Representation of topography by porous barriers and objective interpolation of topographic data

We present a porous medium approach to representing topography, and a new algorithm for the objective interpolation of topography, for use in ocean circulation models of fixed resolution. The representation and algorithm makes use of two concepts; impermeable thin walls and porous barriers. Impermeable thin walls allow the representation of knife-edge sub-grid-scale barriers that block lateral flow between model grid cells. Porous barriers permit the sub-grid scale geometry to modulate lateral transport as a function of elevation. We find that the porous representation and the resulting interpolated topography retains key features, such as overflow sill depths, without compromising other dynamically relevant aspects, such as mean ocean depth for a cell. The accurate representation of the ocean depth is illustrated in a simple model of a tsunami that has a cross-basin travel time very much less dependent on horizontal resolution than when using conventional topographic interpolation and representation.     

龚家方4号斜坡涌浪数值模拟分析

对于库区滑坡来说,不能只考虑滑坡体本身造成的灾害,还要考虑滑坡体引起的涌浪灾害,为了研究滑坡涌浪的传播、衰减规律,在Geo-wave软件的技术上,二次开发形成FAST软件。以三峡库区龚家方4号斜坡为研究对象,分别在175、156、145 m的库水位条件下,在长约23 km、宽约10.4 km的区域内进行涌浪数值模拟,获得涌浪传播模拟数据。经过模拟软件数据处理模块的计算分析,形成了分析涌浪传播规律的一系列图件。对不同水位下涌浪模拟的计算结果进行对比分析发现,随着库水位的下降,滑坡产生的最大涌浪值和在对岸的爬高值都有增长的趋势,但其对航道存在威胁的时间逐渐变短。模拟区各位置的最大波高空间分布形态具有中间内凹、两翼沿岸坡延伸的特征。涌浪传播的急剧衰减区基本分布在涌浪源附近1 km的范围内,涌浪源处的波高越大,单位距离内的涌浪下降高度也越大。由于涌浪在岸边有叠加、壅高现象,建议航道内船只经过地质灾害点附近时应沿江中心快速通行。     

Deep sea in situ excess pore pressure and sediment deformation off NW Sumatra and its relation with the December 26, 2004 Great Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake

The swath bathymetric data acquired during the “Sumatra Aftershocks” cruise from the Sunda trench in the Indian Ocean to the north of the Sumatra Island imaged several scars and deposits. In situ pore pressure measurements using the Ifremer piezometer and coring demonstrate that high excess pore pressure and sediment deformation was generated by a recent event in the scar of the slope failure zone identified by J.T. Henstock and co-authors. This excess pore pressure is localized in the upper sedimentary layers and is not related to an interplate subduction process. Numerical simulations of the hydrological system that take into account the hydro-mechanical properties of the upper sediment layer show that the excess pore pressure and sediment deformations could be generated at the time of the December 26, 2004 Great Sumatra Earthquake. The Sumatra Aftershocks team: J.-C. Sibuet, S. Singh, R. Apprioual, N.C. Aryanto, J. Begot, A. Cattaneo, A.P.S. Chauchan, R. Creach, J. Crozon, A. Domzig, N. Falleau, D. Graindorge, F. Harmegnies, Y. Haryadi, F. Klingelhoffer, S.K. Kolluru, J.-Y. Landuré, C. Le Lann, J. Malod, A. Normand, G. Oggian, C. Rangin, D. Restunin Galih, J.-L. Schneider, N. Sultan, M. Taufik, M. Umber and H. Yamaguchi.     

Measurement and modeling of bed shear stress under solitary waves

Direct measurements of bed shear stresses (using a shear cell apparatus) generated by non-breaking solitary waves are presented. The measurements were carried out over a smooth bed in laminar and transitional flow regimes (~ 10⁴ < R_e < ~ 10⁵). Measurements were carried out where the wave height to water depth (h/d) ratio varied between 0.12 and 0.68; maximum near bed velocity varied between 0.16 m/s and 0.51 m/s and the maximum total shear stress (sum of skin shear stress and Froude–Krylov force) varied between 0.386 Pa and 2.06 Pa. The total stress is important in determining the stability of submarine sediment and in sheet flow regimes. Analytical modeling was carried out to predict total and skin shear stresses using convolution integration methods forced with the free stream velocity and incorporating a range of eddy viscosity models. Wave friction factors were estimated from skin shear stress at different instances over the wave (viz., time of maximum positive total shear stress, maximum skin shear stress and at the time of maximum velocity) using both the maximum velocity and the instantaneous velocity at that phase of the wave cycle. Similarly, force coefficients obtained from total stress were estimated at time of maximum positive and negative total stress and at maximum velocity. Maximum positive total shear stress was approximately 1.5 times larger than minimum negative total stress. Modeled and measured positive bed shear stresses are well correlated using the best convolution model, but the model underestimates the data by about 4%. Friction factors are dependent on the choice of normalizing using the maximum velocity, as is conventional, or the instantaneous velocity. These differ because the stress is not in phase with the velocity in general. Friction factors are consistent with previous data for monochromatic waves, and vary inversely with the square-root of the Reynolds number. The total shear stress leads the free stream fluid velocity by approximately 50°, whereas the skin friction shear stress leads by about 30°, which is similar to that reported by earlier researchers.     

Algorithms for automatic,real-time tsunami detection in wind–wave measurements Part I: Implementation strategies and basic tests

Several, although not all, wind–wave gages are equipped with sensors capable of detecting sea-level oscillations within the tsunami frequency band. The present paper looks at the algorithms to be implemented in the software of these gages in order to automatically perform the real-time detection of a possible tsunami within recorded signals. In particular, a new algorithm is proposed and tested. The first part of the paper concentrates on the algorithms' characteristics, implementation strategies and basic testing. First of all, the situations in which wind–wave measurements are either essential, or useful for real-time tsunami detection are discussed. In the second place, already existing algorithms are recalled, specifying their characteristics and fields of application. Then, the characteristics of the new proposed algorithm – mainly based on an infinite impulse response, time domain filter – are illustrated and analyzed. Performance and efficiency of the considered algorithms are compared using synthetic time series. The second part of the paper discusses the algorithms' use in the framework of Tsunami Early Warning Systems (TEWS), testing them in actual cases.     

An amalgamated meter-thick sedimentary package enabled by the 2011 Tohoku tsunami in El Garrapatero,Galapagos Islands

Tsunamis and storms instigate sedimentological and geomorphological changes to the coastal system, both long-term and ephemeral. To accurately predict future coastal hazards, one must identify the records that are generated by the processes associated with these hazards and recognize what will be preserved. Using eyewitness accounts, photographs, and sedimentology, this study documents pre- and post-tsunami conditions and constrains the timing and process of depositional events during and following the 11 March 2011 Tohoku tsunami in the coastal system at El Garrapatero, Galapagos Islands. While the tsunami acted as both an erosional and depositional agent, the thick, fan-like sand sheet in El Garrapatero was primarily emplaced by overwash deposition during high tide from swell waves occurring between 19–25 March and 17–22 April 2011. The swell waves were only able to access the terrestrial coastal system via a channel carved by the 2011 Tohoku tsunami through the barrier sand dune. This combined deposit could result in an overestimation of the hazard if interpreted to be the result of only one event (either tsunami or wind-generated waves). An analogous sand layer, younger than 1390–1530 cal yr BP, may record a similar, prior event.     

2004年苏门答腊大地震激发的T-波

T-波是由海底地震或者海陆边界俯冲带附近地震激发,并在海洋低速层中传播的声波.2004年12月26日,在印度洋东部印尼苏门答腊岛附近发生MW=9.3级大地震,其产生的能量在印度洋中激发了巨大的海啸,造成了严重的人员伤亡和财产损失,受到了世界科学家们极大的关注.本文从台站(PALK)及台站(DGAR)记录到的地震的信号中,提取出了清晰的高频T-波,并在频率域内分析,最终得到了T-波的频谱已及频率随时间变化图像.另外,通过对大地震时间域和频率域内T-波信号的分析,了解到此次大地震断层破裂过程持续的时间大致为500 s,其间伴随有两次明显的能量释放过程.分析数据表明两次能量释放过程的间隔大致为80~100 s.T-波分析将为推断海洋地震以及海陆边界俯冲带附近地震的特征,提供一种独立的研究手段和方法.     

利用PETSc和FEPG编制海啸数值模拟程序的研究

海啸的数值模拟是海啸研究的一个重要领域, 它对于帮助理解海啸的基本物理特性和预防减灾具有重要意义。 海啸数值模拟程序的编制是一项繁杂的工作, 该文介绍了利用两种功能强大的通用软件(PETSc和FEPG)来进行海啸数值模拟程序编写的研究。 PETSc和FEPG采用有限差分、 有限元、 有限体积等多种离散方法, 可以对数值问题给出稳定的求解。 该文采用了直角坐标系下的非线性浅水波方程作为海啸波传播的控制方程进行离散求解, 并将其结果与TUNAMI N1模型进行了比较, 表明这两种方法方便而且有效。     

Physical criteria for distinguishing sandy tsunami and storm deposits using modern examples

Modern subaerial sand beds deposited by major tsunamis and hurricanes were compared at trench, transect, and sub-regional spatial scales to evaluate which attributes are most useful for distinguishing the two types of deposits. Physical criteria that may be diagnostic include: sediment composition, textures and grading, types and organization of stratification, thickness, geometry, and landscape conformity.

Published reports of Pacific Ocean tsunami impacts and our field observations suggest that sandy tsunami deposits are generally < 25 cm thick, extend hundreds of meters inland from the beach, and fill microtopography but generally conform to the antecedent landscape. They commonly are a single homogeneous bed that is normally graded overall, or that consists of only a few thin layers. Mud intraclasts and mud laminae within the deposit are strong evidence of tsunami deposition. Twig orientation or other indicators of return flow during bed aggradation are also diagnostic of tsunami deposits. Sandy storm deposits tend to be > 30 cm thick, generally extend < 300 m from the beach, and will not advance beyond the antecedent macrotopography they are able to fill. They typically are composed of numerous subhorizontal planar laminae organized into multiple laminasets that are normally or inversely graded, they do not contain internal mud laminae and rarely contain mud intraclasts. Application of these distinguishing characteristics depends on their preservation potential and any deposit modifications that accompany burial.

The distinctions between tsunami and storm deposits are related to differences in the hydrodynamics and sediment-sorting processes during transport. Tsunami deposition results from a few high-velocity, long-period waves that entrain sediment from the shoreface, beach, and landward erosion zone. Tsunamis can have flow depths greater than 10 m, transport sediment primarily in suspension, and distribute the load over a broad region where sediment falls out of suspension when flow decelerates. In contrast, storm inundation generally is gradual and prolonged, consisting of many waves that erode beaches and dunes with no significant overland return flow until after the main flooding. Storm flow depths are commonly < 3 m, sediment is transported primarily as bed load by traction, and the load is deposited within a zone relatively close to the beach.