Automated mapping of the intertidal beach bathymetry from video images

This paper presents a fully automated procedure to derive the intertidal beach bathymetry on a daily basis from video images of low-sloping beaches that are characterised by the intermittent emergence of intertidal bars. Bathymetry data are obtained by automated and repeated mapping of shorelines from video time exposure images for different (tidal) water levels (Aarninkhof, S.G.J., Turner, I.L., Dronkers, T.D.T., Caljouw, M., Nipius, L., 2003. A video-based technique for mapping intertidal beach bathymetry. Coastal Engineering 49, 275–289; Plant, N.G. and Holman, R.A., 1997. Intertidal beach profile estimation using video images. Marine Geology 140, 1–24.). The developed procedure handles intelligent selection of a shoreline search area and unsupervised quality control of the obtained bathymetry data. The automatically retrieved beach bathymetries compare very well to bathymetries derived from the original manual mapping procedure and to ground truth data points (DGPS).     

Small‐scale variability in surface moisture on a fine‐grained beach: implications for modeling aeolian transport

Small‐scale variations in surface moisture content were measured on a fine‐grained beach using a Delta‐T Theta probe. The resulting data set was used to examine the implications of small‐scale variability for estimating aeolian transport potential. Surface moisture measurements were collected on a 40 cm × 40 cm grid at 10 cm intervals, providing a total of 25 measurements for each grid data set. A total of 44 grid data sets were obtained from a representative set of beach sub‐environments. Measured moisture contents ranged from about 0% (dry) to 25% (saturated), by weight. The moisture content range within a grid data set was found to vary from less than 1% to almost 15%. The magnitude of within‐grid variability varied consistently with the mean moisture content of the grid sets, following an approximately normal distribution. Both very wet and very dry grid data sets exhibited little internal variability in moisture content, while intermediate moisture contents were associated with higher levels of variability. Thus, at intermediate moisture contents it was apparent that some portions of the beach surface could be dry enough to allow aeolian transport (i.e. moisture content is below the critical threshold), while adjacent portions are too wet for transport to occur. To examine the implications of this finding, cumulative distribution functions were calculated to model the relative proportions of beach surface area expected to be above or below specified threshold moisture levels (4%, 7%, and 14%). It was found that the implicit inclusion of small‐scale variability in surface moisture levels typically resulted in changes of less than 1% in the beach area available for transport, suggesting that this parameter can be ignored at larger spatial scales. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Planview Geometry and morphological characteristics of pocket beaches on the Catalan coast (Spain)

Coastal planform studies are a relevant initial stage before launching detailed dynamic field experiments. The aim of this study is to define the planform characteristics of 72 Catalan pocket beaches, natural and man-made, and to determine their sheltering effect, embaymentization and their status of equilibrium. Planform measurements were performed on SIGPAC, 1:5000 orthophoto sets and wave climate was provided by Puertos del Estado (Wana model). Planform parameters were applied and coastal planview indexes were determined.The study shows that the Catalan pocket beaches display a wide range of indentation, suggesting that no single structural, tectonic or morphological control dominates their planform. The man-made pocket beaches typically display indentations which are smaller than those shown by natural pocket beaches. Headland spacing and beach area are positively correlated. The more indented bays are, the shorter their beaches become. Low-indented pocket beaches are the widest and the longest ones.Deep indentation contributes towards beach protection and energy dissipation which counteracts rip efficiency and inhibits the formation of mega-rips. Pocket beaches often show gradual and moderate alongshore changes in texture and beach morphology. One third of the Catalan pocket beaches are “sediment starved”, i.e., 60% and more of their embayed shorelines are deprived of beach sediments. Examination of the status of equilibrium demonstrates that most of the Catalan pocket beaches are in an unstable mode, with indentation ratios that are unrelated to the wave obliquity.     

辽河滩海西部凹陷古近系碎屑岩储层成岩作用及其对储层物性的影响

辽河滩海西部凹陷古近系储层砂岩类型主要以长石岩屑砂岩、岩屑长石砂岩、岩屑砂岩及杂砂岩为主,为近源、多源沉积体系,砂岩成分成熟度及结构成熟度低。孔隙类型包括原生孔隙、次生孔隙及混合型孔隙。研究表明该区古近系储层成岩阶段处于早成岩B段至晚成岩A段,主要发育机械压实、胶结、溶解及交代等4种成岩作用。其中溶解作用为主要的建设性成岩作用,发育程度普遍较强。机械压实、胶结及交代等成岩作用为破坏性成岩作用,发育程度中等。储层物性随深度增加呈现有规律的变化,在1 400~2 600 m和2 800~3 400 m深度范围内,孔隙度和渗透率出现异常高值。成岩作用的强度和期次是影响储层孔隙发育的主控因素之一,该区的两个异常孔隙发育带是各种成岩作用综合的结果。其中第一异常孔隙发育带与有机质成熟有关,成岩环境为酸性;第二异常孔隙发育带则与碱性成岩作用有关,硅质组分的溶解对次生孔隙的形成及保存具有重大的贡献作用。     

Microbiological water quality at non-human influenced reference beaches in southern California during wet weather

Although urban wet weather discharges may have elevated concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria impacting water quality at swimming beaches, not all of these bacteria may arise from human sources. In this study, the contribution of non-human fecal indicator bacteria was quantified by sampling coastal reference beaches in southern California. Samples were collected at beaches near stormwater discharges from undeveloped watersheds and analyzed for total coliform, Escherichia coli, and enterococci. Surfzone samples exceeded water quality thresholds >10 times more frequently during wet weather than dry weather. Exceedences were greatest <24 h following rainfall, then steadily declined on successive days. Early season storms exceeded thresholds more frequently, and by greater magnitude, compared to late season storms. Large storms exceeded thresholds more frequently than smaller-sized storms, partly due to the breaching of sand berms. When discharges did reach the surf zone, bacterial concentrations in the wave wash were correlated with watershed bacterial flux.     

澳门的海滩资源优势及其开发利用--澳门发展路向研究之三

从宏观上论述了珠江口伶仃洋河口湾的动力特性, 分析了澳门附近海区独特的水流结构。指出澳门水域位于伶仃洋西部河流型河口段, 地处具有强劲径流的洪湾水道和伶仃洋落潮流交汇处, 泥沙大量沉降, 浅滩发育, 滩涂资源丰富。文中根据珠江河口区海滩围垦适宜的填海高程, 阐述了澳门地区两大类七个亚类海滩资源的特征、面积、分布和开发利用评价。认为结合口门治导和港航治理, 合理填海造地是振兴澳门经济的必由之路。文中结合经济和城市发展, 提出６ 个海滩主题开发区域。     

Energetics prediction of frequency-dependent suspended sand transport rates on a macrotidal beach

The on–offshore (cross-shore) transport of sand on beaches is highly time-variable, which has made it difficult to model or predict. In this paper, simple energetics modelling is used to compare velocity moment predictions with field observations of suspended sand transport rates. Separate consideration is given to transport associated with the three main frequency-dependent cross-shore transport processes: that associated with the short (incident) waves, that due to the long (infragravity) waves, and transport associated with the mean flow. Direct comparison between the depth-averaged model predictions, and the in-situ point measurements was facilitated by making the first order assumption that the time-averaged suspension profile is exponential and the wave velocity profile is vertically uniform. An appropriate rippled bed roughness was used to provide the drag coefficient in the energetics model and the vertical length scale of the exponential suspension profile. Despite these simple assumptions, comparison of the velocity moment predictions with the field observations of suspended sand fluxes reveals that this approach has the capacity to predict transport magnitudes due to short wave, long wave, and mean flow components to within about one order of magnitude. However, owing to the limitations of the model, the transport direction of the short wave component could not, on occasion, be correctly determined, probably due to ‘reverse’ transport over ripples. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

缓坡潮间带海湾的污染物输移扩散数值模拟方法研究

采用在缓坡上设置窄缝的方法,处理由于水位变动而导致计算域相应变化的动边界问题,提出了具有动边界功能的二维对流扩散模型的一种新形式,并将污染源作为移动源处理.所提出的方法已应用到渤海湾污染物迁移扩散模拟中,计算结果与实测值吻合良好.     

浅滩地形上波浪破碎对低频波能放大的影响

低频长波对港湾共振、泥沙输运、波浪爬高与越浪等过程有重要影响。采用非静压模型SWASH模拟了不规则波在浅滩上的传播及破碎过程,重点探讨了滩顶短波破碎程度对低频波能演变的影响。模拟结果显示,当滩顶短波处于临界破碎状态时,低频波能流沿浅滩持续增长,浅滩对低频长波的放大效应（滩后与滩前低频波能流之比）显著;当滩顶短波轻微破碎、破波仅发生在外破波区时,低频波能流的沿滩增长率进一步变大;当滩顶短波剧烈破碎、破波延续到内破波区时,低频波能流沿滩先增长而后转为衰减,滩后放大率较临界破碎时明显减小。研究结果表明,浅滩顶部水深改变了短波破碎程度,进而影响低频长波的演化过程,浅滩上长波总体增长率随滩顶水深的减小呈现先增大后减小的规律,在短波轻微破碎时最大。     

THE INFLUENCE OF RAINFALL ON TRANSPORT OF BEACH SAND BY WIND

This paper deals with the effect of rainfall on the process of wind erosion of beach sands and presents results from both field and wind tunnel experiments. Although sediment transport by splash is of secondary importance on coastal dunes, splash–saltation processes can move sediments in conditions where no motion is predicted by aeolian processes. The effect of raindrop impact on the movement of soil particles by wind was measured on a sand beach plain using an acoustic sediment sampler. In general, an increase of particle movement by wind at the sensor heights was observed during rainfall. Rainfall also affected the wind erosion process during and after rain by changing the cohesive conditions of the surface. The influence of the surface moisture content on the initiation of wind erosion and on the vertical distribution of transported sand particles was studied in a wind tunnel. Moisture significantly increased threshold wind velocities for the initiation of sediment transport and modified vertical sediment profiles.