How to Measure the Coastal Currents of Bridlington

1. Where is Bridlington?

Bridlington is a lovely coastal town in the East Riding of Yorkshire, on the east coast of England. It's right by the North Sea, and this great location has made it important for ages.

The town has a long history. It started as a simple fishing village and grew into a more developed coastal place. The buildings in Bridlington are a mix of different styles. In the town center, there are old - fashioned buildings. Some look like they're from medieval times, with narrow streets and traditional houses. There are also Victorian - era buildings, like the beautiful Bridlington Spa. They show how the town grew during that time. These old buildings stand next to modern shops, restaurants, and homes, making a special mix of old and new.

The people in Bridlington have a strong bond with the sea. Fishing has been a traditional job for generations. Even though the fishing industry isn't as big as it used to be, a small group of dedicated fishermen still go out from the harbor. They bring back fish like cod, herring, and plaice. The port is also popular with people who have pleasure boats. Many locals and tourists take trips along the pretty coastline.

Bridlington's beaches are not only a popular tourist spot but also important for the local environment. The waters of the North Sea nearby are full of different kinds of sea life. You can often see seals on the sandbanks in the sea. The seabed has lots of fish, as well as crustaceans and mollusks. The seabed has sandy parts, rocky areas, and underwater channels. This makes the area full of different living things and also affects how the water moves.

2. What's the Situation of the Coastal Currents Near Bridlington?

The coastal currents near Bridlington are affected by several things. Tides are a big factor. The North Sea has two high tides and two low tides every day. The height of the tides can change, and the tides can make the water flow as fast as 2 - 3 knots in some places, especially near small streams or where the coastline has a special shape. When the tide is high, water rushes towards the shore and brings nutrients and sediment from the open sea. This is good for the local sea environment. When the tide is low, the water goes back, and the areas between high and low tides are shown. These areas are home to many shore - dwelling animals.

Wind is another important thing. The south - westerly winds that often come can push the surface water towards the coast and make the coastal currents stronger. These winds also make waves that mix with the currents and make the water flow in a more complicated way. But northerly winds can push the water away from the shore. The shape of the coastline, with its bays, headlands, and special parts of the Bridlington coast, makes the currents come together in some places and spread out in others. The rocky areas and sandbars under the water make the current patterns even more complex. These can either block the water or act like channels, changing the way the water flows and making areas where the water is rough or calm. Also, the fresh water from small streams in the area can change the local current patterns. The fresh water is lighter than seawater, so it makes currents that mix with the tides and the currents made by the wind.

3. How to Observe the Coastal Water Flow of Bridlington?

Surface Drifting Buoy Method

Surface drifting buoys are a simple but useful way to see how the surface water is moving. These buoys have GPS or satellite tracking. Once you put them in the water, the surface currents will carry them. Scientists can watch where they go over time. By looking at the path the buoys take, they can guess how fast the surface water is moving and which way it's going. But this method can only tell us about the top few meters of the water. It might not show what's happening in the deeper parts of the water.

Moored Ship Method

In the moored ship method, a ship is tied up at a certain place near Bridlington's coast. Then, tools like electromagnetic current meters are used to measure the water flow. These tools can measure how the water moves at different depths. This gives a detailed picture of how fast the water is moving and in which direction at different levels. But this method can only be used in one place. And the ship being there might change the natural way the water flows, which can make the measurements less accurate.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Method

ADCPs have changed how we measure the coastal currents near Bridlington. They can measure how fast the water is moving from the surface all the way to the seabed. ADCPs use sound waves to measure the water flow without getting in the way. They send out sound pulses and measure how the sound changes when it bounces back from small things in the water, like sediment, plankton, or bubbles. From this, they can figure out how fast the water is moving at different depths. This gives a full view of how the currents are structured, so it's really good for studying the complex coastal current patterns around Bridlington.

4. How do ADCPs Using the Doppler Principle Work?

ADCPs work based on the Doppler effect. They send out high - frequency sound pulses into the water. When these pulses hit small things in the water, like sediment, plankton, or bubbles, those things send the sound signals back to the ADCP profiler. If these small things are moving with the water current, the sound that comes back will have a different frequency from the sound that was sent out. This change in frequency is directly related to how fast the small things are moving compared to the ADCP. By measuring this change in frequency at different depths in the water, the ADCP can calculate how fast the water is moving at those depths. The ADCP has several parts that can measure the speed in different directions. This helps to figure out how the water is moving in three-dimensional space.

5. What's Needed for High - Quality Measurement of Bridlington Coastal Currents?

Equipment Material Reliability

To measure the coastal currents near Bridlington well, the materials of the equipment are very important. The outside part of the ADCP meter should be made of a material that can stand up to the tough North Sea environment. Titanium alloy is a great choice. It's very strong, so it can stop strong water currents from breaking it, and it can also handle possible crashes with floating things and the salty, corrosive seawater. It's also a bit flexible, which helps reduce the chance of it getting damaged by strong forces. And it doesn't rust easily, so the ADCP can be used in the sea for a long time without getting worse.

Compact Size, Light Weight, Low Power Consumption, and Low Cost

An ADCP flow meter that's small and light is easier to set up and use. You can put it on a small research boat, attach it to a buoy, or place it on the seabed. It also doesn't change the natural water flow as much, so the measurements are more accurate. Using less power is important, especially if it runs on batteries and needs to work on its own for a long time. An ADCP current profiler that doesn't cost a lot allows us to use many of them. This is really important for fully understanding the complex coastal current patterns around Bridlington.

6. How to Choose the Right Equipment for Current Measurement?

Based on Usage

• Shipborne ADCP: Great for getting current data right away as a ship sails near Bridlington. You can use it to study the ocean, look at how the water moves in general in the area, and make shipping routes better.
• Bottom-mounted ADCP: Good for watching the currents at the seabed for a long time in one place. This is really helpful for seeing how the coastal currents change over a long time, like how climate change affects the local sea environment.
• Buoy-mounted ADCP: Perfect for watching the surface - level currents over a big area as the buoy floats with the water. It helps us understand how the surface currents change in different places and how the coastal waters mix with the open North Sea.

Based on Water Depth

• 600kHz ADCP: Good for water that's up to about 70m deep. It can give very detailed measurements in the shallower waters near Bridlington.
• 300kHz ADCP: Suitable for water that's around 110m deep. This can be useful in the North Sea near the town where the water is a bit deeper in some parts.
• 75kHz ADCP: Made for deep - water areas. Even though the waters near Bridlington aren't usually very deep, you can use it to study the deeper - layer currents or in areas with deeper channels. It can measure currents at depths of up to 1000m.

There are some well-known ADCP brands in the world, like Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and Sontek. If you want a good-quality but not-too-expensive option, the China Sonar PandaADCP, made of all - titanium alloy, is a great choice. You can find out more about it at (https://china-sonar.com/).

Here is a table with some well known ADCP instrument brands and models.