Patent ID: 7251563

Claim:
A method for estimating concentrations of suspended sediment at a plurality of depths for at least one ocean location, the method comprising: receiving time-dependent inputs including wave height, wave period, wave propagation direction, steady current magnitude, steady current direction, and water depth for an ocean location; receiving an estimate of bottom sediment distribution for the ocean location; calculating a new bottom sediment distribution using a sediment suspension and advection module; calculating a concentration of sediment by size at a plurality of depths at the ocean location using an ocean bottom boundary layer hydrodynamic module; transferring calculations from the sediment suspension and advection module and the ocean bottom boundary layer hydrodynamic module to a C++ based central module; and outputting the concentration of sediment by size at a plurality of depths at the ocean location to another computer module, displaying the concentration of sediment by size at a plurality of depths at the ocean location, or storing the concentration of sediment by size at a plurality of depths at the ocean location for further retrieval.