Observations of Tsunami Impact on the Coast of Kerala, India

The tsunami generated by the December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake had a devastating effect on some parts of Kerala coast, which is a coast located in southwest India. Results of post-tsunami field surveys carried out to understand the changes in coastal morphology and sediment characteristics in the worst affected Kayamkulam region of Kerala coast are documented in this study. Analysis of offshore bathymetric data indicates the shifting of depth contours towards shore, indicating erosion of sediments and deepening of innershelf due to the tsunami. Depth measurement along the backwater (T-S canal) in the hinterland region indicates siltation due to the inundation of the canal.     

Tsunami Inundation Modelling for the Coast of Kerala,India

The disastrous tsunami of December 26, 2004, exposed the urgent need for implementing a tsunami warning system. One of the essential requirements of a tsunami warning system is the set up of tsunami inundation models which can predict inundation and run-up along a coastline for a given set of seismic parameters. The Tsunami Warning Centre and the State/District level Disaster Management Centres should have tsunami inundations maps for different scenarios of tsunami generation. In the event of a tsunamigenic earthquake, appropriate decisions on issue of warnings and/or evacuation of coastal population are made by referring to such maps. The nature of tsunami inundation and run-up along the Kerala coast for the 2004 Sumatra and 1945 Makran, and a hypothetical worst-case scenario are simulated using the TUNAMI N2 model and the results are presented in this paper. Further, scenarios of tsunami inundation arising out of possible rise in sea level as projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2001) are also simulated and analysed in the paper. For the study, three representative sectors of the Kerala coast including the Neendakara-Kayamkulam coast, which was the worst hit by the 2004 tsunami, are chosen. The results show that the southern locations and certain locations of central Kerala coast are more vulnerable for Sumatra when compared to Makran 1945 tsunami. From the results of numerical modelling for future scenarios it can be concluded that sea level rise can definitely make pronounced increase in inundation in some of the stretches where the backshore elevation is comparatively low.     

Analysis of the Tsunami of December 26, 2004, on the Kerala Coast of India—Part I: Amplitudes

The Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, not only affected the Bay of Bengal coast of India but also part of the Arabian Sea coast of India. In particular, the tsunami caused loss of life and heavy damage on some parts of the Kerala coast in southwest India. The tsunami traveled west, south of Sri Lanka, and some of the tsunami energy was diffracted around Sri Lanka and the southern tip of India and moved northward into the Arabian Sea. However, tsunami, being a long gravity wave with a wave length of a few hundred kilometers, has to take a wide turn. In that process, it missed the very southern part of the Kerala coast and did not achieve large amplitudes there. However, further north, the tsunami achieved amplitudes of upto 5 m and caused loss of life and significant damage. Here we identify the physical oceanographic processes that were responsible for selective amplification of the tsunami in certain locations.     

Analysis of the Tsunami of December 26, 2004, on the Kerala Coast of India—Part II: Arrival Times

The Tsunami of December 26, 2004, in the Indian Ocean arrived on the coast of Kerala in southwest India some three hours after the tsunami was generated. The tsunami activity persisted throughout that day and, in some locations, even into the early morning of the next day. Based on interviews with eye witnesses, arrival times of tsunami waves are presented here followed by some preliminary analysis of the results.     

Short-Term Morphological and Shoreline Changes at Trinkat Island,Andaman and Nicobar,India, After the 2004 Tsunami

The tsunami waves generated during the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake of 26 December 2004 devastated the coastal area along Trinkat Island, causing sudden changes to the morphology of the landforms. This study uses a series of satellite images to record the short-term morphological response and shoreline changes as well as the recovery of coastal land after its destruction. Results indicate that the island experienced substantial erosion and a significant reduction in land area. Shoreline erosion is more prevalent than accretion at an average linear regression rate of ～?9 m per year between 2004 and 2013. The major morphological changes at Trinkat Island were observed in coastal inlets, beaches, and bay head-lands. Straight beaches had almost recovered eight years after the tsunami; however, erosion is continually observed in other areas. Our study will help understanding the response and recovery of shorelines in Indian Ocean regions after the 2004 tsunami.     

Nearshore sediment characteristics and formation of mudbanks along the Kerala coast,southwest India

In order to gain insight into the formation dynamics of mudbanks off the Kerala coast of India, extensive surveying of the nearshore bathymetry along with sediment characterization was undertaken. The textural and geotechnical properties of the surficial sediments of a mudbank were determined during pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon periods. The mudbank sediments were clayey silts with high water and organic carbon contents, high Atterberg limits, and low bulk density, and therefore very susceptible to entrainment. During the monsoon, the mudbank regime was characterised by enhanced turbidity and a benthic fluff layer, triggered by the increasing swell of the early monsoon period. Re-suspension exposed a more consolidated, previously sub-bottom, layer which exhibited lower water content and greater shear strength than the pre-monsoon seabed. Texturally, the monsoon seabed was similar to the pre-monsoon seabed, with the same modal grain size, but the proportions of sand and coarse silt increased nearshore, while the proportions of fine and very fine silt increased offshore. There was a seaward-fining textural gradient at all times, but this became pronounced during the monsoon period. Paradoxically, the monsoonal seabed displayed greatly reduced wet bulk density. It is hypothesized that this was due to the presence of gas, probably methane, in the sediments (while the pre-monsoon sediments were fully saturated, the monsoon sediments were only 83% saturated). We speculate that the gas was forced into the surficial sediments either by wave pumping (at the onset of the monsoon) or by seaward-flowing subbottom freshwater (derived from monsoonal rains). With the waning of the monsoon, the benthic fluid mud layer rapidly disappeared and the seabed returned to its pre-monsoon state as suspended sediments were redeposited. The mudbank regime is therefore essentially an in situ phenomenon. It is suggested that the mudbanks are palimpsest, marshy, lagoonal deposits, rich in organic matter and derived gas, that were submerged after a marine transgression. The surficial sediment is annually entrained during the monsoon, but erosion is limited by the formation of the benthic fluid mud layer, which attenuates wave generated turbulence. Although some fine sediment disperses alongshore and offshore, most is returned to the seabed as the monsoon declines.     

Potential Usage of Remote Sensing Data in Studying the Behaviour of Shore Drift Along Kerala Coast, India

Landsat images were analysed to examine direction, amount and behaviour of long-shore drift and its contribution towards deciding areas vulnerable to coastal erosion and accretion along the coast of Kerala. Two approaches are adopted while utilizing the remote sensing data. Net shore-drift direction is determined firstly by studying various coastal landform indicators and secondly by studying offshore turbidity distribution patterns. Landform indicators study suggest that during the south-west monsoon period, strong southerly currents are eroding protruded sectors and depositing eroded material, though partially, along varying sectors. Whereas during the rest of the year, under the influence of a northerly current, accretion is taking place along retreating sectors which has been reflected in the development of beach ridges. Turbidity pattern distribution exhibited by satellite image suggests that for January and February, long-shore drift is from south to north. The results of the two studies were found to be comparable. It may be concluded that shore-drift direction, which can be determined effectively by remote sensing, is season-dependent and plays a significant role in deciding the areas of coastal erosion and accretion.     

Grain Size Analysis and Depositional Environment Condition along the Beaches between Ovari and Kanyakumari,Southern Tamilnadu Coast,India

Textural analysis is the epicenter of any sedimentological research. Granulometric analyses of unconsolidated sediments are used as an index to decipher the depositional environment. The granulometric analysis display a significant fluctuation in mean size, sorting, skewness, and kurtosis due to the variation in wave energy and the extent of turbulence affecting the beach environment during the crosshore and alongshore movement of sediments. The present study is to document the variation in grain size distribution within foreshore sediments, i.e., between the high water line and the plunge point wherein the sediments are deposited under different wave energy conditions.     

Tsunami hazard and mitigation analysis for bathing beaches in China based on numerical simulations

Bathing beaches are usually the first to suffer disasters when tsunamis occur, owing to their proximity to the sea. Several large seismic fault zones are located off the coast of China. The impact of each tsunami scenario on Chinese bathing beaches is different. In this study, numerical models of the worst tsunami scenarios associated with seismic fault zones were considered to assess the tsunami hazard of bathing beaches in China. Numerical results show that tsunami waves from the Pacific Ocean could affect the East China Sea coast through gaps between the Ryukyu Islands. The Zhejiang and Shanghai coasts would be threatened by a tsunami from Ryukyu Trench, and the coasts of Hainan and Guangdong provinces would be threatened by a tsunami from the Manila Trench. The tsunami hazard associated with the Philippine Trench scenario needs particular attention. Owing to China’s offshore topography, the sequential order of tsunami arrival times to coastal provinces in several tsunami scenarios is almost the same. According to the tsunami hazard analysis results, Yalongwan Beach and eight other bathing beaches are at the highest hazard level. A high-resolution numerical calculation model was established to analyze the tsunami physical characteristics for the high-risk bathing beaches. To explore mitigating effects of a tsunami disaster, this study simulated tsunami propagation with the addition of seawalls. The experimental results show that the tsunami prevention seawalls constructed in an appropriate shallow water location have some effect on reducing tsunami hazard. Seawalls separated by a certain distance work even better. The analysis results can provide a scientific reference for subsequent preventive measures such as facility construction and evacuation.     

Influence of Dams on Downstream Beaches: Eressos,Lesbos, Eastern Mediterranean

Small water storage dams are nowadays regarded as the ideal solution for the water-thirsty islands of the Greek Archipelago. Several of these dams have been already constructed and more are planned for the near future. However, dams can also create problems to coastal areas, particularly to the beaches found at the lower reaches of the dammed rivers. The present contribution reports the results of a study undertaken on the effects of such a dam located at Eressos, Lesbos (E. Mediterranean), using both morphological and sedimentological information and a GIS-based sediment erosion model. The results showed that Eressos Beach is currently under erosion, which however is spatially variable. The spatial variability of the beach erosion can only partly be explained by the patterns of longshore sediment transport, suggesting also a negative sedimentary balance. The results of the sediment erosion model showed that the dam retains more than half of the sediment produced in the basin, irrespective of the scenario used. Thus, it is likely that the effects of the dam on the downstream beach are already apparent.     

Geotechnical Aspects of Clayey Sediments Off Badagara on the Kerala Coast,India

Offshore geotechnical surveys form part of an integrated investigation to rejuvenate a decrepit minor port at Badagara, Kerala on the southwestern coast of India. The sediments typify a fluvio-marine milieu ranging from silty clay, sand, silty sand, sandy silt and clayey silt. Geotechnical and sedimentological studies of shallow cores reveal the geotechnical aspects besides the depositional history of the sediments. Downcore geotechnical variations and regressive coefficients based on their inter-relationships highlight diverse factorial inferences. X-Ray Diffraction data indicate the prominent clay type.

A comparative evaluation of the geotechnical characteristics of clayey sediments off Badagara, with similar studies along various sectors of the Kerala coast, both on land as well as in the near shore, is broadly attempted. Geotechnical studies carried out earlier on the uplifted Cochin marine clays provide comparative data for evaluating the possible variations between present day marine clayey sediments occurring along the Kerala coast and uplifted marine clays which, besides their gross variations in levels with respect to the present sea-level, also obviously relate to a much older depositional environment and provenance during probable Holocene times.     

Numerical Simulation of Tsunamis on the Tamil Nadu Coast of India

The State of Tamil Nadu was the most affected region in India during the tsunami of December 26, 2004, in the Indian Ocean, in terms of loss of life and damage. Numerical simulation was made for three tsunamis, the December 26, 2004, event, the Sumatra tsunami of 1833, and a hypothetical tsunami originating in the Andaman-Nicobar region. Since inundation is not included in these simulations, the tsunami amplitudes were deduced at the 10m depth contour in the ocean, off several locations on the coast of Tamil Nadu. The computed amplitudes appear reasonable as compared to known tsunami amplitudes from past events.     

海啸预警与第四纪古海啸沉积记录研究进展

海啸对人类的生命和财产安全构成巨大的威胁,2004年12月26日苏门答腊特大海啸的发生,引起了国际社会对海啸预警问题的重视,并进一步认识到古海啸沉积研究的重要性.介绍了国际上对海啸预警和古海啸沉积研究的进展,重点综述古海啸沉积的研究现状、研究方法与识别标志.最近20年来,研究者们着重对滨岸、浅海或陆地上的现代海啸沉积和古海啸堆积物进行研究,而对深水区域的古海啸记录研究很少.笔者认为在海啸多发海域的深水区进行长柱状沉积物取样,通过沉积学和地球化学分析研究,把古海啸沉积从海底正常沉积中识别出来,再结合定年,有助于恢复古海啸史,明确长期的灾害风险.     

局地海啸波传播数学模型的研究

推导了地震海啸波传播的理论方程,并时局地地震海啸情况下的理论方程进行了求解.基于Boussinesq方程出发,建立了二维局地海啸渡传播数学模型;对局地海啸进行了数值计算,计算方法采用有限差分方法.差分格式采用交替方向隐格式,即ADI方法.利用该模型对发生在台湾海峡的一次地震海啸进行了模拟计算.将计算结果与理论方程的计算结果以及实际情况进行了对比.计算结果较好.为局地海啸波传播提供了一种模拟方法.     

2014年4月2日智利海啸数值模拟与分析

北京时间2014年4月2日智利北部近海发生8.2级地震。地震引发了海啸,南美智利、秘鲁等国沿岸的多个海洋站监测到了明显的海啸波动。文章利用国家海洋环境预报中心开发的CTSU海啸数值模式对这次智利海啸事件进行了数值模拟。模拟结果显示距离震源最近的智利北部受灾严重,秘鲁以及智利南部等海域的海啸波相对较小。沿海站点的第一波海啸波的数值模拟曲线与实测曲线基本吻合。由于数值模型的理想化和近岸水深地形数据分辨率不够,后续海啸波部分模拟结果与实测值存在一定误差。     

2015–16 ENSO contributed reduction in oil sardines along the Kerala coast,south‐west India

Fishery along the west coast of India largely depends on pelagic fish such as oil sardines, which are dominant during the south‐west monsoon. However, the response of sardine population to the warming caused by the climatic events such as El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is poorly studied. Here, we hypothesize that the ENSO‐related changes in biogeochemistry can adversely affect the oil sardines. We have used biogeochemical data collected along the Kerala coast during September 2015 (ENSO year) and September 2017 (a normal year) supported by catch per unit effort (CPUE) and fishery landing data to show the ENSO‐related bio‐physical dynamics and its impact on the oil sardine population along the south‐west coast of India. During the 2015 ENSO year, upwelling velocity decreased minimizing cooling of surface waters and resulted with an increase in sea surface temperature (SST) (~1.8°C). Consequent decrease in nutrient levels favoured nano‐phytoplankton and pico‐phytoplankton. On the other hand, during September 2017 when the ENSO effect was nullified, the decreased SST and availability of nutrients in the euphotic zone resulted in the dominance of micro‐phytoplankton. The hydrographic conditions (reduction in upwelling intensity), and reduction in micro‐phytoplankton abundance and zooplankton density in turn perhaps affected the fishery potential of the region. Oil sardines population (along the west coast) collapsed from 1.55 lakh tones (2014) to 0.46 lakh tones during 2015–2016 ENSO event, while in 2017 the conditions become favorable and their population was back to normal (1.27 lakh tones). Our results are in close agreement with our hypothesis and suggest that ENSO events could reduce phytoplankton productivity and disrupt the food chain, which in turn can affect the oil sardine population along the west coast of India.     

Impact of Brunswick River Mouth Training Walls on Adjacent Beaches, Brunswick Heads, New South Wales, Australia

1 .IntroductionTheBrunswickbeach barrierbegantodeveloparound 6 50 0yearsagoattheendofthepostglacialmarinetransgression .Onshoreandalongshoretransportofmarinesandsoccurredfollowingthestabi lizationofsealevelresultinginbeachandduneextensionwhichoccurredonmanyNSWbeachesuntilabout30 0 0to 1 0 0 0yearsBP (Roy ,1 980 ) ,followedbyperiodsofstabilitytorecession .TherecessionalongthenorthernNSWandsouthernQLDcoastisattributedtocontinuingnorthwardlongshoresandtransportestimatedatbetween 2 0 0 0 0 0m…     

Mineralogical Characterization in the Marine Environment of Kalpakkam,Southeast Coast of India

Sediments from Kalpakkam in the southeast coast of India were analyzed to characterize heavy mineral distribution. The mineral deposits are fine-grained in nature, and temporal and spatial variations are observed in mineral deposits. Iron mineral peaks observed indicate that hematite is present in the samples. The abundance of iron-based minerals explains the occurrence of black grains in the beaches of Sadras and Kokillamedu. In the rest of the region, the mineral distribution is found to be poor and patchy. Uranium-based radioactive minerals are present in the study area, viz., Uranmicrolite, Dessauite, Dumontite, and Sedovite. The common light minerals are quartz and caminite and the heavy minerals that are not iron-rich are tungusite, charoite, glagolevite, mangazeite, falkmanite, augelite, and struvite. Heavy minerals concentrated in the intertidal tide zone show well-developed swash marks by their typical alignment during the process of swash and backwash. Caminite is formed due to the reaction of seawater with hydrothermal fluids in a midoceanic ridge; its presence in the beach indicates the extent of onshore-offshore sediment transport. The heavy mineral distribution pattern along the Kalpakkam-Mahabalipuram stretch reveals the influence of energy conditions and energy fluctuations that are capable of transporting high-density minerals.     

江苏吕四海岸沉积动力特征及侵蚀过程

海岸侵蚀与水动力之间有着密切的关系.基于现场调查和资料收集,探讨了吕四海岸地貌、水动力、泥沙运动以及沉积与动力之间的响应.研究结果表明,风浪和潮流是塑造吕四海岸的主要动力.风浪年内变化按向岸风频率可分为高频期(10 月至翌年 1月)、转频期(2 月、3 月和 9 月)和低频期(4～8月)三个时期.风浪高频期,潮滩冲蚀,物质粗化;低频期,潮滩淤积,物质细化;转频期,时冲时淤,动态稳定.潮流作用主要表现为输沙淤滩和侧蚀滩脚.在风浪高频期,滩脚同时受到风浪冲蚀和潮流侧蚀,向岸后退,使吕四岸段成为隐性侵蚀型海岸.岸滩塑造对沉积动力响应显著,东部处于滨岸环境,在潮流和风浪的作用下,沉积物由岸向海变粗;西部还受径流影响,处于滨岸-河口环境,物质由岸向海变细.在水动力要素中,风浪是导致岸滩侵蚀的主控动力,而潮流则是近岸泥沙进行滩槽滩槽交换和循环输运的输运动力.     

Analysis of the Tsunami of December 26, 2004, on the Kerala Coast of India—Part III: Inundation and Initial Withdrawal

During the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, specific observations were made by our survey team about the arrival times of several tsunami waves, their amplitudes, maximum extent of horizontal inundation on land and initial withdrawal of the ocean. Here the observations on the horizontal inundation and initial withdrawal are presented and briefly discussed.