Occurrence of Freak Waves in near-coast regions of the North Sea and their potential relationship with objective weather types

Author(s):  
Jens Möller ◽  
Ina Teutsch ◽  
Ralf Weisse

<p>Rogue waves are a potential threat for both shipping and offshore structures like wind power stations or oil platforms. While individual Rogue waves are short-lived and almost unpredictable, there is a chance to predict the probability of the occurrence of freak waves in conjunction with different weather types. The German Ministry of Transport and digital Infrastructure has tasked its Network of Experts to investigate the possible evolutions of extreme threats for shipping and offshore wind energy plants in the German Bight, the south-eastern part of the North Sea near the German coast.</p><p>In this study, we present an analysis from the co-occurrence of freak waves with different weather types in the German Bight in the past (from observations). In addition, we investigate potential changes of the occurrence of freak waves in the future due to a changing climate and changing appearance of the relevant weather types (by use of a coupled Regional Ocean-Atmosphere Climate Model, MPI-OM).</p><p>The investigation indicates a connection between the probability of the occurrence of freak waves at different stations and certain weather types. Potentially, this relationship could be used for warning crews of ships or offshore constructions. In a coupled Regional Ocean-Atmosphere Climate Model (MPI-OM) under scenario RCP8.5 we detect an increase of just such weather types, which are correlated with high waves, for the future.</p>

1997 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 375-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Radach ◽  
K. Heyer

2017 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Gronholz ◽  
Ulf Gräwe ◽  
André Paul ◽  
Michael Schulz

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1525-1557
Author(s):  
K. O'Driscoll ◽  
B. Mayer ◽  
J. Su ◽  
M. Mathis

Abstract. The fate and cycling of two selected legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs), PCB 153 and γ-HCH, in the North Sea in the 21st century have been modelled with combined hydrodynamic and fate and transport ocean models. To investigate the impact of climate variability on POPs in the North Sea in the 21st century, future scenario model runs for three 10 yr periods to the year 2100 using plausible levels of both in situ concentrations and atmospheric, river and open boundary inputs are performed. Since estimates of future concentration levels of POPs in the atmosphere, oceans and rivers are not available, our approach was to reutilise 2005 values in the atmosphere, rivers and at the open ocean boundaries for every year of the simulations. In this way, we attribute differences between the three 10 yr simulations to climate change only. For the HAMSOM and atmospheric forcing, results of the IPCC A1B (SRES) 21st century scenario are utilised, where surface forcing is provided by the REMO downscaling of the ECHAM5 global atmospheric model, and open boundary conditions are provided by the MPIOM global ocean model. Dry gas deposition and volatilisation of γ-HCH increase in the future relative to the present. In the water column, total mass of γ-HCH and PCB 153 remain fairly steady in all three runs. In sediment, γ-HCH increases in the future runs, relative to the present, while PCB 153 in sediment decreases exponentially in all three runs, but even faster in the future, both of which are the result of climate change. Annual net sinks exceed sources at the ends of all periods.


1991 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 77-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Klamer ◽  
R. W. P. M. Laane ◽  
J. M. Marquenie

From literature data it is calculated that on an annual basis, 11 to 17 tonnes of PCBs enter the North Sea. Largest sources are the Atlantic Ocean and the atmosphere: together they account for 60-79% of the total input. Sources with greatest impact are the rivers, sewers and sludge. Highest concentrations are found close to the Dutch shore and in the German Bight. The PCB levels result in adverse effects on the seal population in the Wadden Sea. Of the total world PCB production, at least 57% is still in use and their future dispersal into the oceans cannot easily be controlled. If the increase in ocean PCB concentration continues, it may ultimately result in the extinction of fish-eating marine mammals.


Ocean Science ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sterl ◽  
H. van den Brink ◽  
H. de Vries ◽  
R. Haarsma ◽  
E. van Meijgaard

Abstract. The height of storm surges is extremely important for a low-lying country like The Netherlands. By law, part of the coastal defence system has to withstand a water level that on average occurs only once every 10 000 years. The question then arises whether and how climate change affects the heights of extreme storm surges. Published research points to only small changes. However, due to the limited amount of data available results are usually limited to relatively frequent extremes like the annual 99%-ile. We here report on results from a 17-member ensemble of North Sea water levels spaning the period 1950–2100. It was created by forcing a surge model of the North Sea with meteorological output from a state-of-the-art global climate model which has been driven by greenhouse gas emissions following the SRES A1b scenario. The large ensemble size enables us to calculate 10 000 year return water levels with a low statistical uncertainty. In the one model used in this study, we find no statistically significant change in the 10 000 year return values of surge heights along the Dutch during the 21st century. Also a higher sea level resulting from global warming does not impact the height of the storm surges. As a side effect of our simulations we also obtain results on the interplay between surge and tide.


2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Slunyaev ◽  
E. Pelinovsky ◽  
C. Guedes Soares

2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Hoppenrath ◽  
Bank Beszteri ◽  
Gerhard Drebes ◽  
Hannelore Halliger ◽  
Justus E. E. Van Beusekom ◽  
...  

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