Warming accelerates mangrove expansion and surface elevation gain in a subtropical wetland

Actual flood mapping and quantification in an area provide valuable information for the stakeholder to prevent future losses. This study presents the actual flash flood quantification in Al-Lith Watershed, Saudi Arabia. The study is divided into two steps: first is actual flood mapping using remote sensing data, and the second is the flood volume calculation. Two Sentinel-1 images are processed to map the actual flood, i.e., image from 25 May 2018 (dry condition), and 24 November 2018 (peak flood condition). SNAP software is used for the flood mapping step. During SNAP processing, selecting the backscatter data representing the actual flood in an arid region is challenging. The dB range value from 7.23–14.22 is believed to represent the flood. In GIS software, the flood map result is converted into polygon to define the flood boundary. The flood boundary that is overlaid with Digital Elevation Map (DEM) is filled with the same elevation value. The Focal Statistics neighborhood method with three iterations is used to generate the flood surface elevation inside the flood boundary. The raster contains depth information is derived by subtraction of the flood surface elevation with DEM. Several steps are carried out to minimize the overcalculation outside the flood boundary. The flood volume can be derived by the multiplication of flood depth points with each cell size area. The flash flood volume in Al-Lith Watershed on 24 November 2018 is 155,507,439 m3. Validity checks are performed by comparing it with other studies, and the result shows that the number is reliable.

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Analysis of Dangerous Sea States in the Northwestern Mediterranean Area

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse9040422 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 422

Author(s):

Alessio Innocenti ◽

Miguel Onorato ◽

Carlo Brandini

Keyword(s):

Extreme Events ◽

Mediterranean Area ◽

Rayleigh Distribution ◽

Surface Elevation ◽

Wave Steepness ◽

Sea Waves ◽

Operational Forecasts ◽

Long Time ◽

Simulated Field

Extreme sea waves, although rare, can be notably dangerous when associated with energetic sea states and can generate risks for the navigation. In the last few years, they have been the object of extensive research from the scientific community that helped with understanding the main physical aspects; however, the estimate of extreme waves probability in operational forecasts is still debated. In this study, we analyzed a number of sea-states that occurred in a precise area of the Mediterranean sea, near the location of a reported accident, with the objective of relating the probability of extreme events with different sea state conditions. For this purpose, we performed phase-resolving simulations of wave spectra obtained from a WaveWatch III hindcast, using a Higher Order Spectral Method. We produced statistics of the sea-surface elevation field, calculating crest distributions and the probability of extreme events from the analysis of a long time-series of the surface elevation. We found a good matching between the distributions of the numerically simulated field and theory, namely Tayfun second- and third- order ones, in contrast with a significant underestimate given by the Rayleigh distribution. We then related spectral quantities like angular spreading and wave steepness to the probability of occurrence of extreme events finding an enhanced probability for high mean steepness seas and narrow spectra, in accordance with literature results, finding also that the case study of the reported accident was not amongst the most dangerous. Finally, we related the skewness and kurtosis of the surface elevation to the wave steepness to explain the discrepancy between theoretical and numerical distributions.

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Five-Wave Resonances in Deep Water Gravity Waves: Integrability, Numerical Simulations and Experiments

Fluids ◽

10.3390/fluids6060205 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (6) ◽

pp. 205

Author(s):

Dan Lucas ◽

Marc Perlin ◽

Dian-Yong Liu ◽

Shane Walsh ◽

Rossen Ivanov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Normal Form ◽

Numerical Simulations ◽

Gravity Waves ◽

Deep Water ◽

Plane Waves ◽

Surface Elevation ◽

Wave Interactions ◽

Frequency Space ◽

Target Mode ◽

The Hilbert Transform

In this work we consider the problem of finding the simplest arrangement of resonant deep-water gravity waves in one-dimensional propagation, from three perspectives: Theoretical, numerical and experimental. Theoretically this requires using a normal-form Hamiltonian that focuses on 5-wave resonances. The simplest arrangement is based on a triad of wavevectors K1+K2=K3 (satisfying specific ratios) along with their negatives, corresponding to a scenario of encountering wavepackets, amenable to experiments and numerical simulations. The normal-form equations for these encountering waves in resonance are shown to be non-integrable, but they admit an integrable reduction in a symmetric configuration. Numerical simulations of the governing equations in natural variables using pseudospectral methods require the inclusion of up to 6-wave interactions, which imposes a strong dealiasing cut-off in order to properly resolve the evolving waves. We study the resonance numerically by looking at a target mode in the base triad and showing that the energy transfer to this mode is more efficient when the system is close to satisfying the resonant conditions. We first look at encountering plane waves with base frequencies in the range 1.32–2.35 Hz and steepnesses below 0.1, and show that the time evolution of the target mode’s energy is dramatically changed at the resonance. We then look at a scenario that is closer to experiments: Encountering wavepackets in a 400-m long numerical tank, where the interaction time is reduced with respect to the plane-wave case but the resonance is still observed; by mimicking a probe measurement of surface elevation we obtain efficiencies of up to 10% in frequency space after including near-resonant contributions. Finally, we perform preliminary experiments of encountering wavepackets in a 35-m long tank, which seem to show that the resonance exists physically. The measured efficiencies via probe measurements of surface elevation are relatively small, indicating that a finer search is needed along with longer wave flumes with much larger amplitudes and lower frequency waves. A further analysis of phases generated from probe data via the analytic signal approach (using the Hilbert transform) shows a strong triad phase synchronisation at the resonance, thus providing independent experimental evidence of the resonance.

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Physical Modelling of the Effect on the Wave Field of the WaveCat Wave Energy Converter

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse9030309 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 309

Author(s):

James Allen ◽

Gregorio Iglesias ◽

Deborah Greaves ◽

Jon Miles

Keyword(s):

Wave Height ◽

Wave Energy ◽

Significant Wave Height ◽

Wedge Angle ◽

Wave Energy Converter ◽

Wave Period ◽

Surface Elevation ◽

Energy Converter ◽

Significant Wave ◽

Model Scale

The WaveCat is a moored Wave Energy Converter design which uses wave overtopping discharge into a variable v-shaped hull, to generate electricity through low head turbines. Physical model tests of WaveCat WEC were carried out to determine the device reflection, transmission, absorption and capture coefficients based on selected wave conditions. The model scale was 1:30, with hulls of 3 m in length, 0.4 m in height and a freeboard of 0.2 m. Wave gauges monitored the surface elevation at discrete points around the experimental area, and level sensors and flowmeters recorded the amount of water captured and released by the model. Random waves of significant wave height between 0.03 m and 0.12 m and peak wave periods of 0.91 s to 2.37 s at model scale were tested. The wedge angle of the device was set to 60°. A reflection analysis was carried out using a revised three probe method and spectral analysis of the surface elevation to determine the incident, reflected and transmitted energy. The results show that the reflection coefficient is highest (0.79) at low significant wave height and low peak wave period, the transmission coefficient is highest (0.98) at low significant wave height and high peak wave period, and absorption coefficient is highest (0.78) when significant wave height is high and peak wave period is low. The model also shows the highest Capture Width Ratio (0.015) at wavelengths on the order of model length. The results have particular implications for wave energy conversion prediction potential using this design of device.

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The FLOod Probability Interpolation Tool (FLOPIT): A Simple Tool to Improve Spatial Flood Probability Quantification and Communication

Water ◽

10.3390/w13050666 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 666

Author(s):

Mahkameh Zarekarizi ◽

K. Joel Roop-Eckart ◽

Sanjib Sharma ◽

Klaus Keller

Keyword(s):

Flood Risk ◽

Water Surface ◽

The United States ◽

Surface Elevation ◽

Exceedance Probability ◽

Water Surface Elevation ◽

Inundation Maps ◽

Probability Maps ◽

Flood Probability ◽

Floodplain Development

Understanding flood probabilities is essential to making sound decisions about flood-risk management. Many people rely on flood probability maps to inform decisions about purchasing flood insurance, buying or selling real-estate, flood-proofing a house, or managing floodplain development. Current flood probability maps typically use flood zones (for example the 1 in 100 or 1 in 500-year flood zones) to communicate flooding probabilities. However, this choice of communication format can miss important details and lead to biased risk assessments. Here we develop, test, and demonstrate the FLOod Probability Interpolation Tool (FLOPIT). FLOPIT interpolates flood probabilities between water surface elevation to produce continuous flood-probability maps. FLOPIT uses water surface elevation inundation maps for at least two return periods and creates Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) as well as inundation maps for new return levels. Potential advantages of FLOPIT include being open-source, relatively easy to implement, capable of creating inundation maps from agencies other than FEMA, and applicable to locations where FEMA published flood inundation maps but not flood probability. Using publicly available data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood risk databases as well as state and national datasets, we produce continuous flood-probability maps at three example locations in the United States: Houston (TX), Muncy (PA), and Selinsgrove (PA). We find that the discrete flood zones generally communicate substantially lower flood probabilities than the continuous estimates.

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Heterogeneous spatial and temporal pattern of surface elevation change and mass balance of the Patagonian ice fields between 2000 and 2016

The Cryosphere ◽

10.5194/tc-13-2511-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 2511-2535 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Wael Abdel Jaber ◽

Helmut Rott ◽

Dana Floricioiu ◽

Jan Wuite ◽

Nuno Miranda

Keyword(s):

Spatial Pattern ◽

Mass Balance ◽

Temporal Trend ◽

Sar Interferometry ◽

Surface Elevation ◽

Radar Signal ◽

Elevation Change ◽

Mass Losses ◽

Digital Elevation ◽

Surface Elevation Change

Abstract. The northern and southern Patagonian ice fields (NPI and SPI) have been subject to accelerated retreat during the last decades, with considerable variability in magnitude and timing among individual glaciers. We derive spatially detailed maps of surface elevation change (SEC) of NPI and SPI from bistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry data of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurements (TanDEM-X) for two epochs, 2000–2012 and 2012–2016, and provide data on changes in surface elevation and ice volume for the individual glaciers and the ice fields at large. We apply advanced TanDEM-X processing techniques allowing us to cover 90 % and 95 % of the area of NPI and 97 % and 98 % of SPI for the two epochs, respectively. Particular attention is paid to precisely co-registering the digital elevation models (DEMs), accounting for possible effects of radar signal penetration through backscatter analysis and correcting for seasonality biases in case of deviations in repeat DEM coverage from full annual time spans. The results show a different temporal trend between the two ice fields and reveal a heterogeneous spatial pattern of SEC and mass balance caused by different sensitivities with respect to direct climatic forcing and ice flow dynamics of individual glaciers. The estimated volume change rates for NPI are -4.26±0.20 km3 a−1 for epoch 1 and -5.60±0.74 km3 a−1 for epoch 2, while for SPI these are -14.87±0.52 km3 a−1 for epoch 1 and -11.86±1.99 km3 a−1 for epoch 2. This corresponds for both ice fields to an eustatic sea level rise of 0.048±0.002 mm a−1 for epoch 1 and 0.043±0.005 mm a−1 for epoch 2. On SPI the spatial pattern of surface elevation change is more complex than on NPI and the temporal trend is less uniform. On terminus sections of the main calving glaciers of SPI, temporal variations in flow velocities are a main factor for differences in SEC between the two epochs. Striking differences are observed even on adjoining glaciers, such as Upsala Glacier, with decreasing mass losses associated with slowdown of flow velocity, contrasting with acceleration and increase in mass losses on Viedma Glacier.

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Numerical Investigation of Focused Waves and Their Interaction With a Vertical Cylinder Using REEF3D

Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.4036206 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 139 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Hans Bihs ◽

Mayilvahanan Alagan Chella ◽

Arun Kamath ◽

Øivind Asgeir Arntsen

Keyword(s):

Free Surface ◽

Stokes Equations ◽

Free Surface Flows ◽

Surface Elevation ◽

Numerical Wave Tank ◽

Free Surface Elevation ◽

Wave Tank ◽

Numerical Wave ◽

Focused Wave ◽

The Impact

For the stability of offshore structures, such as offshore wind foundations, extreme wave conditions need to be taken into account. Waves from extreme events are critical from the design perspective. In a numerical wave tank, extreme waves can be modeled using focused waves. Here, linear waves are generated from a wave spectrum. The wave crests of the generated waves coincide at a preselected location and time. Focused wave generation is implemented in the numerical wave tank module of REEF3D, which has been extensively and successfully tested for various wave hydrodynamics and wave–structure interaction problems in particular and for free surface flows in general. The open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code REEF3D solves the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations on a staggered Cartesian grid. Higher order numerical schemes are used for time and spatial discretization. For the interface capturing, the level set method is selected. In order to test the generated waves, the time series of the free surface elevation are compared with experimental benchmark cases. The numerically simulated free surface elevation shows good agreement with experimental data. In further computations, the impact of the focused waves on a vertical circular cylinder is investigated. A breaking focused wave is simulated and the associated kinematics is investigated. Free surface flow features during the interaction of nonbreaking focused waves with a cylinder and during the breaking process of a focused wave are also investigated along with the numerically captured free surface.

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