Rip Current (IMAGE) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Caption Steve Elgar's research focuses on the surf zone -- the fast-moving and turbulent area where ocean waves and high energy currents meet the shoreline. This area is important when it comes to understanding and predicting dangerous rip currents, coastal flooding, and beach erosion. During fieldwork at the USACE Field Research Facility in Duck, N.C., (above) Elgar, his lab partner Dr. Britt Raubenheimer, and former joint program student Dr. Melissa Moulton dug a channel to induce the formation of rip currents. Credit Photo by David Clark, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Usage Restrictions with proper credit License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.