Numerical simulations and comparative analysis for two types of storm surges in the Bohai Sea using a coupled atmosphere-ocean model

The Bohai Sea is extremely susceptible to storm surges induced by extratropical storms and tropical cyclones in nearly every season. In order to relieve the impacts of storm surge disasters on structures and human lives in coastal regions, it is very important to understand the occurring of the severe storm surges. The previous research is mostly restricted to a single type of storm surge caused by extratropical storm or tropical cyclone. In present paper, a coupled atmosphere-ocean model is developed to study the storm surges induced by two types of extreme weather conditions. Two special cases happened in the Bohai Sea are simulated successively. The wind intensity and minimum sea-level pressure derived from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model agree well with the observed data. The computed time series of water level obtained from the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) also are in good agreement with the tide gauge observations. The structures of the wind fields and average currents for two types of storm surges are analyzed and compared. The results of coupled model are compared with those from the uncoupled model. The case studies indicate that the wind field and structure of the ocean surface current have great differences between extratropical storm surge and typhoon storm surge. The magnitude of storm surge in the Bohai Sea is shown mainly determined by the ocean surface driving force, but greatly affected by the coastal geometry and bathymetry.

Holocene sea level trend on the west coast of Bohai Bay,China: reanalysis and standardization

Using 110 newly revised Holocene sea level indicators categorized into three types,sediments(67),shelly cheniers(27)and oyster reefs(16),this paper firstly provides a Holocene relative sea level curve,based on multiple approaches of litho-and biostratigraphies and sedimentary faces analysis,for the west coast of Bohai Bay,China.Following considerations,including indicative meaning,the paleo tidal pattern and range and conversion from mean tidal level to mean sea level,an apparent relative mean sea level(RMSL)curve was further reconstructed.After systematical calibration using CALIB,those of the 48 reworked samples were further corrected for the residence-time effect.Similarly,the younger ages for another 35 samples were chosen at the subsample level.These result in a younger-oriented shift for about 0.5 ka.Three local spatial factors,including neotectonic subsidence(average rate about 0.1 mm/a),self-compaction of unconsolidated sediments(between a few decimeters to about 6 m)and subsidence due to groundwater withdrawal(between a few centimeters to about 2.5 m),were quantitatively corrected.Finally,the amended RMSL curve after eliminating all these local temporo-spatial factors is very likely to show non-existence of mid-Holocene highstand and imply potential influences of both ice-volume equivalent sea level and regional glacial isostatic adjustment.Although it is still unable to divide both global and regional factors,the slowdown of sea level rise,in 7.5–6.8 ka with a maximum height less than+1 m,may constrain the model effort in the near future.

Human-induced changes in recent sedimentation rates in Bohai Bay, China： Implications for coastal development

In many countries, coastal planners strive to balance the demands between civil, commercial strategy and environmental conversation interests for future development, particularly given the sea level rise in the 21 st century. Achieving a sustainable balance is often a dilemma, especially in low-lying coastal areas where dams in inland river basin are trapping significant amounts of fluvial sediments. We recently investigated the shore of Bohai Bay in northern China where there has been a severe increase in sea level following a program of large-scale coastal reclamation and infrastructure development over the last five decades. To investigate this trend, we obtained sediment cores from near-shore in Bohai Bay, which were dated by ^(137)Cs and ^(210)Pb radionuclides to determine the sedimentation rates for the last 50 years. The average sedimentation rates of Bohai Bay exceeded 10 mm yr^(-1) before 1963, which was much higher than the rate of local sea-level rise. However, our results showed an overall decreasing sedimentation rate after 1963, which was not able to compensate for the increasing relative sea-level rise in that period. In addition, our results revealed that erosion occurred after the 1980 s in the shallow sea area of Bohai Bay. We suggest that this situation places the Bohai Bay coast at a greater risk of inundation and erosion within the next few decades than previously thought, especially in the large new reclamation area. This study may be a case study for many other shallow sea areas of the muddy coast if the sea level continues to rise rapidly and the sediment delivered by rivers continues to decrease.