scholarly journals Assessing the Impacts of Rising Sea Level on Coastal Morpho-Dynamics with Automated High-Frequency Shoreline Mapping Using Multi-Sensor Optical Satellites

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 3587
Author(s):  
Naheem Adebisi ◽  
Abdul-Lateef Balogun ◽  
Masoud Mahdianpari ◽  
Teh Hee Min

Rising sea level is generally assumed and widely reported to be the significant driver of coastal erosion of most low-lying sandy beaches globally. However, there is limited data-driven evidence of this relationship due to the challenges in quantifying shoreline dynamics at the same temporal scale as sea-level records. Using a Google Earth Engine (GEE)-enabled Python toolkit, this study conducted shoreline dynamic analysis using high-frequency data sampling to analyze the impact of sea-level rise on the Malaysian coastline between 1993 and 2019. Instantaneous shorelines were extracted from a test site on Teluk Nipah Island and 21 tide gauge sites from the combined Landsat 5–8 and Sentinel 2 images using an automated shoreline-detection method, which was based on supervised image classification and sub-pixel border segmentation. The results indicated that rising sea level is contributing to shoreline erosion in the study area, but is not the only driver of shoreline displacement. The impacts of high population density, anthropogenic activities, and longshore sediment transportation on shoreline displacement were observed in some of the beaches. The conclusions of this study highlight that the synergistic use of multi-sensor remote-sensing data improves temporal resolution of shoreline detection, removes short-term variability, and reduces uncertainties in satellite-derived shoreline analysis compared to the low-frequency sampling approach.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krešimir Ruić ◽  
Jadranka Šepić ◽  
Maja Karlović ◽  
Iva Međugorac

<p>Extreme sea levels are known to hit the Adriatic Sea and to occasionally cause floods that produce severe material damage. Whereas the contribution of longer-period (T > 2 h) sea-level oscillations to the phenomena has been well researched, the contribution of the shorter period (T < 2 h) oscillations is yet to be determined. With this aim, data of 1-min sampling resolution were collected for 20 tide gauges, 10 located at the Italian (north and west) and 10 at the Croatian (east) Adriatic coast. Analyses were done on time series of 3 to 15 years length, with the latest data coming from 2020, and with longer data series available for the Croatian coast. Sea level data were thoroughly checked, and spurious data were removed. </p><p>For each station, extreme sea levels were defined as events during which sea level surpasses its 99.9 percentile value. The contribution of short-period oscillations to extremes was then estimated from corresponding high-frequency (T < 2 h) series. Additionally, for four Croatian tide gauge stations (Rovinj, Bakar, Split, and Dubrovnik), for period of 1956-2004, extreme sea levels were also determined from the hourly sea level time series, with the contribution of short-period oscillations visually estimated from the original tide gauge charts.  </p><p>Spatial and temporal distribution of contribution of short-period sea-level oscillations to the extreme sea level in the Adriatic were estimated. It was shown that short-period sea-level oscillation can significantly contribute to the overall extremes and should be considered when estimating flooding levels. </p>


Atmosphere ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Phil J. Watson

This paper provides an Extreme Value Analysis (EVA) of the hourly water level record at Fort Denison dating back to 1915 to understand the statistical likelihood of the combination of high predicted tides and the more dynamic influences that can drive ocean water levels higher at the coast. The analysis is based on the Peaks-Over-Threshold (POT) method using a fitted Generalised Pareto Distribution (GPD) function to estimate extreme hourly heights above mean sea level. The analysis highlights the impact of the 1974 East Coast Low event and rarity of the associated measured water level above mean sea level at Sydney, with an estimated return period exceeding 1000 years. Extreme hourly predictions are integrated with future projections of sea level rise to provide estimates of relevant still water levels at 2050, 2070 and 2100 for a range of return periods (1 to 1000 years) for use in coastal zone management, design, and sea level rise adaptation planning along the NSW coastline. The analytical procedures described provide a step-by-step guide for practitioners on how to develop similar baseline information from any long tide gauge record and the associated limitations and key sensitivities that must be understood and appreciated in applying EVA.


Ocean Science ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arseny A. Kubryakov ◽  
Sergey V. Stanichny ◽  
Denis L. Volkov

Abstract. Satellite altimetry measurements show that the magnitude of the Black Sea sea level trends is spatially uneven. While the basin-mean sea level rise from 1993 to 2014 was about 3.15 mm yr−1, the local rates of sea level rise varied from 1.5–2.5 mm yr−1 in the central part to 3.5–3.8 mm yr−1 at the basin periphery and over the northwestern shelf and to 5 mm yr−1 in the southeastern part of the sea. We show that the observed spatial differences in the dynamic sea level (anomaly relative to the basin-mean) are caused by changes in the large- and mesoscale dynamics of the Black Sea. First, a long-term intensification of the cyclonic wind curl over the Black Sea, observed in 1993–2014, strengthened divergence in the center of the basin and led to the rise of the sea level in coastal and shelf areas and a lowering in the basin's interior. Second, an extension of the Batumi anticyclone to the west resulted in  ∼  1.2 mm yr−1 higher rates of sea level rise in the southeastern part of the sea. Further, we demonstrate that the large-scale dynamic sea level variability in the Black Sea can be successfully reconstructed using the wind curl obtained from an atmospheric reanalysis. This allows for the correction of historical tide gauge records for dynamic effects in order to derive more accurate estimates of the basin-mean sea level change in the past, prior to the satellite altimetry era.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 2296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Elias ◽  
George Benekos ◽  
Theodora Perrou ◽  
Issaak Parcharidis

The rise in sea level is expected to considerably aggravate the impact of coastal hazards in the coming years. Low-lying coastal urban centers, populated deltas, and coastal protected areas are key societal hotspots of coastal vulnerability in terms of relative sea level change. Land deformation on a local scale can significantly affect estimations, so it is necessary to understand the rhythm and spatial distribution of potential land subsidence/uplift in coastal areas. The present study deals with the determination of the relative vertical rates of the land deformation and the sea-surface height by using multi-source Earth observation—synthetic aperture radar (SAR), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), tide gauge, and altimetry data. To this end, the multi-temporal SAR interferometry (MT-InSAR) technique was used in order to exploit the most recent Copernicus Sentinel-1 data. The products were set to a reference frame by using GNSS measurements and were combined with a re-analysis model assimilating satellite altimetry data, obtained by the Copernicus Marine Service. Additional GNSS and tide gauge observations have been used for validation purposes. The proposed methodological approach has been implemented in three pilot cases: the city of Alexandroupolis in the Evros Delta region, the coastal zone of Thermaic Gulf, and the coastal area of Killini, Araxos (Patras Gulf) in the northwestern Peloponnese, which are Greek coastal areas with special characteristics. The present research provides localized relative sea-level estimations for the three case studies. Their variation is high, ranging from values close to zero, i.e., from 5–10 cm and 30 cm in 50 years for urban areas to values of 50–60 cm in 50 years for rural areas, close to the coast. The results of this research work can contribute to the effective management of coastal areas in the framework of adaptation and mitigation strategies attributed to climate change. Scaling up the proposed methodology to a continental level is required in order to overcome the existing lack of proper assessment of the relevant hazard in Europe.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fardin Seifi ◽  
Xiaoli Deng ◽  
Ole Baltazar Andersen

The latest satellite and in situ data are a fundamental source for tidal model evaluations. In this work, the satellite missions TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, Jason-2 and Sentinel-3A, together with tide gauge data, were used to investigate the performance of recent regional and global tidal models over the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Ten models, namely, TPXO8, TPXO9, EOT11a, HAMTIDE, FES2012, FES2014, OSUNA, OSU12, GOT 4.10 and DTU10, were considered. The accuracy of eight major tidal constituents (i.e., K1, O1, P1, Q1, M2, S2, N2 and K2) and one shallow water constituent (M4) were assessed based on the analysis of sea-level observations from coastal tide gauges and altimetry data (TOPEX series). The outcome was compared for four different subregions, namely, the coastline, coastal, shelf and deep ocean zones. Sea-level anomaly data from the Sentinel-3A mission were corrected using the tidal heights predicted by each model. The root mean square values of the sea level anomalies were then compared. According to the results, FES2012 compares more favorably to other models with root mean square (RMS) values of 10.9 cm and 7.7 cm over the coastal and shelf zones, respectively. In the deeper sections, the FES2014 model compares favorably at 7.5 cm. In addition, the impact of sudden fluctuations in bottom topography on model performances suggest that a combination of bathymetric variations and proximity to the coast or islands contributes to tidal height prediction accuracies of the models.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 3747
Author(s):  
Thomas Gruber ◽  
Jonas Ågren ◽  
Detlef Angermann ◽  
Artu Ellmann ◽  
Andreas Engfeldt ◽  
...  

Traditionally, sea level is observed at tide gauge stations, which usually also serve as height reference stations for national leveling networks and therefore define a height system of a country. One of the main deficiencies to use tide gauge data for geodetic sea level research and height systems unification is that only a few stations are connected to the geometric network of a country by operating permanent GNSS receivers next to the tide gauge. As a new observation technique, absolute positioning by SAR using active transponders on ground can fill this gap by systematically observing time series of geometric heights at tide gauge stations. By additionally knowing the tide gauge geoid heights in a global height reference frame, one can finally obtain absolute sea level heights at each tide gauge. With this information the impact of climate change on the sea level can be quantified in an absolute manner and height systems can be connected across the oceans. First results from applying this technique at selected tide gauges at the Baltic coasts are promising but also exhibit some problems related to the new technique. The paper presents the concept of using the new observation type in an integrated sea level observing system and provides some early results for SAR positioning in the Baltic sea area.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimée Slangen ◽  
Roderik van de Wal ◽  
Thomas Reerink ◽  
Renske de Winter ◽  
John Hunter ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenguo Li ◽  
Bernhard Mayer ◽  
Thomas Pohlmann

<p>Tidal range is one of significant contributors of coastal inundation. Therefore, it is very important to investigate the dynamics of tidal range variations over different time scales. The baroclinity has the potential to modulate surface tides through ocean stratification on seasonal scale. In order to better understand the impact of ocean stratification on tidal ranges in the North Sea, the numerical simulations were carried out in baroclinic and barotropic modes covering the period from 1948 to 2014, using the regional 3D hydrodynamic prognostic Hamburg Shelf Ocean Model (HAMSOM). In the barotropic mode, the river forcing was also included, which only increases the local sea level without any influence on the density. The tidal range difference between baroclinic and barotropic modes in winter (less stratification) and summer (strong stratification) are compared at 22 tide-gauge stations, where the simulated sea surface elevations agree well with observations from 1950 to 2014. The statistical analysis generally shows that the difference at 19 stations (86% of total stations) in summer is much larger than that in winter during more than 32 years (50% of the analysis period). This suggests that the stratification decouples the surface and bottom layers weakening the damping effects of bottom friction, which is visible even at the coastal tide-gauge stations, where the ocean water is well-mixed. Obviously, the signal induced by stratification is propagated by the tidal Kelvin wave through the North Sea. Additionally, the spatial distribution of tidal range differences indicate that the amphidromic points in the North Sea moved westward in the baroclinic mode. Regarding the seasonal mean sea level at the stations, the results show that the coastal sea level could be increased by baroclinity itself, since the river runoff freshens the coastal water in the baroclinic mode, and thus the local sea level increases due to steric effect. Consequently, the increased sea level could further weaken the damping effect. However, this is a relatively minor impact on the tidal range.</p>


Author(s):  
David E. SMITH ◽  
Natasha L.M. BARLOW ◽  
Sarah L. BRADLEY ◽  
Callum R. FIRTH ◽  
Adrian M. HALL ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThis paper summarises developments in understanding sea level change during the Quaternary in Scotland since the publication of the Quaternary of Scotland Geological Conservation Review volume in 1993. We present a review of progress in methodology, particularly in the study of sediments in isolation basins and estuaries as well as in techniques in the field and laboratory, which have together disclosed greater detail in the record of relative sea level (RSL) change than was available in 1993. However, progress in determining the record of RSL change varies in different areas. Studies of sediments and stratigraphy offshore on the continental shelf have increased greatly, but the record of RSL change there remains patchy. Studies onshore have resulted in improvements in the knowledge of rock shorelines, including the processes by which they are formed, but much remains to be understood. Studies of Late Devensian and Holocene RSLs around present coasts have improved knowledge of both the extent and age range of the evidence. The record of RSL change on the W and NW coasts has disclosed a much longer dated RSL record than was available before 1993, possibly with evidence of Meltwater Pulse 1A, while studies in estuaries on the E and SW coasts have disclosed widespread and consistent fluctuations in Holocene RSLs. Evidence for the meltwater pulse associated with the Early Holocene discharge of Lakes Agassiz–Ojibway in N America has been found on both E and W coasts. The effects of the impact of storminess, in particular in cliff-top storm deposits, have been widely identified. Further information on the Holocene Storegga Slide tsunami has enabled a better understanding of the event, but evidence for other tsunami events on Scottish coasts remains uncertain. Methodological developments have led to new reconstructions of RSL change for the last 2000 years, utilising state-of-the-art GIA models and alongside coastal biostratigraphy to determine trends to compare with modern tide gauge and documentary evidence. Developments in GIA modelling have provided valuable information on patterns of land uplift during and following deglaciation. The studies undertaken raise a number of research questions which will require addressing in future work.


2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. V. Donner ◽  
R. Ehrcke ◽  
S. M. Barbosa ◽  
J. Wagner ◽  
J. F. Donges ◽  
...  

Abstract. The study of long-term trends in tide gauge data is important for understanding the present and future risk of changes in sea-level variability for coastal zones, particularly with respect to the ongoing debate on climate change impacts. Traditionally, most corresponding analyses have exclusively focused on trends in mean sea-level. However, such studies are not able to provide sufficient information about changes in the full probability distribution (especially in the more extreme quantiles). As an alternative, in this paper we apply quantile regression (QR) for studying changes in arbitrary quantiles of sea-level variability. For this purpose, we chose two different QR approaches and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different settings. In particular, traditional linear QR poses very restrictive assumptions that are often not met in reality. For monthly data from 47 tide gauges from along the Baltic Sea coast, the spatial patterns of quantile trends obtained in linear and nonparametric (spline-based) frameworks display marked differences, which need to be understood in order to fully assess the impact of future changes in sea-level variability on coastal areas. In general, QR demonstrates that the general variability of Baltic sea-level has increased over the last decades. Linear quantile trends estimated for sliding windows in time reveal a wide-spread acceleration of trends in the median, but only localised changes in the rates of changes in the lower and upper quantiles.


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