Influences of Wave Climate and Sea Level on Shoreline Erosion Rates in the Maryland Chesapeake Bay

We investigated spatial correlations between wave forcing, sea level fluctuations, and shoreline erosion in the Maryland Chesapeake Bay (CB), in an attempt to identify the most important relationships and their spatial patterns. We implemented the Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) model and a parametric wave model from the USEPA Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) to simulate wave climate in CB from 1985 to 2005. Calibrated sea level simulations from the CBP hydrodynamic model over the same time period were also acquired. The separate and joint statistics of waves and sea level were investigated for the entire CB. Spatial patterns of sea level during the high wave events most important for erosion were dominated by local north-south winds in the upper Bay and by remote coastal forcing in the lower Bay. We combined wave and sea level data sets with estimates of historical shoreline erosion rates and shoreline characteristics compiled by the State of Maryland at two different spatial resolutions to explore the factors affecting erosion. The results show that wave power is the most significant influence on erosion in the Maryland CB, but that many other local factors are also implicated. Marshy shorelines show a more homogeneous, approximately linear relationship between wave power and erosion rates, whereas bank shorelines are more complex. Marshy shorelines appear to erode faster than bank shorelines, for the same wave power and bank height. A new expression for the rate of shoreline erosion is proposed, building on previous work. The proposed new relationship expresses the mass rate of shoreline erosion as a locally linear function of the difference between applied wave power and a threshold wave power, multiplied by a structure function that depends on the ratio of water depth to bank height.     

Permo-Triassic tectonic evolution and metallogenesis of the Rockhampton—Maryborough area, Queensland — A photogeological investigation

Structural analysis of remotely sensed data provides a method of assessing the tectonic significance of regional metallogenic lineaments in the New England Orogen of southeastern Queensland. Photogeological analysis of Landsat imagery and small-scale aerial photography reveals a pattern of WNW—NNW-oriented structures, which were apparently generated in response to Mesozoic crustal extension and reactivated during Early Tertiary block faulting. These structures tend to overprint arcuate late Palaeozoic to early Mesozoic trends and batholith belts, and exert a control over Middle to Late Triassic rifting and epizonal plutonism. The distribution of epigenetic base and precious metal deposits in the Rockhampton—Maryborough area is locally but not regionally related to identifiable structural lineaments.     

Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Estuarine Shoreline Change in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System,North Carolina,USA

Many shoreline studies rely on historical change rates determined from aerial imagery decades to over 50 years apart to predict shoreline position and determine setback distances for coastal structures. These studies may not illustrate the coastal impacts of short-duration but potentially high-impact storm events. In this study, shoreline change rates (SCRs) are quantified at five different sites ranging from marsh to sediment bank shorelines around the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system (APES) for a series of historical (decadal to 50-year) and short-term (bimonthly) time periods as well as for individual storm events. Long-term (historical) SCRs of approximately ?0.5 ± 0.07 m year^?1 are observed, consistent with previous work along estuarine shorelines in North Carolina. Short-term SCRs are highly variable, both spatially and temporally, and ranged from 15.8 ± 7.5 to ?19.3 ± 11.5 m year^?1 at one of the study sites. The influence of wave climate on the spatial and temporal variability of short-term erosion rates is investigated using meteorological observations and coupled hydrodynamic (Delft3D) and wave (SWAN) models. The models are applied to simulate hourly variability in the surface waves and water levels. The results indicate that in the fetch-limited APES, wind direction strongly influences the wave climate at the study sites. The wave height also has an influence on short-term SCRs as determined from the wave simulations for individual meteorological events, but no statistical correlation is found for wave height and SCRs over the long term. Despite the significantly higher rates of shoreline erosion over short time periods and from individual events like hurricanes, the cumulative impact over long time periods is low. Therefore, while the short-term response of these shorelines to episodic forcing should be taken into account in management plans, the long-term trends commonly used in ocean shoreline management can also be used to determine erosion setbacks on estuarine shorelines.     

Nature and stability of atoll island shorelines: Gilbert Island chain,Kiribati, equatorial Pacific

Islands rimming Pacific atolls typically form narrow, low‐lying lands that are commonly perceived to be particularly vulnerable to global changes such as sea‐level rise. As these, low islands form the only habitable land for many island nations, understanding the character of shorelines, and the rates and controls that operate to bring about changes, is an issue of central importance. The purpose of this study is to unravel the characteristics of coastal change on atoll islands of the Gilbert Island chain of the equatorial Pacific nation of Kiribati, especially as they relate to autogenic shoreline processes and El Niño/Southern Oscillation variability. Integration of field observations, differential global positioning system data, historical aerial photographs and ultra‐high resolution remote sensing images demonstrates the nature, spatial patterns and rates of change from 17 islands on Maiana and Aranuka atolls. The results illustrate that, between 2005 and 2009, ca 50% of the shorelines on these islands displayed a discernable shift in position; some shorelines were accretionary (at net rates up to ca 8 m year^?1) and others were erosional (up to ca 18 m year^?1). Long‐term net rates of change on Maiana between 1969 and 2009 were lower than short‐term net rates measured between 2005 and 2009. Both short‐term and long‐term observations illustrate some of the greatest change occur near terminations of the largest, north–south oriented islands, associated with longshore movement of coarse sand and gravel. Direct hits by tropical depressions and marked seasonality, factors interpreted as being essential in island growth and shoreline dynamics elsewhere, do not directly impact these equatorial atolls and can be eliminated as fundamental controls on shoreline dynamics. Similarly, observations over four years suggested that shoreline variability probably is not influenced directly by marked sea‐level change, although a recent increase in the rates of shoreline change could reflect instability related to the cumulative effect of a long‐term increase in the rate of sea‐level rise. Within this framework of global change, local anthropogenic effects, autogenic shoreline processes and El Niño/Southern Oscillation‐influenced wind and wave variability control many aspects of these dynamic shorelines. These results provide quantitative insights into the character and variability of rates of shoreline change, information essential for evaluating and mitigating the vulnerability of island nations such as Kiribati.     

Land Use and Salinity Drive Changes in SAV Abundance and Community Composition

Conserving and restoring submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) are key management goals for estuaries worldwide because SAV integrates many aspects of water quality and provides a wide range of ecosystem services. Management strategies are typically focused on aggregated abundance of several SAV species, because species cannot be easily distinguished in remotely sensed data. Human land use and shoreline alteration have been shown to negatively impact SAV abundance, but the effects have varied with study, spatial scale, and location. The differences in reported effects may be partly due to the focus on abundance, which overlooks within-community and among-community dynamics that generate total SAV abundance. We analyzed long-term SAV aerial survey data (1984–2009) and ground observations of community composition (1984–2012) in subestuaries of Chesapeake Bay to integrate variations in abundance with differences in community composition. We identified five communities (mixed freshwater, milfoil-Zannichellia, mixed mesohaline, Zannichellia, and Ruppia-Zostera). Temporal variations in SAV abundance were more strongly related to community identity than to terrestrial stressors, and responses to stressors differed among communities and among species. In one fifth of the subestuaries, the community identity changed during the study, and the probability of such a change was positively related to the prevalence of riprapped shoreline in the subestuary. Mixed freshwater communities had the highest rates of recovery, and this may have been driven by Hydrilla verticillata, which was the single best predictor of SAV recovery rate. Additional species-specific and community-specific research will likely yield better understanding of the factors affecting community identity and SAV abundance, more accurate predictive models, and more effective management strategies.     

Geospatial analysis of surface hydrological parameters for Kyushu Island,Japan

Defining the surface hydrological parameters represents a crucial factor for the sustainable development purposes. In areas with heavy precipitation and rugged topography, these parameters control the occurrence of some natural hazards, from which the flash flood gets the most attention. Traditional methods for the assessment of the surface hydrological parameters are costly, time-consuming and provide information for limited geographic extent. On the other hand, remotely sensed data provide a cost-effective, rapid and wide aerial coverage with adequate accuracy. Geospatial analysis of these remotely sensed data provides a suitable and effective method for the reconnaissance determination of the surface hydrological parameters. In this work, digital elevation models, Landsat 8 satellite images as well as digital maps of soil and land use for Kyushu Island were acquired and analyzed using geographic information system. Surface hydrological parameters were determined in terms of watershed boundaries, soil moisture, initial abstraction as well as flash flood potentiality. Results of this research show a great correlation with historical flash flood events that occurred in the island. The northern parts of the island are subjected to the threat of flash floods. A follow-up is recommended in some areas on the island. As a conclusion, the geospatial analysis performs an accurate reconnaissance method for hydrological analysis at regional scale, which in turn guides the detailed field observation saving time and cost.

     

Pigment analysis and spectral assessment of spruce trees undergoing forest decline in the NE United States and Germany

Measurement of photosynthetic pigments as ground truth for remotely sensed spectra of boreal communities was tested. Chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations and ratios were obtained from needles of spruce trees which were healthy as well as those undergoing forest decline (Waldsterben) in Vermont (USA) and Baden-Württemberg (FR Germany). In needles of trees exhibiting forest decline symptoms, chlorophyll pigment concentrations were lower, chlorophyll b levels decreased relative to chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll (a + b) was less relative to total carotenoid, and percent of reflectance in the visible range was higher. Pigment and reflectance data differentiated between needles from healthy and declining sites. These results were compared to remotely sensed spectral data obtained by aircraft and satelitee. As a result of these initial comparisons, it appears that using photosynthetic pigments as ground truth for remotely sensed spectral data may be of value in developing techniques for differentiating undamaged and damaged tree canopies on a large spatial scale. Finally, similar pigment and reflectance properties characterized healthy and declining communities in both Vermont and Baden-Württemberg.     

Shoreline variability of an urban beach fronted by a beachrock reef from video imagery

This contribution presents the results of a study on the shoreline variability of a natural perched urban beach (Ammoudara, N. Crete, Greece). Shoreline variability was monitored in high spatio-temporal resolution using time series of coastal video images and a novel, fully automated 2-D shoreline detection algorithm. Ten-month video monitoring showed that cross-shore shoreline change was, in some areas, up to 8 m with adjacent sections of the shoreline showing contrasting patterns of beach loss or gain. Variability increased in spring/early summer and stabilized until the end of the summer when partial beach recovery commenced. Correlation of the patterns of beach change with wave forcing (as recorded at an offshore wave buoy) is not straightforward; the only discernible association was that particularly energetic waves from the northern sector can trigger changes in the patterns of shoreline variability and that increased variability might be sustained by increases in offshore wave steepness. It was also found that the fronting beachrock reef exerts significant geological control on beach hydrodynamics. Hydrodynamic modelling and observations during an energetic event showed that the reef can filter wave energy in a highly differential manner, depending on its local architecture. In some areas, the reef allows only low-energy waves to impinge on the shoreline, whereas elsewhere penetration of higher waves is facilitated by the low elevation and limited width of the reef or by the presence of an inlet. Wave/reef interaction can also generate complex circulation patterns, including rip currents that appeared to be also constrained by the reef architecture.     

Hurricane Overwash and Decadal-Scale Evolution of a Narrowing Barrier Island,Ocracoke Island,NC

Barrier islands are found around the world and are important environmentally and economically. With accelerated sea level rise and relentless storms, their evolution is complex but important to understand, especially from a coastal planning and managing perspective. In this study, shoreline change estimates from aerial photography (1949, 1974, 2006), sedimentological and stratigraphic investigation, and analysis of geomorphic character were used to evaluate the hurricane response and decadal evolution of Ocracoke Island, NC. Between 1949 and 2006, the majority (>?65% of transects) of the entire island eroded at an average rate of ??0.54 m/year. Cross-island width decreased by as much as 40% (180 m) over the period. Hurricane Isabel (2003) represented up to 23% of the long-term net change in some regions of the island. The rate of narrowing of Ocracoke Island appears to have increased in the last half century and is due to a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors. Isabel overwashed a total of 9% of the island based on aerial photographic analysis with an average deposit thickness of 0.24 m based on trench investigation. Assessment with the Storm Impact Scale showed a direct relationship between overwash and the pre-existing dune conditions, which had been affected by long-term erosion. Sedimentological signatures interpreted from cores show up to four distinct stacked overwash deposits, potentially dating back as far as 1944. This multi-pronged analysis shows the complexity of barrier island evolution and highlights the necessity to examine and model a system response in four dimensions (i.e., spatially and with time).     

水平和垂直尺度乔、灌、草覆盖度遥感提取研究进展

植被覆盖及其变化是区域生态系统环境变化的重要指示,而植被覆盖度是植物群落覆盖地表状况的一个综合量化指标,是生态模型、碳循环、水循环模型等的重要特征参量。传统的植被覆盖度是指一定尺度下所有植被(乔、灌、草)覆盖的综合反映值,当考虑植被垂直方向的异质性,垂直尺度的乔、灌、草覆盖度提取为定量化准确衡量生态环境、全球气候变化等领域提供更具有生态意义的植被参量。目前,遥感大面积估算水平尺度乔、灌、草覆盖度已有比较成熟和可靠的算法,主要方法有：植被指数法、回归分析法、分类决策树法、神经网络法、像元分解模型法、物理模型反演法等,其估算精度基本能达到应用要求。植被垂直方向的异质性给垂直尺度乔、灌、草覆盖度遥感提取带来较大挑战,垂直尺度上的乔、灌、草覆盖度遥感提取的研究在欧美等国已经有了一定规模的开展,在国内则处于起步阶段。遥感提取垂直尺度乔、灌、草覆盖度的主要手段有：激光雷达（LIDAR）、多角度遥感以及两层结构冠层反射模型反演。综述了水平尺度和垂直尺度上乔、灌、草覆盖度遥感提取的最新进展,比较和分析主要的遥感提取方法、模型和现存的一些问题,并对未来的研究发展趋势进行了展望。     

核概率距离聚类方法及应用

研究聚类分析新方法一直是统计学和机器学习研究领域普遍关注的课题。针对概率距离聚类算法不能解决非线性可分聚类问题的缺欠,笔者应用核函数理论将该模型拓展成为一种能够解决非线性可分聚类问题的统计模型,称为核概率距离聚类分析模型。研制出一种应用新模型进行遥感图像非监督分类研究的实施策略和可行算法;在GDAL遥感图像数据输入输出函数库基础上,用VC++语言开发了遥感图像核概率距离聚类分析算法程序;用ERDAS软件提供的一幅7波段491像素×440像素大小的TM图像进行新方法分类应用实验研究。对比了新模型和其原版本的TM遥感图像非监督分类效果,结果表明新模型的非监督分类效果优于原有的分类模型。     

遥感图像像素级异常识别的一种方法

遥感图像异常识别是遥感应用领域一个颇受关注的研究课题,在军事目标识别和自然环境保护等许多领域都有潜在应用价值。不妨假设遥感图像背景像素分布于随空间位置缓慢变化的一系列高斯超椭球体内,异常像素则分布于超椭球体之外。在这种假设前提下,首先应用Weiszfeld方法估算遥感图像中一系列高斯超椭球体的重心和波段协方差矩阵;然后,计算各像素到对应的超椭球体重心的马氏距离,并用直方图法确定马氏距离的异常下限;最后,把马氏距离高于异常下限的像素作为异常像素识别出来。在GDAL遥感图像数据输入输出函数库基础上,用VC++语言开发了遥感图像像素级异常识别的算法程序;用美国亚特兰大TM图像进行了方法的应用实验研究。结果表明,该方法对遥感图像中的局部异常具有很好的识别效果。     

Shoreline change rate estimation and its forecast: remote sensing,geographical information system and statistics-based approach

The present study indicates that coastal geomorphology is controlled by the natural processes and anthropogenic activities. The changes in shoreline positions of Udupi coast, western India, are investigated for a period of 98 years using multi-dated satellite images and topographic maps. The study area has been divided into four littoral cells and each cell into a number of transects at uniform intervals. Further, past shoreline positions have been demarcated and future positions are estimated for 12 and 22 years. The shoreline change rate has been estimated using statistical methods—end point rate, average of rates and linear regression—and cross-validated with correlation coefficient and root-mean-square error (RMSE) methods. Resultant changes from natural processes and human interventions have been inferred from the estimated values of the back-calculated errors. About 53 % of transects exhibit ±10 m RMSE values, indicating better agreement between the estimated and satellite-based shoreline positions, and the transects closer to the cell boundaries exhibit ~57 % uncertainties in shoreline change rate estimations. Based on the values of correlation coefficient and RMSE, the influence of natural processes and human interventions on shoreline changes have been calculated. The cells/transects dominated by natural processes record low RMSE values, whereas those influenced by human interventions show lower correlation coefficient and higher RMSE values. The present study manifests that the results of this study can be very useful in quantifying shoreline changes and in prediction of shoreline positions.     

Monitoring shoreline change on Djerba Island using GIS and multi-temporal satellite data

In the absence of a generic approach to study shoreline changes, this research focus on the development of a generic methodology to detect, measure, analyze, and predict shoreline changes to manage coastal environment. The unique strength of this approach is that it incorporates image processing techniques, remotely sensed derived data into a GIS to analyze measure, and predict and visualize shoreline changes. It is independent from the study region or the remote sensing data. This methodology uses Speeded Up Robust Feature to detect the study regions from satellite images automatically. Also, it proposes a model of shoreline using the Canny edge detector on Normalized Difference Water Index image. To measure the changes, Digital Shoreline Analysis System extension of ArcGIS was used and the End Point Rate (EPR) and Linear Regression Rate (LRR) approaches were used on the modeled shoreline. The EPR is calculated by dividing the distance of shoreline movement by the time elapsed between the oldest and the most recent shoreline. A LRR statistic can be determined by fitting a least-squares regression line to all shoreline points for a particular transect. Three regions of the island of Djerba in Tunisia were selected for this study; Rass Errmall, El Kastil, and Aghir. Accretions as well as erosion processes were observed in the study areas between 1984 and 2009. The average of the erosion was around ?6.95 m/year in Aghir. The average of erosion is around ?4.09 m/year and accretion trend is around +11.7 m/year in Rass Errmall. El Kastil was under a remarkable accretion with 21.14 m/year during the same period.     

Overwash vulnerability assessment based on long-term washover evolution

An integrated methodology for evaluation of overwash vulnerability is developed with respect to the historical washover evolution of a barrier island system. Three different aspects of overwash are addressed in the vulnerability indices developed: overwashed shoreline ratio, maximum overwash intrusion recurrence, and complete barrier overwash. The indices were applied to the barriers in the Ria Formosa system in Southern Portugal using an aerial photography catalogue covering the period 1947–2001. Historical trends of washover evolution were observed to be different between the barriers analysed, but generally, there was a decrease in washover number and dimensions throughout the analysed period. The final overwash diagnostic obtained allowed an integrated overwash vulnerability rating to be defined for each barrier, with vulnerabilities ranging from low to extreme. The methodology has produced results that may assist coastal managers with information concerning barrier island system overwash hazard, define the temporal and geographical distributions of overwash, and provide indications as to where overwash is most likely to occur in the future.     

Geostatistical analysis of soil moisture measurements and remotely sensed data at different spatial scales

The European remote sensing satellite (ERS-2) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data was used for temporal monitoring of soil moisture at Sukhothai, Thailand. Higher correlations were found between the observed soil moisture and the radar backscattering coefficient. The soil moisture distribution shows great variation in space and time due to its stochastic nature. In order to obtain a better understanding of the nature and causes of spatial variation of soil moisture, the extensive soil moisture measurements observed in Thailand and also remotely sensed ERS-2 SAR data were used for geostatistical analysis. The observed soil moisture shows seasonal variations with mean varying from 3.33 %v/v (dry season) to 33.44 %v/v (wet season). The spatial geostatistical structure also shows clear seasonal variations in the geostatistical characteristics such as range and sill. The sills vary from 1.00 (%v/v)² for the driest day to 107.57 (%v/v)² for one of the wet days. The range or the correlation lengths varies between 46.5 and 149.8 m for the wettest and driest periods. The nugget effect does not show strong seasonal pattern or trend but the dry periods usually have a smaller nugget effect than the wet periods. The spherical variogram model fits the sample variograms very well in the case of soil moisture observations while the exponential model fits those of the remotely sensed data. The ranges observed from the observed soil moisture data and remotely sensed data at the same resolution are very similar. Resolution degradation affects the geostatistical structure of the data by reducing the sills, and increasing the ranges.     

Impacts of wave energy and littoral currents on shoreline erosion/accretion along the south-west coast of Kanyakumari,Tamil Nadu using DSAS and geospatial technology

The present study investigates the impact of wave energy and littoral current on shorelines along the south-west coast of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India. The multi-temporal Landsat TM, ETM+ images acquired from 1999 to 2011 were used to demarcate the rate of shoreline shift using GIS-based Digital Shoreline Analysis System. The statistical analysis such as net shoreline movement and end point rate were determined from the multi-temporal shoreline layers. Moreover, the wave energy and seasonal littoral current velocity were calculated for each coastal zone using mathematical equations. The results reveal that the coastal zones, which include Kanyakumari, Kovalam, Manavalakurichi and Thengapattinam coasts, consisting of maximum wave energy along with high velocity of littoral current, have faced continuous erosion processes. The estimated wave energy along these zones ranges from 6.5 to 8.5 kJ/km² and the observed current velocity varies from 0.22 to 0.32 m/s during south-west and north-east monsoons. The cumulative effect of these coastal processes in the study area leads to severe erosion that is estimated as 300.63, 69.92, 54.12 and 66.11 m, respectively. However, the coastal zones, namely Rajakkamangalam, Ganapathipuram, Muttam and Colachel, have experienced sediment deposits due to current movement during the north-east monsoon. However, the trend changes during the south-west monsoon as a result of sediment drift through backwash. The spatial variation of shoreline and its impact on wave energy and the littoral current have been mapped using the geo-spatial technology. This study envisages the impact of coastal processes on site-specific shorelines. Hence, the study will be effective for sustainable coastal zone management.     

基于地面观测的遥感监测蒸散量验证方法研究

为了保证遥感监测蒸散量的准确性,需建立一套较完整的遥感监测蒸散量地面验证方法对其进行验证.通过由大孔径闪烁仪、涡动相关仪和自动气象站等组成的蒸散量观测系统可以获取不同卫星像元尺度蒸散量的地面观测值.自2002年以来,由海河流域的密云、馆陶、大兴及小汤山等站构建了一个不同卫星像元尺度蒸散量的观测站网,经过严格的观测数据处理与质量控制,获取了一大批卫星像元尺度蒸散量及其配套参数的地面观测值.同时,建立了一套基于地面观测的遥感监测蒸散量验证流程,重点对验证像元的选取以及评价指标的构建等进行探讨.依据上述验证流程,在海河流域的北京地区开展了遥感监测蒸散量的地面验证工作.利用2008年密云站和大兴站的大孔径闪烁仪观测数据,对基于MODIS数据估算的北京地区区域蒸散量进行验证.结果表明:这套基于大孔径闪烁仪观测数据的遥感监测蒸散量验证方法是合理、可行的.其中2008年北京地区遥感监测月、日蒸散量的均方差分别为13.75和0.91 mm,平均相对误差分别为22.79%、18.61%.     

Landsystem analysis of a tropical moraine-dammed supraglacial lake,Llaca Lake,Cordillera Blanca,Perú

Tropical glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca, Perú are rapidly thinning and retreating as a result of climate warming. The retreat of these glaciers along narrow linear bedrock valleys has increased the number and size of moraine-dammed glacial lakes formed in the valleys. This study aims to identify the geomorphological and sedimentological characteristics of an enlarging moraine-dammed supraglacial lake (Llaca Lake) in the Cordillera Blanca. Field-based sedimentological observations and geomorphological mapping were combined with remotely sensed data and a photogrammetric model derived from aerial surveys by an uncrewed aerial vehicle to identify landform-sediment assemblages. The geomorphological and sedimentological characteristics of Llaca Lake are synthesized into three landsystem zones: Zone 1: distal portions of Llaca Lake and the latero-frontal moraine; Zone 2: the central zone of ice-cored hummocks; and Zone 3: the active glacier margin. These zones are differentiated based on the spatial distribution of landforms, sediments, and active geomorphological processes. This is the first study to describe the landform-sediment assemblages in a tropical moraine-dammed supraglacial lake system and provides a framework for further landsystem element analysis of these growing supraglacial lakes in rapidly deglaciating high-altitude environments.