Modeling and analysis of wave transformation in the Bay of Santa Elena-Ecuador in the period 2016-2020.

The wave is one of the fundamental parameters in the evolution of a coastline. The knowledge of its detailed behavior, as it depends on different stochastic variables, is very complex. However, through the analysis of time series it is possible to have an idea of the wave conditions in a coastal area. This paper describes and analyzes the swell conditions in Santa Elena Bay, in the sector between Salinas and Salango beaches, in the period 2016-2020. Different wave conditions were simulated for each month of the study period, considering the variables significant wave height, period and wave direction, using the DELFT3D model, WAVE module. The results were compared with the Global Ocean Physics Reanalysis simulation, from two virtual buoys near the coast. According to the results, near the coast of Santa Elena Bay, wave conditions are found with heights from 0.60 m to 0.93 m, approach direction from 221.1° to 270.1° and periods from 11.5 s to 16.0 s. The results obtained allow us to have a continuous spatial grid of reference on the wave behavior in Santa Elena, which could be improved with field data over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]