Dissipation of incident forced long waves in the surf zone-Implications for the concept of “bound” wave release at short wave breaking

► Recent literature shows strong dissipation of forced long waves in the surf zone. ► This is inconsistent with the release of forced long waves by short wave breaking. ► Such release was never postulated by Longuet-Higgins and Stewart (1962). ► It is argued that those authors in fact implied the opposite. ► A surf beat similarity parameter distinguishes different surf beat forcing regimes.