may extend
over a kilometer seaward of the breaker zone. Mega rips are large-scale (> 1 kin)topographi-
cally controlled erosion rips that persist when nearshore and/or embayment topography
prevents the development of the fully dissipative state by inducing wave refraction and
persist longshore gradients in surf-zone dynamics that in turn drive the rip circulation.
Accretion rips prevail during stable or falling wave conditions, usually following erosion
rip formation. They are associated with general beach accretion, are more closely spaced
(Narrabeen Ys = 170--250 m, o = 100 m), less intense and become increasingly topographi-
cally arrested by crescentic bars and rhythmic bar-beach morphology of the longshore
bar-trough, rhythmic bar and beach and transverse bar and rip beach states. They are
relatively stable both spatially and temporally and may persist in one location for days to
weeks if wave conditions remain favorable. They are fair weather rips which may dis-
appear by infilling (in the low-tide terrace beach state) or be destroyed by rising seas. Rips
generally are absent from the reflective, low-tide terrace and fully dissipative beach states.

INTRODUCTION

R i p s o c c u r in a r e a s o f h o r i z o n t a l f l o w c o n v e r g e n c e i n t h e s u r f z o n e ; t h e
rip is f e d b y l o n g s h o r e r i p f e e d e r c u r r e n t s , t h e r i p i t s e l f p u l s a t i n g as a c o n -
fined jet-like flow across the surf zone and some distance seaward usually

0025-3227/85/$03.30 1985 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.,

48

producing a series of vortices that compose the rip head. Rips do not occur
on all beaches or beach types. They are absent from reflective beaches which
are dominated by shore-normal swash oscillations, and rare on fully dissipa-
tive beaches whose surf zones are controlled by low-frequency surf beat in
which circulation is segregated vertically rather than horizontally {Wright et
al., 1982a). Rips are characteristic of the intermediate beach types, those
dominated by cellular surf-zone circulation and rhythmic topography
{Wright and Short, 1983; Fig.l).
Rips have been the focus of considerable scientific and publical interest,
the former because of their ability to rapidly move water and sediment sea-
ward of the surf zone, and the latter for their ability to do likewise with
swimmers. The first scientific discussion of rips by Shepard et al. (1941)
distinguished between rips and so-called " u n d e r t o w s " and discussed their
nature and geological importance. The Scripps connection with rips con-
tinued with detailed field measurements reported by Inman and Quinn
{1952) and Shepard and Inman (1951). In Australia McKenzie (1958) de-
scribed the c o m m o n l y occurring rips along the southeast Australian coast,
with insight into rip location, persistence and relation to wave conditions.
Since then, interest in rips has grown with at least four proposed mechanisms
o f rip development, including edge waves (Bowen and Inman, 1969), hydro-
dynamic instability {Hino, 1975), a combination of these two and infra-
gravity waves (Sasaki and Horikawa, 1975), and intersecting wave trains
(Dalrymple, 1975). Rip circulation and morphology have been monitored
in the field by Harris {1967), Sonu (1969, 1972), Eliot (1973), Sasaki
{1977), Sasaki and Horikawa (1975}, Sasaki et al. {1981), Chappell and Eliot
{1979), Wright et al. {1979, 1982) and Wright and Short {1983, 1984). Sedi-
ment transport associated with rips and resultant surf-zone facies have been
described by Cook {1970), Reimintz et al. (1976); Hunter et al. {1979) and
Short {1984). In addition, rip circulation and associated topographies are
prominent in recently developed morphodynamic models of surf-zone circu-
lation and beach type (Owens, 1977; Greenwood and Davidson-Arnott,
1979; Short, 1979; Wright et al., 1979; Chappell and Eliot, 1979; Goldsmith
et al., 1982; Wright and Short, 1983, 1984).
While rips are now recognized as an integral component of intermediate
beach types {Wright and Short, 1984) and some rip locations have received
considerable attention (e.g., Scripps beach; Ajigaura beach, Japan; Durras
Beach, Australia), little information is available about rip types, and their
spacing and persistence under various wave--beach combinations. Hino
(1975) suggested a peak in rip spacing (Ys) equal to four times the surf-zone
width (Xb). However, Bowen and Inman (1969) found this value ranged
from 1.5 to 8 which was further confirmed by Sasaki and Horikawa (1975).
The aim of this paper is to examine rip spacing and persistence and the
types of rips that occur with different beach states through an analysis of
long-term field observations of rips under a wide range of wave conditions
on Narrabeen Beach. The concept of rip domain is also explored so as to
delimit the threshold at which rips are initiated; the conditions under which
 ~*00 m '1 OUTER BREAKER ZONE I 49
tu | ,~::~::~::~::?::::::::::::::::::::::::: ==========================
............. ......................
:::::::::::::::::::::::: -::::::::,::,::::l'
.................
- DISSIPATIVE DOMAIN

~oo ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::~ _ - - - , - _,'-~,'- ~ P - - ~ ' - - ~

(a) Iliiiiiiiiiiii:i*:::INNE' BREAKER ZONE ::i:i:i~ili~i~ilit
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::: ~
4
4
,,,,. oo- ~ - "-~:'"'"'""'"'"::": . . . . . . :::: . . . . . . . . :':
~:iiiiiiiiiiiii~B~E~ii~!iiiiiiiii~i~::iii!!i?iiiiiiiii~iiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiii!i!iiiiiiiiH
ol~:iiiii!i!ii!!!!!iiiiiiii!iiiiii!i!i!ir ..... ,..... ,oo .... , ..... ~?o ..... , .... ~,Or. ......

LONGSHORE BAR - TROUGH

300 m
STRAIGHT BAR'~CRESCENTIC BAR REFLECTIVE DISSIPATIVE
WEAKd RiP L.DOMAIN L DOMAIN
2o0' ~ - ~ " : : : : i~ =i~ ~[

(b) ~oo. ! ~_,. A-'~ .MLw

o "!::::':::~.-'~iii,:::::::::::::::::::::::i:::~ ...................
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 100 200 300m
RHYTHMIC BAR AND BEACH REFLECTIVE DISSIPATIVE
(NormoI or Skewed) DOMAIN DOMAIN
NORMAL WAVES OBLIQUE 3m
B "Ip A' WAVES~
tU
200 re- 3RESCENTIC BARI j IL A
":i .:."................ :::. ::::........ ::::ii::i::"'
I...
(C) 100" , DOMAI N i
;~';R E FLECTiVE DOMAIN
O' ~ SCARPt ~ EMBAyMENT : B
Q : : i i i i i i i i i ! : i.~.!~.T!9.E.cus?s, iii "':::I:::: :::::l : : : : 2 0 0 m
tu
TRANSVERSE BAR AND RIP
(Normol or Skewed) ~IGH ~ . 1 DISSIPATIVE
NORMAL WAVES OBLIQUE 3 m ~ LOW T IDE~.~ DOMAIN
A' ~ B ' WAVES
200 m,

I,,. : :iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~
(d) 100, DISSIPATIVE OR REFLECTIVE DOMAIN VARIABLE
3.~t I . . ~ - ~ t , , ( - - ~ ( ~ D I S S I P A T I V E DOMAIN
,,,,, : : : : : 1 : : : : : : ] : : : : : WELDED:::L HIGH
0 ::::'::::'~':::::: BAR : : : : : : TIDE ' : : : ~ ' - m ~ ~ MLW B '
!!ii:?iiii:~':iiiii!i!iiiiiiiiic.u.s. Ps.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
,_ ~a,S~'HIGHt TIDE REFLECTIVE
RIDGE-RUNNEL OR LOW TIDE TERRACE ,- -,
LOW TIDE DISSIPATIVE
NORMAL WAVES OBLIQUE
A' WAVES 1,,._ MHW
200 m, / B' A !o! i : : : ~ ~w A'
~MINI-RIP / RUNNEL|~
h~l~ ~ , ~ ~ l ~ : ~ : ~ : - 3 ' ' " " ~ ' I ~ i C H "I~IDE REFLECTIVE
(e) ,oo [ ~ ~ ~I---~LOW TIDE DISSI PATIVE
::" ~.: ::::
: 3~._,,. Mnw
~ : : 1 : : : CUSPS 1:~ MINI-:
".diiiii...'~..~:7...k MLW B'
!!!!!!!!!!!iiii ~!!!i!!!!!!!!B.!.R.LP.! " "3";;;;:;:'10"0 m . . . . .

REFLECTIVE DOMAIN
~(HIGH 6 LOW TIDE)
tu 200 m.
I
STEEP BEACH FACE I
0 (f) io _.~w
tu
,,,,,I
tu
'o:. iiiii ? r! i!!iiii---r: iiiiiii: i!!iiiiiiiiii::...
-Tiii!ii!!iiiiii::i:i::: : .............
1oo ~,oo 3o0 ,.
I i I I

Fig.1. Plan and profile configuration o f the three beach types (dissipative, intermediate
and reflective) and six beach states ( m o d i f i e d from Wright and Short, 1983).
50

d i f f e r e n t rip t y p e s and spacing persist; and the u p p e r threshold w h e n rips

m a y cease to exist.

FIELD SITE, METHODS AND DATA BASE

N a r r a b e e n - - C o l l a r o y beach, a 3.6 km long beach (Fig,2), was chosen as

t h e field site, it being t h e longest beach in t h e S y d n e y region and c o n v e n i e n t
f o r daily observations. T h e beach lies in a m o d e r a t e to occasionally high-
e n e r g y east coast swell e n v i r o n m e n t (Davies, 1 9 8 0 ) , with t h e s o u t h e r n
(Collaroy) end being partially sheltered f r o m the d o m i n a n t s o u t h e a s t waves.
T h e m o d a l wave height is 1.5 m with a 10-s period; however, waves are
c o m m o n l y greater t h a n 3 m and m a y reach 7 m ( L a w s o n and A b e r n a t h y ,
1975). Tides are semi-diurnal with a diurnal inequality and a 1.6 m m e a n
spring and 1.3 m m e a n neap range. S e d i m e n t s are p r e d o m i n a n t l y fine-
m e d i u m grained q u a r t z - c a r b o n a t e sand (Table 1).
Daily wave data were r e c o r d e d o f f S y d n e y b y a wave-rider b u o y main-
t a i n e d b y t h e New S o u t h Wales Maritime Services Board. Visual observations

NARRABEEN - COLLAROY BEACH

Fig.2. The Narrabeen---Collaroy field site. Shaded area indicates extent of sand.
 51

TABLE 1

Sediment characteristics,Narrabeen--Collaroy Beach

Beach state R and L T T R B B and T B R L B T and D

Ws (cm s -~ ) 0.08 0.055 0.045

Grain diameter (ram) 0.5 0.355 0.25
Grain diameter (phi) 1.0 1.5 2.0
~2a 2.3 3.2 49

a F r o m W r i g h t et al. ( 1 9 8 5 ) .

of breaker height, period and direction were also made daily at Narrabeen
and Collaroy Beaches. Each day, usually around low tide, surf-zone mor-
phology and circulation patterns along the entire beach were sketched on a
basemap. For purpose of analysis rip location was taken as the point where
the rip current and/or rip head left the surf zone. The beach was sketched in
100 m segments with an accuracy of approximately 20 m. A total of 270
observations were made over a 567 day period (16 April 1976--4 November
1978), with several sequences running continuously for 30 days or more. In
all, 3513 rips were sketched. The m a x i m u m number observed on one day
was 32, the m i n i m u m zero on one occasion only.
The resulting time series provided information on both daily wave condi-
tions and the nature and location of rips along the beach. The data was
analyzed to answer the following questions: What type of rips occurred;
how persistent were they both spatially and temporally; what was their
spacing; and what was their relationship to the prevailing and antecedent
wave and beach conditions; and at what thresholds were rips both initiated
and replaced.

ANALYSIS

Seasonal rip populations

Two wave-rip time series are given in Fig.3. Figure 3a represents the
winter--spring period when southeast waves predominate, and Fig.3b the
summer--fall period when both southeast and northeast waves occur. South-
east waves produce well-developed rips along Narrabeen Beach but owing to
wave refraction and attenuation around Long Reef, the waves are lowered
significantly along Collaroy Beach resulting in smaller waves and fewer
rips. Northeast waves, on the other hand, equally attack the entire beach
generating more rips. This bimodality in rip generation is illustrated in
the rip population for the entire beach (Fig.4). Figure 4a plots the total rip
population, while in Fig.4b it is decomposed into winter--spring (7 months
from April to October, n = 180) and summer--fall (5 m o n t h s from November
to March, n = 90) populations. To standardize the populations, the summer--
fall population is multiplied by 1.43 [(180/7)/(90/5) = 1.43]. The recon-
52

NO,
30- ia)
OF 20
RIPS 10

1
B'S
3
Hb{m) 2
1
14
T{s)
10

DIR.
NE- ,
lO.S.76 26.s 36.s 166 26 6 38 6 167 2&z 367 1&8 20 8.76
DA TE

-- I -I ~ 1 1 1 ~ I I [
No. 3o- (b) /~ ~-

::: A
I
a :3= ,..,. ~ , . / ' . , , j,',.,~l; ,~.,,./l\ ^..~ ]:
3 ~'~ LTT
Hb(m}~ ~ R

1.1.77 10.1 20.1 31.1 10,2 20.2 28.2 10.3 20.3 30.3.77
DATE

Fig.3. Wave a n d rip t i m e series s h o w i n g t o t a l n u m b e r o f rips a l o n g N a r r a b e e n - - C o l l a r o y

Beach and accompanying ~ = Hb/TWs, beach state (B--S) (abbreviated from Fig.l),
Hb, T a n d w a v e d i r e c t i o n ( n o r t h e a s t , east, s o u t h e a s t ) f o r (a) 9 M a y - - 2 5 A u g u s t , 1 9 7 6 ;
a n d ( b ) 31 D e c e m b e r - - 6 April, 1 9 7 7 .

structed population (Fig.4b and c) illustrates both the wide range in rip
population (0--32) and its bimodality, with a m o d e of 11 rips (y = 11,
o = 5) during southeast waves, and 18 rips (y = 17, o = 5) during southeast
a n d / o r northeast waves.

Rip spacing (y,) and surf-zone width (Xb)

The width o f the surf zone was measured at several locations along the
beach on 102 days when rips were present. The results are p l o t t e d on Fig.5
t o g eth er with additional data from Hino (1975), Sasaki and Horikawa
(1975) and Sasaki (1977). Also Hino's, and Bowen and Inman (1969)
 53

1 I I I I
a, n : 270
y = 13 Rips/day
20- o'= 6

10-

il II I
b. April'Oct Nov-March

n=180 90E130]

NI.
Q

0
20-
APRIL " OCT
y=
J o" =
I,I,
11
5
17
5
-

lo- hA ,~X't-t,,~, i , ,,* NOV-MARCH

/I V I k/I I I']i;,I l'.,'i FI'f,,J "i', ,':7',,#
A,f Illld ,,lilllll lililfNl " 11 T' ,_
C.

n = 310
20-
y = 13.5
(r= 6
10-

,I,iII,
0 5
I Jlll
I
10 15
I

No. of Rips
20
II
I
25
I
30
I
35

Fig.4. T h e rip p o p u l a t i o n f o r N a r r a b e e n - - C o l l a r o y B e a c h . (a) R a w p o p u l a t i o n ; (b) s e a s o n a l

a n d a d j u s t e d ( d a s h e d lines) p o p u l a t i o n ; (c) r e c o n s t i t u t e d a n n u a l p o p u l a t i o n .

Ys/Xb relationships are included. The Narrabeen and Collaroy data clusters
into two populations reflecting the higher and lower breaker energy, re-
spectively. At Durras beach, 240 km south of Narrabeen, Eliot (1973)
observed rips over a 37<lay period. He groups the rips into " h i g h " (Hb >
1.5 m) and " l o w " (Hb < 1.5 m) energy conditions. The high-energy rips
had a Ys o f 905 m and a o f appr oxi m at el y 200 m, and the low-energy a
Ys o f 285 m and o o f 75--125 m, all well within the limits p l o t t e d o n Fig.5.
Th e total data set (Fig.5d) does n o t tell us m uch about Ys except t hat
it will increase within a broad range as Xb increases centered around Hino's
prediction but within the broad limits observed by Bowen and Inman.
A mo r e detailed analysis o f t he data follows.

Rip spacing, beach state and rip type

The beach state (Wright and Short, 1984; Fig.l) and w het her the beach
was in an erosive or accreting state (Short, 1979) was recorded each day.
F o r the purpose o f this discussion the beach states in Fig.1 are abbreviated
54

I I I I I I I I I I I I I b I I I I

a.NARRABEEN /
L/
ACCRETION
E,OS,O"
b.NARRABEEN ~

400 XL% L " . ~ L

A: ./
T B ~ y ~"~"I'L~L/
Lc ~ " CL~ L L ~ # "~IIT~ R L L I L ~

200 / / . I
T TBR'
- .
// RBB .#/ ~ RBB' LL LBT'
(~,~
~
. , L LBT
"
~I io .'
o .NARXABEEN j d.ALL DATA,'7 D x ~
600 15-26 ,U 1 9EN 7 ~ / ,
RI f iX X X ~,
/ o
u) /J' ~".~o ~ o x "

,oo / . / '..~.>- I;'.LE

oZ< 0 40 80 120
1!!"t 160 0
__RR: . ~ .

i i

40
i
~sl

80
I i

120
i i

160
i i

200
SURF ZONE WIDTH Xb (metres)

Fig.5. Rip spacing (Ys) versus surf-zone w i d t h (Xb) for N a r r a b e e n (a, b, c) and o t h e r loca-
t i o n s (d). All data - - L e g e n d : solid circles -- N a r r a b e e n a c c r e t i o n ; crosses -- N a r r a b e e n
e r o s i o n ; R, R', T, T' = Collaroy; triangles = Sasaki ( 1 9 7 7 ) ; o p e n circles = Hino {1975);
o p e n squares = Sasaki et al. (1977).

into dissipative (D), longshore bar trough (LBT), rhythmic bar and beach
(RBB) and transverse bar and rip (TBR) with a' being used to denote erosion.
Hence rips occurring during beach accretion are associated with LBT, RBB
and TBR beach states and those during erosion with D', LBT', RBB' and
TBR' beach states. The lower-energy beach states low-tide terrace-ridge and
runnel (LTT) and reflective (R) are not included as they do not usually pro-
duce rips. This excludes swash return in subaerial beach-cusp embayments,
sometimes termed rips (e.g., Inman and Guza, 1982} and seaward moving
currents in the LTT' state that do not usually penetrate the surf zone. This
system therefore enables all rips to be classified in relation to beach state
and direction o f beach change {erosion or accretion).
In Fig.6, the entire data set (n = 270 days and 3513 rips) has been plotted.
It shows the mean and standard deviation of the mean rip spacing per day
{:Ys) for the total data set and for Narrabeen and Collaroy beaches. The rips
have been classed according to the beach state and direction of beach change
{erosion or accretion) prevailing on the day.
The relationship between rip spacing, beach state, direction of beach
change and wave conditions can be assessed through an examination of
 55

Narrabeen-

" 'Jt
Collaroy Narrabeen Collaroy
600 I 1 I

400" /

Yslm)
200"

TBRIRBBILBT I D TBRIRBBILBTI D hB
' RIRBBILBTDI
BEACH STATE
o RIP (EROSION STATE)
RIP (ACCRETION STATE)
~s-Mean Daily Rip Spacing
n - See Figure 9

Fig.6. Mean daily rip spacing (:Ys) versus beach state for Narrabeen and Oollaroy Beach.
Bars indicate -+ one standard deviation.

Figs.3, 5 and 6. This relationship will be approached by first tracing rip

development during erosive beach conditions, denoted by increasing values
o f ~2 CFig.3), where:
= H b / T ws

where Hb is breaker height, T wave period and ws sediment fall velocity

CDean, 1973). Following this, the rips occurring during beach accretion and
falling ~2 values will be discussed. Since waves are the dominating cause of
changes in ~ at Narrabeen Beach Csee Fig.3) and for simplicity the terms
rising, falling or constant waves will be used to imply increasing, decreasing
or constant ~ , even though changes in T and ws will at times be contributors
to changing ~.
Reflective beach erosion commences during rising waves when ~ > 1
(Wright and Short, 1983, 1984} with the erosion of the steep beach face and
development of the LTT' state. However on Narrabeen Beach, this did not
result in rip development. When however ~2 = 2.7 (0 = 0.8) the TBR' state
was initiated resulting in a relatively narrow 60 m wide surf zone (Fig.5b)
and a mean rip spacing of 252 m Co = 105; Fig.6b). Growth of the waves and
of ~2 = 3.0 Co = 0.9) produced RBB' state with increased surf-zone width
(Fig.5b) and mean rip spacing to 284 m Ca = 109) (Fig.6b). However, by
increasing ~ = 4.0 Co = 0.9), the surf-zone width in the LBT' state doubled
t h a t of TBR' and the mean rip spacing likewise increased dramatically to
367 m (o = 140 m). The D' state reached when ~2 > 4.2 Ca = 1.2) achieved a
m a x i m u m mean rip spacing o f 463 m (o = 123 m).
To summarize, rising wave conditions and ~2 > 2.5 produces erosive beach
56

states and increasingly m o r e widely spaced rips (Fig.6), resulting in fewer

(Fig.3), b u t m o r e intensive rips as waves increase, a p h e n o m e n a verified b y
n u m e r o u s observers (e.g., Shepard et al., 1 9 4 1 ; McKenzie, 1958). Analysis
o f Eliot's ( 1 9 7 3 ) rip observations o n Durras Beach suggests an arbitary
t h r e s h o l d o f ~ = 2.7 b e t w e e n his " h i g h " - and " l o w " - e n e r g y rips. The Durras
rips increased in m e a n spacing f r o m 285 to 905 m and decreased in n u m b e r
f r o m an average o f 8 to 2--3 along the 2.25 k m field site. In addition he
m e a s u r e d an increase in rip-current velocity f r o m 40 to 70 cm s-' for " l o w " -
energy rips to a p p r o x i m a t e l y 100 cm s -1 for " h i g h " - e n e r g y rips.
Figures 3 and 6 also p l o t rip b e h a v i o u r during periods w h e n general beach
stability a n d / o r a c c r e t i o n is occurring, d e n o t e d b y relatively low ~2 values
and falling waves. On Narrabeen Beach following t h e f o r m a t i o n o f the LBT'
state, a d r o p in ~2 below 3.0 p r o d u c e d t h e LBT state w h e r e crescentic bars
are initiated. At first, the fall in wave c o n d i t i o n s results in smaller rips com-
pared to t h e a n t e c e d e n t LBT' state, with weak circulation within the long-
shore trough. Mean rip spacing o n N a r r a b e e n was 241 m (o = 58 m) with
= 2.5 (o = 0.9). As ~2 decreases to 2.0 (o = 0.7), the RBB state is r e a c h e d
with a m e a n rip spacing o f 216 m (o = 52 m) and finally with ~ = 1.8 (o =
0.7), t h e T B R state with a m e a n rip spacing o f 170 m (o = 45 m). More
i m p o r t a n t l y , following t h e initiation o f weak widely spaced rips in the L B T
state ( F i g . l b ) , o n c e t h e crescentic bars o f the RBB state are f o r m e d (Fig.lc),
the relatively equal rip spacing is set and the rips remain arrested b y the surf-
z o n e t o p o g r a p h y into the T B R and even L T T state p r o v i d e d t h a t waves
gradually decrease.
An example of the g r o w t h and decrease in rip spacing over a 12-day
s e q u e n c e is illustrated in Fig.5c. During rising waves, the rip spacing in-
creased (Fig.5c, R, R', L') and n u m b e r decrease (Fig.3a, days 1 7 - - 2 2 . 6 . 1 9 7 6 ) .
As waves and gt diminished, t h e rip spacing rapidly decreased (Fig.5c, L', D,
L) as n u m b e r s increased (Fig.3a). If waves had remained consistently low,
t h e spacing would have been m a i n t a i n e d t h r o u g h the T B R state as the rips
gradually infilled and disappeared on entering t h e L T T state.
T h e relationship b e t w e e n Ys and ~ is p l o t t e d in Fig.7a. The rips were
g r o u p e d according t o prevailing beach state and t h e m e a n rip spacing Ys was
regressed against t h e prevailing ~ . A linear regression
37s = 81~2 + 69 (1)
with R 2 = 0.85 indicates t h a t m e a n daily rip spacing y~ closely follows
changes in ~2. At N a r r a b e e n this implies primarily changes in wave height and
to a lesser degree T and w~ (Fig.3 and Table 2). Given the close relationship
b e t w e e n ~ and beach state (Wright and S h o r t , 1983; Wright et al., 1 9 8 5 ) it
is n o t surprising to see this degree o f correlation. T h e distribution p l o t t e d in
Fig.7a is, however, necessarily biased t o w a r d s the m o r e plentiful lower wave
conditions. T o r e m o v e this bias t h e d a t a were g r o u p e d according to beach
state (Fig.7b, 1--9) along with f o u r individual high wave events (10--13). If
we assume t h e g r o u p e d d a t a are m o r e representative, t h e n the linear regression
o f t h e g r o u p e d d a t a yields:
 57

0 1 2 ] 4 5 6 7
I I I I I I /

A.)1
800
V = 811.+69

R2 =0.85

600

400

...;:
20O .

Ms(m)
o I I I I f I

y =124~-53) T
800- R2= 0 9 5 11~.~

600- 10

400-

200"
: ..... 456

0 I I I 1 I I
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
_~ = ~Hb/WsT
n
B.) B'S [ n
COLLAROY
1 TBR 18
2 RBB 32 B'S [ n
NARRABEEN 3 TBR 48 8 LBT' 33
4 RBB 83 9 D' 8
5 LBT 65 10 LBT' 1
6 TBR' 22 11 LBT" 1
7 RBB' 42 12 LBT' 1
13 D' 1

Fig. 7. M e a n daily rip spacing (:Ys) versus m e a n daily d i m e n s i o n l e s s fall v e l o c i t y (g~) for
various b e a c h s t a t e s (B--S) o n N a r r a b e e n a n d C o l l a r o y b e a c h e s ; (a) all d a t a ; ( b ) g r o u p e d
data. n = n u m b e r o f days, bars i n d i c a t e +- o n e s t a n d a r d deviation.
TABLE 2 O0

Rip types and environmental characteristics

RIP T Y P E ACCRETION EROSION MEGA

Narrabeen Collaroy Narrabeen Collaroy

= HblTW s >> 6
< 2.5 stable or < 2 stable or > 2.5 > 1.6
d~/dt 0 ~ 0 > 0 > 0 > 0

Ys 170 - 250 m ~ 125 300 - S00 200 100~s 1000~s

100 m ~ 40 100 - 200 40 n.a.

Beach States LBT, RBB, TI3R, (LTT) LTT', RBI3', TBR', (LTT'} D'

PERSISTENCE :
Spatial ~ stationary longshore migration and - stationary (controlled
merging by nearshore topography
and/or shoreline configu-
ration)

Temporal days - weeks minutes- hours days hours - days

Morphology increasingly prominent emphemeral, until migration well d e v e l o p e d rip channel

rip channels and bars ceases

Dynamics infragravity pulsing, edge infragravity pulsing, edge infragravity pulsing and
wave controlled. Topo- wave controlled topographic effects
graphically forced

References ! S h e p a r d & I n m a n , 1950 S h e p a r d & I n m a n , 1950 S h e p a r d ~, I n m a n , 1950

S o n u , 1972 S a s a k i & H o r i k a w a , 1975 S a s a k i , 1977
E l i o t , 1973 S a s a k i et a l . , 1977 S h o r t , 1979
S a s a k i ~, H o r i k a w a , 1975 M c K e n z i e , 1956 W r i g h t et a l . , 1979
S h o r t , 1979 I n m a n & Q u i n n , 1952
W r i g h t et a l . , 1979 E l i o t , 1973
W r i g h t & S h o r t , 1983 S h o r t , 1979
W r i g h t , 1982 W r i g h t et a l . , 1980
W r i g h t et a l . , 1979
W r i g h t , 1982
 59

:Ys = 124gt -- 53 (2)

with R 2 = 0.95.
Figure 7b should, however, not be used to predict individual rip spacing as
the large variance associated with ys and illustrated in Figs.5, 6 and 7
imply additional parameters are required to predict the rip spacing at an
individual level, particularly on environmentally contrasting beaches. How-
ever, along a stretch of coast with similar environmental parameters to
Narrabeen eqn. (2) should give a reasonable approximation of :Ys- Assuming
rips are initially edge-wave controlled (see following discussion) one would
expect a closer spacing on beaches with steeper gradients and conversely.

Rip spacing and edge-wave control

It has been suggested b y numerous authors that rip spacing m a y be con-

trolled by inf~agravity standing edge waves (see Wright, 1982, for review).
While no field data on edge waves is available for Narrabeen beach, Wright
(1982) and Wright and Short (1984) have conducted surf-zone experiments
on numerous beaches in south-east Australia, many with wave, sediment
and beach types similar to Narrabeen. Wright {1982), in an analysis of this
data set, found there exists at least five classes of edge waves, with edge-wave
cut~)ff m o d e number increasing with wave height and surf-zone width. On
Moruya Beach Wright found that the "spacing between large-scale surf-zone
features such as rips and apexes o f bar crescents were nearest to one-half the
lengths of the class IV edge waves". Wright related his class I and II edge
waves with length o f 60--80 m to beach cusps, while his class IV and V
which dominate landward o f t h e bar in RBB and LBT beach states had wave
lengths of 120--570 m. Given the 170--240 m mean rip spacing associated
with Narrabeen's TBR, RBB and LBT beach states it is probable that class IV
edge waves are responsible for the initiation of Narrabeen's accretionary rips,
and associated rhythmic surf-zone features.

Rip location and persistence

The variation in rip number and spacing illustrated in Figs.4, 5 and 7, indi-
cate for a beach o f finite length, as wave conditions vary the number and
location of rips must change, and consequently their persistence at a given
location is dependent on the rate of change in rip spacing.
During rising waves on Narrabeen--Collaroy beach rip spacing increases
and rip location is highly mobile as some rips grow, others disappear and
others merge or shift longshore. Figure 8 (15--18.6.76) illustrates a typical
growth sequence. Except for the rips adjacent to headlands, there appears to
be no apparent preferred location for the eroding rips of the TBB' and RBB'
states. Over time, however, the largest rips associated with the LBT' and D'
beach states do tend to favour certain areas of the beach as illustrated in
Fig.9. Both these areas centered around 1000 and 2400 m are regions of
60

NARRABEEN -- COLLAROY

Date 1 5 - 6 - 7 6 16-6 17-6 18-6 20-6 22-6 24-6 26-6 28-6

Hb 1.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.5 1.75 1.25 0.6 0.5
T 11 9 9 11 10 10 10 10 11
D SE SE SE SE SE E E E E
['----]Rip Feeder & Rip Channel ~ Beach Face Accretion
=--Outer Breaker Zone ~ Direction of Currents
. . . . Beach Erosion Scarp ~ Headland

Fig.8. A typical erosion rip g r o w t h s e q u e n c e ( 1 5 - - 1 8 . 6 ) f o l l o w e d b y f o r m a t i o n of accre-

t i o n rips ( 2 0 - - 2 8 . 6 . 1 9 7 6 ) . N o t e d e v e l o p m e n t of associated i n t e r m e d i a t e ( r h y t h m i c )
beach--surf zone topography from 24--28.6.76.

No.
of Rips
40

20

LBT' & D'

0 | I I i I
0 1'6 2'4 32
Distance along Beach (x lOOm)
Fig.9. N u m b e r of rip o c c u r r e n c e s p e r 4 0 0 m b e a c h length for c o m b i n e d b e a c h states LBT'
a n d D' along N a r r a b e e n - - C o l l a r o y Beach. N o t e t h e higher f r e q u e n c y o f o c c u r r e n c e a r o u n d
1 0 0 0 a n d 2 4 0 0 m for these large rips.
 61

persistent gradients in breaker height due to nearshore wave refraction, with

lower breakers prevailing around 800--1000 m and b e y o n d 2600 m. The
water from the adjacent areas of wave convergence (higher breakers) may
exit towards the regions of wave divergence (lower breakers) as observed by
Shepard and Inman (1950) and explained by Bowen and Inman (1969). On
long straight beaches, devoid of nearshore irregularities, the LBT' and D'
state rips should have no preferred locations.
Under falling waves rips tend to become arrested in location by the forma-
tion of crescentic bars (Bowen and Inman, 1969; Short, 1979; Wright and
Short, 1984) and adjacent rip channels during the LBT and RBB state. Once
the bar-channel topography is formed, the rips, now topographically forced
in location can persist in that location for days to weeks so long as waves
remain constant (e.g., Fig.8, 22--28.6; also see Short, 1979, fig.2). In general,
when ~2 > 2.5 or when waves change direction, the arrested rips will be
reworked as erosion rips develop.

O I i I I f
Q,

.~ 4 0 0 400
6
Z 30(3 300

20(3 200
270 z
o
~= 0.8
200 o
~ o.6,
J~-
oo 1 0 0 ~"

0
e-

~ m
~200 - 200
o,
~" 1 0 0 I00
e,,
m
@

._~
ee
I
Q.

I I I I I I I I
6 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 100m
z
NARRABEEN COLLAROY

Fig.lO. Longshore variability (in 400 m segments) in (a) total rip number; (b) number of
rip days (probability of rip occurrence); (c) mean rip spacing; and (d) number of rips per
rip day. Trends are related to changes in wave energy.
62

In order to assess the long-term location of the rips, the rips were plotted
at 10 m intervals and then totaled over 30, 50, 100 and 400 m segments
(Fig.10). The 10 m spacing suggests some locations may be preferred. How-
ever, given the +20 m accuracy of the rip location and the fact that most rips
are > 1 0 m in width, the data were merged. In the 100 and 400 m segments,
there is a greater frequency of rip occurrence on either side of the beach cen-
ter, with fewer rips occurring around 1800 m o f f the beach center (Fig.10a),
the highest-energy section of the beach. The rationale for this is illustrated in
Fig.10c, which indicates that this is the region of the greatest rip spacing.
Basically, Fig.10 implies that the higher the wave energy, the greater the
spacing and consequently fewer but more intense the rips as previously de-
scribed by McKenzie (1956) and Eliot (1973). Rip numbers decrease toward
the Collaroy end due to lower waves and hence fewer rip days (Fig.10b).
However, when rips do occur on Collaroy Beach, they are more closely
spaced (Fig.10c) hence greater in number (Fig.10d). It is these seeming
dichotomies that are best explained by separating the rips according to beach
state and treating them as a function of ~2 and wave conditions as discussed
previously.

Mega rips

A mega rip is an erosion rip that persists when ~t > 6 due to the influence
o f nearshore and/or adjacent e m b a y m e n t topography that prevents the
development of the fully dissipative state by inducing wave refraction and
persistent longshore gradients in surf-zone dynamics. During extreme wave
events when H b > 3 m and gt > 6, most sandy beaches eventually become
fully dissipative (Short and Wright, 1984) with infragravity standing waves
and their vertically segregated flow oscillations (Wright et al., 1982a, b)
replacing the horizontally segregated rip circulation of LBT' and D'. In the
Sydney region the presence o f prominent headlands and compartmentalized
beaches and nearshore reefs (Fig.2) precludes the development of the fully
dissipative state because of the longshore gradients in breaker height induced
by wave refraction and attenuation around the headlands and reefs. In addi-
tion headlands m a y serve to "train" surf-zone currents. Consequently during
extreme waves, very large (mega) rip circulations develop with usually one or
two rips draining each surf-zone compartment. Velocities are expected to
exceed 2--3 m s-1 (Wright et al., 1980). Similar rips were observed in Australia
by McKenzie (1958, figs.6 and 7), on Scripps beach by Shepard and Inman
(1950) and in Japan by Sasaki et al., (1981). Figure 11 gives examples from
Narrabeen, Palm and Curl Curl beaches, all in the Sydney region. Along the
central and southern New South Wales coast, most severe beach--foredune
erosion occurs in lee o f the mega rips (Fig.12) which accompany episodic
major storm events (Thom, 1975). Short and Hesp (1982) propose severe
rip-embayment erosion as a major mechanism for spatially discrete frontal
dune erosion in southern Australia which in turn leads to blowouts and dune
transgression and/or overwashing.
 63

22-6-76
Hb 4-6m
T ~10
76 D E
,-7m .... .~'.'.','~

E ,~ii

D SE
PALM BEACH i
0 ! CURL CURL BEACH
NARRABEEN BEACH k'm

Fig.11. A n example of mega rips (large-scaletopographically arrested erosion rips) during

D' state on three Sydney beaches. Source: Narrabeen from field data; Palm Beach from
Wright et aL (1980); Curl Curl from aerialphotograph.

m Devitt St (Narrabeen Beach)

5

=
O 0" MSLW
MEGA RIP
ACCRETION
tu - --e I o-6:Zs
~-5-
B E A C H - S U RF Z O N E "~ ~ i i i i i ~ii!tJi!i
EROSION 14i)~,~,~'~;
-10 ! !

0 50 l&O 150 2&O 2~i0 300 350m

D I S T A N C E SEA WARD
Fig.12. B e a c h - - s u r f - z o n e p r o f i l e s f r o m t h e m i d d l e o f N a r r a b e e n b e f o r e 2 5 . 1 1 . 7 7 a n d a f t e r
t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a m e g a rip. N o t e t h e a c c o m p a n y i n g b e a c h - - s u r f - z o n e erosion a n d near-
s h o r e accretion. Solid lines f r o m s u r v e y transect, d a s h e d f r o m e c h o s o u n d e r trace.
64

Rip migration

Rip migration can result from both shore normal and oblique waves. With
shore normal waves, it is associated with the growth of rip spacing under
rising waves during which rips m a y shift laterally with no preferred direction.
When waves are falling, t he arrested rips usually experience no net migra-
tion. However, t hey are c o m m o n l y skewed downdrift by obliquely incident
waves, a p h e n o m e n a McKenzie (1958) called "diagonal" rips. Further
oblique waves can result in net downdrift rip migration. Net migration by
an " ar r es ted " rip o f 100 m over 11 days was recorded by Wright et al.
(1982b, fig.25). On Narrabeen Beach a sudden shift in wave direction and
particularly to oblique northeast waves induced migration of erosion rips.
The migration rates averaged between 10 and 40 m per day. However, during
high wave events and especially in t he LBT and LBT' state, rips can migrate
d o w n d r i f t under oblique waves at rates of meters per hour.

The rip domain

Rips o n Narrabeen Beach range in mean spacing from 100 to 800 m under
conditions of ~2 = 1--7. However, on higher-energy coasts where ~2 >> 6
(Wright et al., 1982a) larger rips should exist. In order to provide a guide to
the limits o f rip domain eqn.(2) is p l o t t e d in Fig.13 over a wide range of con-
ditions. Equation (2) is based solely on grouped Narrabeen data and similar
studies of o t h e r sites, particularly with markedly different wave--sediment
conditions should vary the slope of the regression line. Nevertheless it is
worthwhile to e xt e nd the limits of the Narrabeen line so as the hypothesis
a b o u t the upper and lower limits of rip spacing and occurrence and associ-
ated ~2 values.
At the lower limit eqn.(2) predicts Ys = 0 when ~Z = 0.4. However, on
Narrabeen Beach t he smallest ever rip spacing was 50 m suggesting a modal
c u t o f f when ~2 = 1, which is also the threshold between reflective and inter-
mediate beach types (Wright and Short, 1984}. Small, transitory, ephemeral
rips do begin to form in the LTT' state {Short, 1979) and arrested rips finally
infill during the L T T state, however, because of their respective incipient and
degenerative natures t h e y have n o t been included in this analysis.
In Fig.13 the rip domain lies within the intermediate beach zone when ~2
ranges from 1 to 6, with erosion rips occurring when ~2 > 2.5---6 and waves
are rising and accretion rips when < 2.5--1 and waves are constant or falling.
The upper limit is set in Fig.13 at the intermediate-dissipative threshold
w hen ~2 -- 6 (Wright and Short, 1983). This threshold is set for modal con-
ditions when t h e beaches are in equilibrium with the prevailing wave condi-
tions. At this time fully dissipative surf zones on long straight beaches
are ripless (Short, 1979; Wright et al., 1982). Analysis of several hundreds
o f kilometers of high-energy beaches (modal H b = 3 m) along the South
Australian and Victorian coasts using aerial photographs and aerial recon-
naissance by Short and Hesp (1984) revealed no rip circulation patterns
 65

Ys(m)
10 000
REFLECTIVE DISSIPATIVE 2'
5000 ,,?t
INTERMEDIATE .. #.~1#

RIPLESS RIP / ~?
1000 -{'A c c re tion 'rips D O M A I N COORONG II
- can persist
w h e n n <1 L t J {largest rips?}
500 u n t i l t h e y infill} EROS

R O~
7 .... i.?
AC ETI
100
RIPLESS
('Erosion'rlps during:
.~l - : transition from
50 I n t e r m e d i a t e to
~ fully Dissipative;
Mega Rips}
,,/
10 , i J |111 I [ I I IIII I i i i l l ]
0.1 0.5 1.0 5 10 50 100
D_ = Hb/TWs

Fig. 13. The r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n Ys and 12 as e x p r e s s e d in e q n . ( 2 ) using g r o u p e d N a r r a b e e n

data. A c c r e t i o n rips are initiated w h e n ~ < 2.5 and persist until either 12 < 1 or are re-
w o r k e d w h e n 12 > 2.5. E r o s i o n rips c o m m e n c e w h e n ~ > 2.5 and d o m i n a t e t h e e r o d i n g
i n t e r m e d i a t e b e a c h states w h e n 12 = 2.5--6. E r o s i o n rips can persist w h e n 12 > 6 until
t h e fully dissipative state is r e a c h e d , unless n e a r s h o r e t o p o g r a p h y induces mega rips.

(currents or beach-bar forms) on the fully dissipative beaches, while adjacent

high-energy intermediate beaches receiving the same wave energy b u t with
coarser sand (hence ~2 < 6) exhibited well-developed rip patterns. However,
when a modally intermediate beach state experiences ~2 > 6 and moves into
the dissipative domain (D') it m a y require several days to even weeks to fully
adjust to the change in wave conditions and reach equilibrium, particularly
when the increase in wave height is small (Wright et al., 1985). During this
time large scale erosion rips will persist only disappearing as the morpho-
dynamics of the fully dissipative state (D) is achieved. For this reason the
upper limit of the prevailing, as opposed to the modal, rip domain m a y
result in rip spacing o f a few kilometers and ~2 values o f 15 or more.
An indication of what this upper limit might actually be is suggested by
large-scale shoreline undulations, which while temporally and spatially vari-
able, persist in occurrence along a straight, sandy 50 km section of the South
East coast of South Australia (Coorong II). The shoreline undulations
(n = 24) range in wave length from I to 3 km with y = 1.9 km (o = 0.6 km)
and amplitude from 100 to 300 m (Short and Hesp, 1984). Short and
Hesp suggest that t h e y are produced b y very large-scale rip circulation during
infrequent ( ~ 1 : 1 0 years) extreme wave events (Hb ~ 10 m) when ~2 ~ 15.
Vincent (1973) also describes large scale (600--1000 m + ) c u s p a t e - t y p e
66

meanders along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which he associates with
a storm wave origin.
Because o f the extreme energy required to produce these apparently rip-
generated shoreline and bar undulations, the shoreline undulations com-
monly persist for months to years particularly in modally low or moderate
wave environments. On the South Australian coast the " e m b a y e d " section
of the undulation is also the site of most severe shoreline erosion during and
at times following their formation (Short and Hesp, 1982).

DISCUSSION

The foregoing indicates that two basic types of rips occur on beaches --
those accompanying rising seas and general beach erosion when waves are
rising, and those accompanying falling seas and beach accretion when waves
are falling. Short (1979) called these erosion and accretion rips, respectively.
Erosion rips are a mechanism for returning relatively large amounts of water
seaward across an eroding surf zone during rising seas. Dynamically they are
overfit with respect to existing bar-channel morphology and are therefore
subject to locational mechanisms at scales larger than those of the bar forms.
Because of their lateral mobility, they have poorly developed rip-channel
systems. They persist when wave steepness is increasing, which can be
expressed using ~. Erosion rips occurred when ~2 > 2.5 and waves are rising
{Table 2). As ~2 increases, they increase in size and spacing (Figs.7, 13
and 14), thereby decreasing in number. In other words, as ~ increases, fewer
but larger rips dominate until in the case of Narrabeen--Collaroy Beach, one
or two "mega" rips may drain the entire surf zone (Fig.11). On Narrabeen
Beach, their mean spacing increased from 300 to 500 m (o = 100--200 m)
resulting in longshore migration and merging as they grow. On straight coasts
their spacing may exceed 1 km (Sasaki et al., 1977; Fig.13). They persist for
hours to perhaps several days. As the divergence zone between the rip heads
increases in spacing it experiences greater infragravity surf-beat oscillations
which result in a growth of vertically segregated surf-zone circulation (Wright
et al., 1982). When ~2 > 6 for several days the vertically segregated flow will
eventually replace the rips as the major mechanism for surf-zone circulation
(Wright et al., 1982a). Erosion rips are therefore spatially and temporally
highly variable. Their spacing is apparently related to infragravity and/or
high edge-wave modes (Bowen and Inman, 1969; Wright, 1982) and the rip
circulation controlled by high-energy infragravity pulsing (Shepard and
Inman, 1950; Sasaki and Horikawa, 1975). On embayed coasts and in
regions of wave refraction, the larger rips tend to exit the surf zone in areas
o f wave divergence (Shepard and Inman, 1950; Sasaki et al., 1981}, which is
confirmed on Narrabeen Beach (Fig.9). Erosion rips produce morphological
changes by removing sand from the beach and inner surf zone and depositing
it seaward of the breakers (Fig.12). Erosion rips are controlled by the surf-
zone hydrodynamics rather than the antecedent morphology. In general the
length scales of the former can be expected to be much larger than the latter.
 67

LBT LBT'
300 m ISTRAIGHT BAR -I~CRESCENTIC BAR
I WEAK~RI P
2 0 0 ~

oIilii
100J TROUGH "-~ ~"'-"
/

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
HBB RBB'
NORMAL WAVES OBLIQUE OBLIQUE
"~ WAVES~ ~,p., WAVES~ [" ~)
200 m- = ~%.'" . BREAKERS ~ ~ ,,1)
....... ....................... ~ ........... ~:i:~ii::ii"~.~..
100"

0 ~ '. ', "."A : . . . . . . .

:::::::::::.: .,GH T,OE CUSPS :::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

lrT?? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TBR TBR'
NORMAL WAVES OBLIQUE
WAVES 11~
20O m
. ' .......,,~,....:."':::::.~~::!i::!~::i...
".:::~":::,.%.,

:::::::::::::::::: WELDED:::M HIGH ~,*L~...: : : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :

0 =====================BAR : : : : : : TiDE
iiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiii.c.u..s.Ps.

LTT LTT'
[NORMAL WAVES OBLIQUE J NORMAL WAVES OBLIQUE
| WAVES! MINOR WA~I~V
ES
200 ml~i MINI-RIP RUNNEL ~ |
1 "" l~L~i R I D G E ::i T E R R A C E ~ . ~ : . ~ : : i:~ : ~ i ]

::::::::::::::::::::::
0J:RUNNEL:::::::HIGH

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
TIDE S.KEWED~

Fig.14. Plan configuration o f the four intermediate beach states showing accretionary
states and accretion rips (LBT, RBB, T B R and LTT, f r o m Fig. 1 ) and accompanying ero-
sional states and erosion rips (LBT', RBB', T B R ' and LTT', m o d i f i e d f r o m S h o r t , 1979,
fig.3).

Erosion rips rework the morphology to suit the rip spacing, the spacing itself
probably being a function o f edge-wave lengths which in turn are a function
of wave characteristics, surf-zone gradients and in some locations embayment
configuration. While erosion rips do not usually possess well<ieveloped
68

channel morphology, if they and/or mega rips do persist in location, an "ebb

tide" like the delta structure can develop seaward of the normal breaker line
(Fig.12) with flows extending over a kilometer seaward of the surf zone
( F i g . l l ; Shepard and Inman, 1950; Sasaki, 1977; Short, 1979; Wright et al.,
1980), even at depth (Reimintz et al., 1976). Erosion rips and mega rips are
the major mechanism for sediment exchange between intermediate beaches
and surf zones and the nearshore and perhaps inner shelf, as suggested by
Swift (1975).
Accretion rips (Table 2 and Figs.13 and 14) occur when i~ < 2.5 and
waves are constant or falling, usually following the formation of antecedent
erosion rips and associated erosion beach state (Short, 1979). Once rip
spacing is set, the rips are increasingly held or topographically arrested in
locations by the surf-zone morphology. On Narrabeen Beach, their mean
spacing decreased from 250 to 170 m (o = 100 m). Once the RBB state is
reached, they tend to remain arrested so long as wave height and direction
remain constant or fall slowly. During transition to the LTT state the rips
infill and disappear. As previously discussed, the regular spacing of accretion
rips is probably initially controlled by the generation of edge waves at infra-
gravity periodicities during the transition from rising to stable wave condi-
tions (Bowen and Inman, 1969; Wright, 1982; Wright and Short, 1984). In
the latter stages of LBT and particularly in the RBB and TBR state, they are
morphologically very prominent with well-developed rip feeder and rip
channels draining the prominent crescentic and transverse bars and megacusp
horns and embayments (Fig.lb, c and d). As the rips become increasingly
topographically arrested and the flow confined to smaller, narrower
channels, rip velocities may increase between the LBT and RBB peaking in
the TBR state {Wright and Short, 1984). For this reason strong rips on the
order of 100 cm s-' can persist on TBR beaches when waves are reasonably
low (<1 m). It is also these rips t h a t are potentially dangerous to inexperi-
enced swimmers, because of their shallow bars adjacent to relatively narrow
but deep channels containing swift, pulsating currents (Fig.ld). While accre-
tion rips can move water and sediment seaward of the surf zone, they occur
during general beach accretion and the export of sediment from the rips is
exceeded by the import from the bars which may eventually infill the rip,
resulting in the welded bar of the LTT state (Fig.le).

CONCLUSIONS

Rips are a characteristic and integral component of intermediate beach

states, of the transition from the intermediate to dissipative beach state, and
when nearshore topography and shoreline crenulations are prominent in
more dissipative beach systems. Rips, however, vary considerably in type,
spacing, and associated surf-zone topography, depending on prevailing and
antecedent wave--beach conditions. Rips fall into two categories -- erosion
and accretion.
Erosion rips occur when ~2 > 2.5 and waves are rising and usually accom-
 69

pany general beach erosion. They increase in size and intensity and decrease
in number, as waves increase. They are spatially and temporally highly un-
stable. They are controlled probably by both infragravity edge waves and
locally by bed and shoreline topographies. Large-scale topographically con-
trolled erosion rips, particularly when ~2 > 6, are called mega rips. Both
erosion and mega rips are a major mechanism for transporting beach and
inner surf-zone sediment seaward of the breaker zone.
Accretion rips occur when ~2 < 2.5 and waves are constant or falling and
accompany general beach accretion. The rips are more closely spaced and
less variable with significant spatial and temporal stability. Once formed they
are topographically "arrested" in location by the formation of crescentic
bars in the intermediate beach states. They persist in location, decrease in
size but m a y increase in velocity as waves fall, until the rip channel either
infills, or is reworked by rising waves.
While this paper confirms much of the previous literature on rips, it also
points to the distinction that must be made between rip types and the stages
of rip development associated with wave conditions and beach states, and to
the linear relationship between rip spacing and ~2 = H b / T W s . In particular it
poses several questions that need to be answered about rips and surf-zone
circulation in general, including, the exact nature of the morphodynamic
thresholds that initiates rip development at the reflective to intermediate
beach-state transition, and replaces rips with vertically segregated flows over
the intermediate to dissipative transition, as well as the exact relationship
between edge waves and rip spacing. Only when these additional character-
istics and interrelationships are taken into account can realistic applications
and testing be made of existing and future theories and mechanisms of rip
evolution, and the role of rips in surf-zone discharge, sediment transport and
beach erosion be fully appreciated.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Data collection was supported by a Queens Fellowship in Marine Science

and the Australian Research Grant Committee. The paper was written during
study leave at t h e Virginia Institute o f Marine Science (VIMS) with support
from a University of Sydney Travel Grant and a FuUbright Scholarship.
Thanks to P.J. Cowell for constructive comments, J. Roberts for drafting,
and C. Gaskins (VIMS) and J. Brennan for typing.

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