Numerical study of coastal sandbar migration, by hydro-morphodynamical coupling

We present a numerical model based on the hydro-morphodynamical coupling to study coastal sandbar migration. In order to improve both nonlinear and dispersive wave processes in relatively shallow water, we developed a finite element model based on the Legendre polynomials and on the Extended Boussinesq model. This model reproduces the propagation of wave trains with a high degree of accuracy on a greater range of depths than the standard Boussinesq models. We also implemented the Total Variation Diminishing schemes to improve the quality of the computed hydrodynamic fields, especially in areas where sharp flow gradients occurred. The coupled morpho-hydrodynamical model is then used to simulate the migration of real sandbars observed at Rousty beach (Mediterranean French coast). For verification the model results are compared with field measurements obtained from a small-scale field campaign carried out over two years at Rousty beach, and the results of this comparison are thoroughly discussed and analyzed.     

Extension of the skin shear stress Li’s relationship to the flat bed

A proper estimation of the skin shear stress τ _s is necessary for a proper evaluation of sediment flux at the sediment–fluid interface. Several empirical formulas of the skin shear stress have been proposed in the literature for rippled bed as function of the factor form η/λ (η and λ are respectively the height and wavelength of the bedform). These formulas express that in the presence of bedform, τ _s is a partition of the total shear stress τ _b . In contrast, when the bottom is flat, τ _s is exactly equal to τ _b . Based on in situ measurements, Li (J Geophys Res 99:791–799, 1994) has proposed a new formula of τ _s depending on u _*/η (u _* is the friction velocity, ${u_{*}=\sqrt{\tau_{b}/\rho}}$ ), but not as a function of η/λ. This formulation appears physically more realistic, but does not cover the flat bottom range. The purpose of this short note is therefore the extension of the Li’s expression to this type of bottom.     

Comparative study of different advective schemes: Application to the MECCA model

A 3-D version of the MECCA model (Model of Estuarine and Coastal Circulation Assessment) is used to simulate the dynamics of the Eastern part of the English Channel. This area is characterized by a strong tidal turbulent regime and a frontal zone identified near the French coast by a low-salinity band. The model uses the upwind scheme to approximate the advective terms. Results show that the model overestimates the band width of the frontal zone and that this anomaly is definitely caused by the numerical diffusion introduced by the so-called upwind scheme (first-order approximation). In this paper, we study the flux-limiter schemes as an alternative to the upwind method in order to reduce this non-physical diffusion. To illustrate the improvements provided by this type of schemes, a comparison in 2-D schematic cases is made between the upwind and centered scheme with more recent higher-order schemes combined with limiter namely Minmod, Superbee, Van Leer and Monotonized Centered (MC) (called also MUSCL scheme). Respecting the CFL condition, our numerical simulations show that the flux-limiter schemes reduce the numerical diffusion and eliminate the oscillations caused by the non-limited higher-order schemes. For the schematic and realistic cases, the Superbee limiter is a good compromise between shape preservation and computational cost.     

Conception of an environmental friendly O/W cosmetic emulsion from microalgae

The development of eco-friendly cosmetic such as those from microalgae for skin regeneration and collagen synthesis has gained a great interest worldwide. Accordingly, the potential of microalgae biomass as source of anti-aging cosmetic cream with high antioxidant activity has been investigated. Stabilities and sensory characteristics of cosmetic creams supplemented with Spirulina, Tetraselmis sp. and Dunaliella sp. at 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5%, respectively, revealed a conservation of physico-chemical and preliminary stability properties of formulations. To analyze physico-chemical and textural parameters, accelerated stability study was evaluated under two thermal conditions (25 and 40 °C) during 90 days. Results showed that pH values of all formulations were within the limits of normal skin pH range under storage time at 25 and 40 °C. During this period, the colored creams showed a significant changes of a* and b* indices, reflecting the instability of microalgae colors. Microalgae modified the textural characteristics of emulsions. The Tetraselmis sp. containing-cream had the lowest (P < 0.05)?values of hardness, springiness, and cohesiveness. The 0.5% Spirulina containing-cream had the best stable consistency and adhesiveness under time and temperature variations. It exhibited the best properties to be used for skin care products. Thanks to their high content in bioactive macromolecules, microalgae considerably improved the antioxidant activity of the new formulated skin creams.