Wave-averaged motion of small particles in surface gravity waves: Effect of particle shape on orientation, drift, and dispersion

Particles such as microplastics and phytoplankton suspended in the water column in the natural environment are often subject to the action of surface gravity waves. By modeling such anisotropic particles as small spheroids that slowly settle (or rise) in a wavy environment, we consider how the particle shape and buoyancy couple to the background wave-driven flow to influence the particle orientation, drift, and dispersion. A multiscale expansion allows the wave-induced oscillations to be separated from the wave-averaged particle motion. Using the wave-averaged equations of particle motion, we demonstrate that spheroidal particles have a wave-induced preferential orientation with different stable solutions for prolate and oblate particles. The resulting preferential orientation positions particles with their longest axis pointing in the direction of wave propagation and upwards against gravity. The angle at which the longest axis points upwards is a function of particle aspect ratio. In this orientation, particles drift in the direction opposite to wave propagation, weakening and potentially even reversing their Stokes drift. The wave-induced stable orientation also results in a reduced settling velocity relative to a random (isotropic) orientation. The dispersion of a particle cloud is controlled by the distribution of orientations. For a cloud of particles released together with random (isotropic) orientation, the initial cloud growth rate is ballistic in all directions. Wave action acts to suppress the vertical dispersion but enhances horizontal dispersion into a super-ballistic state when the Stokes drift shear acts on a particle cloud that has expanded in the vertical direction.

Automated summary

This study models the motion of particles such as microplastics and phytoplankton in a wavy environment and examines how the particle shape and buoyancy affect the particle orientation, drift, and dispersion driven by waves. The findings show that particles have a wave-induced preferential orientation, reduced settling velocity, and increased horizontal dispersion under wave action.