Morphodynamics of sandy beaches under the influence of storm sequences:Current research status and future needs

This paper reviews and discusses the current research status, trends, and future needs in the field of beach morphodynamics under the influence of storm sequences.The paper reviews how the three main research methods, field investigations, numerical modelling, and physical modelling, have been used to study beach morphodynamics during storm sequences.Available quantitative definitions of storm sequences at different sites are presented and discussed.It is shown that the definition of storm sequences is site-specific and requires knowledge of the storm climate, beach characteristics, and the temporal scale of beach recovery.Subsequently, the paper brings together currently available approaches aimed at describing the effect of storm sequences on beach erosion in a general way.The importance of storm chronology and the effects of an extreme storm within a sequence of storms are highlighted.Following that, the more poorly studied aspect of beach recovery in between storms within a sequence is discussed.Three indicators for defining beach recovery, namely the shoreline location, sediment volumes, and the beach state, are identified and compared.Finally, important research needs, including the need for detailed physical modelling, are identified.

The Morphodynamics of Wulan Delta and Its Impacts on the Coastal Community in Wedung Subdistrict, Demak Regency, Indonesia

Wulan Delta in Central Java has been experiencd coastal morphodynamics due to interface between Wulan River’s sedimentation and Java sea’s oceanographic process. This paper aims to analyze Wulan Delta’s morphodynamics as well as its impacts on the socio-economic condition of the community. The morphodynamics is interpreted visually and digitally using a maximum livelihood analysis of multiscale and multi-temporal images. The socio-economic impact is defined by field observations and in-depth interviews to the community and stakeholders. Analysis during the period of 1931-2010 showed that Wulan Delta had been changed morphologically from straight with small arc-like (arcuate) to bird-foot (digitate) with a plausible change into rounded (lobate) in the future, which represented dominant sedimentation by oceanographic rather than fluvial processes. Land expansion in Wulan Delta led to landuse change in Wedung, i.e. expansion of settlement area to 167 ha and fish pond area to 1014 ha in 2000-2010. Most settlements in the area, which are built linearly to river levees, own a high vulnerability to both river flood and tidal inundation. Therefore, dissemination about knowledge of the disaster and coastal zone management, as a means of increasing awareness, becomes necessary in integrating the coastal management in Wulan Delta together with improvement in infrastructure and proper regional development. The proper development strategy for the coastal village is aggressive maintenance strategy, including public infrastructure revitalization, quality improvement for human resources, and silvofishery system. Law enforcement on coastal zoning regulations is necessary to achieve an integrated and sustainable coastal zone management.

Spatiotemporal variability of channel and bar morphodynamics in the Gorai-Madhumati River,Bangladesh using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Bangladesh is a riparian country that is criss-crossed by the many tributaries and distributaries of the mighty Ganges,Brahmaputra,and Meghna river systems.Gorai-Madhumati,a distributary of the Ganges River is an example where morphological development of the river is associated with frequent channel shifting within the catchment area.The main objective of this research is to quantify the extent of channel migration,erosion-accretion,river width,sinuosity,and charland morpho-dynamics from 1972 to 2018 using geospatial techniques combined with satellite images and hydrological data.The study also addressed the impacts of Farakka Barrage construction in India on the shifting,flow behavior,and siltation of Gorai-Madhumati River.The study shows that bar surface areas have abnormally increased in both segments after 1975 due to the construction of Farakka Barrage.Water flow in the Gorai-Madhumati has dropped remarkably in the downstream and instigated huge sedimentation in this region.Analysis of the time series satellite images revealed that the morphology of the river channel experienced huge changes simultaneously with the changes in the seasonal flow and sedimentation all over the study period.Migration trend has frequently shifted and taken place in the NW and NE direction in the observed sections of the river.Throughout the study period,total amount of accretion was greater than the net percentage of erosion on both banks of the river.River discharge,bar accretion,and erosion history show that the Gorai-Madhumati River will no longer exist with the present flowing condition without attention and proper river management.

An investigation of the morphodynamic change of reef islands under monochromatic waves

The persistence and habitability of coral reef islands in future extreme oceanographic conditions has received increasing attention in the recent decade,concerning that the sea level rise(SLR)and more frequent and intense storms in the context of global climate change are expected to destabilize those islands.Here,we conduct a set of wave-flume laboratory experiments focusing on the morphodynamic change of reef islands to varying ocean forcing conditions(wave height and SLR).Subsequently,a phase-resolving XBeach numerical model is adopted to simulate the monochromatic wave process and its associated sediment dynamics.The adopted model is also firstly validated by laboratory experimental results as reported in this study.It is then used to examine the impacts of island morphological factors(island width,island height,island location and island side slope)on the island migration.The combined laboratory/physical and numerical experiment outputs suggest that reef islands can accrete vertically in response to the sea level rise and the increased storminess.

Morphodynamic signatures derived from daily surface elevation dynamics can explain the morphodynamic development of tidal flats

Understanding the sensitivity of tidal flats to environmental changes is challenging.Currently,most studies rely on process-based models to systematically explain the morphodynamic evolution of tidal flats.In this study,we proposed an alternative empirical approach to explore tidal flat dynamics using statistical indices based on long-term time series of daily surface elevation development.Surface elevation dynamic(SED)indices focus on the magnitude and period of surface elevation changes,while morphodynamic signature(MDS)indices relate sediment dynamics to environmental drivers.The statistical analyses were applied to an intervention site in the Netherlands to determine the effect of recently constructed groynes on the tidal flat.Using these analyses,we were able to(1)detect a reduction in the daily SED and(2)determine that the changes in the daily SED were predominantly caused by the reduction in wave impact between the groynes rather than the reduction in tidal currents.Overall,the presented results showed that the combination of novel statistical indices provides new insights into the trajectories of tidal flats,ecosystem functioning,and sensitivity to physical drivers(wind and tides).Finally,we suggested how the SED and MDS indices may help to explore the future trajectories and climate resilience of intertidal habitats.

Erosion hotspot identified along the sandy coast of Shanwei: characteristics and origin

Based on the measured beach profile data of Sanzhou Bay from 2015 to 2019,an erosion hotspot was identified along the Shanwei coastline of eastern Guangdong,where the maximum retreat distance of the shoreline exceeded 80 m and the erosion rate was more than 20 m/a.To determine the time at which the erosion hotspot started and the potential causes of its formation,this study used 63 Landsat satellite images from 1986 to 2019 to construct a time series of shoreline positions over the past 30 years by extracting their high-tide shorelines.Next,the M-K trend test method was introduced to evaluate the non-linear shoreline behavior based on the single-transect method.The results showed that the time of approximately 2013 marked the start of the erosion hotspot,the erosion hotspot was characterized by erosion rates of more than 2 m/a(a maximum rate of 31.6 m/a),and the affected shoreline more than 4.3 km from 2013 to 2019.Furthermore,this erosion hotspot was proved to be caused by artificial sand mining in the nearshore zone,which destroyed the original beach’s morphodynamic equilibrium.With the aid of storm events,soil cliffs composed of loose sediment on the backshore were sacrificed to achieve a new equilibrium,resulting in an extremely significant retreat parallel to the coast on the west side of the study area,which reflects the combined effect of human and natural processes.This study provides a concrete example of the rapid response of shorelines to artificial sand mining activities,and the associated finding is a stark warning about the cautious development and utilization of coastal zones and the strict regulation of human activities.

Numerical Investigations on the Transient Behavior of Sand Waves in Beibu Gulf Under Normal and Extreme Sea Conditions

In this study, a morphodynamic numerical model is established with the Regional Ocean Modeling System(ROMS)to investigate the transient behavior of sand waves under realistic sea conditions. The simulation of sand wave evolution comprises two steps: 1) a regional-scale model is configured first to simulate the ocean hydrodynamics, i.e., tides and tidal currents, and 2) the transient behavior of sand waves is simulated in a small computational domain under the time-variant currents extracted from the large model. The evolution of sand waves on the continental shelf in the Beibu Gulf is specifically investigated. The numerical results of the two-year evolution of sand waves under normal sea conditions compare well with the field survey data. The transient behavior of sand waves in individual months shows that the sand waves are more stable in April and October than that in other months, which can be selected as the windows for seabed operations. The effects of sediment properties, including settling velocity, critical shear stress and surface erosion rate, on sand wave evolution are also analyzed. Then, the typhoon-induced currents are further superimposed on the tidal currents as the extreme weather conditions. Sand waves with the average wavelength generally have more active behavior than smaller or larger sand waves. The characteristics of the evolution of sand waves in an individual typhoon process are quite different for different hydrodynamic combinations. For the storm conditions, i.e., the real combination and maximum combination cases, the sand waves experience a significant migration together with a damping in height due to the dominant suspended sediment transport. For the mild conditions, i.e., the pure tidal current and minimum combination cases, the sand waves migrate less, but the heights continue growing due to the dominant bedload transport.

Morphodynamic response of an embayed beach to different typhoon events with varying intensities

Beach erosion has occurred globally in recent decades due to frequent and severe storms.Dongsha beach,located in Zhujiajian Island,Zhejiang Province,China,is a typical embayed sandy beach.This study focused on the morphodynamic response of Dongsha beach to typhoon events,based on beach topographies and surficial sediment characteristics acquired before and after four typhoon events with varying intensities.The four typhoons had different effects on the topography and sediment characteristics of Dongsha beach.Typhoons Ampil and Danas caused the largest(-51.72 m3/m)and the smallest erosion(-8.01 m3/m),respectively.Remarkable alongshore patterns of beach profile volumetric changes were found after the four typhoon events,with more erosion in the southern and central parts of the beach and few changes in the northern part.Grain size coarsening and poor sorting were the main sediment patterns on the beach influenced by different typhoons.Typhoons that occurred in the same year after another typhoon enhanced the effect of the previous typhoon on sediment coarsening and sorting variability,but this cumulative effect was not found between typhoons that occurred during different years.A comparison of the collected data revealed that the topographic state of the beach before the typhoon,typhoon characteristics,and tidal conditions were possible reasons for the difference in the responses of Dongsha beach to typhoon events.More severe beach erosion was caused by typhoons with higher intensity levels and longer durations,and high tide levels during typhoons can determine the upper limit of the beach profile erosion site.Taken together,these results can be used to improve beach management for storm prevention.

Routing the asteroid surface vehicle with detailed mechanics

The motion of a surface vehicle on/above an irregular object is inv.estigated for a potential interest in the insitu explorations to asteroids of the solar system. A global valid numeric method, including detailed gravity and geo- morphology, is developed to mimic the behaviors of the test particles governed by the orbital equations and surface cou- pling effects. A general discussion on the surface mechanical environment of a specified asteroid, 1620 Geographos, is presented to make a global evaluation of the surface vehicle＇s working conditions. We show the connections between the natural trajectories near the ground and differential features of the asteroid surface, which describes both the good and bad of typical terrains from the viewpoint of vehicles＇ dynamic performances. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to take a further look at the trajectories of particles initializing near the surface. The simulations reveal consistent conclusions with the analysis, i.e., the open- field flat ground and slightly concave basins/valleys are the best choices for the vehicles＇ dynamical security. The dependence of decending trajectories on the releasing height is studied as an application; the results show that the pole direction （where the centrifugal force is zero） is the most stable direction in which the shift of a natural trajectory will be well limited after landing. We present this work as an example for pre-analysis that provides guidance to engineering design of the exploration site and routing the surface vehicles.

Regional-Scale Study on Sediment Processes of Khuran Strait at Persian Gulf with Implications for Engineering Design

In this article, the sediment transport processes in the Khuran Strait between the mainland Iran and Qeshm Island at North Central Persian Gulf are studied in regional scale in a comprehensive manner. The objectives of this study include defining the type and origin of the sediment, the influencing factors, and the dominant mode of sediment transport. Four possible scenarios of sediment processes in terms of sediment sources and influential environmental forces are examined. The results of the conceptual and 2D numerical model of MIKE21 applied for this purposes indicate that the sediment sources in the transport processes are mainly provided by the sediments suspended from the central and eastern zones of the strait bed. Other sources including input from rivers do not have direct influence on the processes. The results are applied to the study of morphological changes for engineering applications including the pattern and amount of deposit in the Rajaee port approach channel and harbor basin. The pattern and amount of annual sediment deposits in the approach channel predicted by the model is satisfactory, compatible with annual dredging records.

Control of wind-wave power on morphological shape of salt marsh margins

Salt marshes are among the most common morphological features found in tidal landscapes and provide ecosystem services of primary ecological and economic importance.However,the continued rise in relative sea level and increasing anthropogenic pressures threaten the sustainability of these environments.The alarmingly high rates of salt marsh loss observed worldwide,mainly dictated by the lateral erosion of their margins,call for new insights into the mutual feedbacks among physical,biological,and morphological processes that take place at the critical interface between salt marshes and the adjoining tidal flats.We combined field measurements,remote sensing data,and numerical modeling to investigate the interplays between wind waves and the morphology,ecology,and planform evolution of salt marsh margins in the Venice Lagoon of Italy.Our results confirm the existence of a positive linear relationship between incoming wave power density and rates of salt marsh lateral retreat.In addition,we show that lateral erosion significantly decreases when halophytic vegetation colonizes the marsh margins,and that different erosion rates in vegetated margins are associated with different halophytes.High marsh cliffs and smooth shorelines are expected along rapidly eroding margins,whereas erosion rates are reduced in gently sloped,irregular edges facing shallow tidal flats that are typically exposed to low wind-energy conditions.By highlighting the relationships between the dynamics and functional forms of salt marsh margins,our results represent a critical step to address issues related to conservation and restoration of salt marsh ecosystems,especially in the face of changing environmental forcings.

Processes,feedbacks,and morphodynamic evolution of tidal flat-marsh systems:Progress and challenges

Tidal flats and saltmarshes have been a long-standing research focus because of their high socio-economic and ecological values.The evolution of tidal flat-marsh systems is highly complex due to the intertwined processes operating over a variety of spatial and temporal scales.As a traditional research highlight,the role of regular hydrodynamic processes such as tides,waves,and river flows have been explored comprehensively with fruitful outcomes.Over past decades,the changing environment(e.g.,sea level rise,increasing anthropogenic activities,and extreme weather conditions)has attracted more attention with many reported insightful results.More recent advances indicate that biological activities play a critical role in tidal flat-marsh morphodynamics but are still poorly understood.The field of research that connects the bio-logical and physical processes is commonly described as"biogeomorphology"and requires the joint efforts by scientists from multiple dis-ciplines ranging from hydraulics,ecology,and geography to sociology.This review aims to provide a synthesis of the current research status of tidal flat-marsh morphodynamics,with a particular emphasis on the understanding of various processes and feedbacks underlying the devel-opment of morphodynamic models.Some future research needs and challenges are identified to facilitate a more sustainable management strategy for tidal flats and saltmarshes under climate change.

Linking Fish Habitat Modelling and Sediment Transport in Running Waters

The assessment of ecological status for running waters is one of the major issues within an integrated river basin management and plays a key role with respect to the implementation of the European Water Frame- work Directive (WFD).One of the tools supporting the development of sustainable river management is physi- cal habitat modeling,e.g.,for fish,because fish population are one of the most important indicators for the e- colngical integrity of rivers.Within physical habitat models hydromorphological ...

Investigation and Discussion on the Beach Morphodynamic Response Under Storm Events Based on A Three-Dimensional Numerical Model

A well-established 3D phase-averaged beach morphodynamic model was applied to investigate the morphodynamics of a typical artificial beach,and a series of discussions were made on the surfzone hydro-sedimentological processes under calm and storm events.Model results revealed that the nearshore wave-induced current presents a significant 3D structure under stormy waves,where the undertow and longshore currents exist simultaneously,forming a spirallike circulation system in the surfzone.Continuous longshore sediment transport would shorten the sediment supply in the cross-shore direction,subsequently suppress the formation of sandbars,showing that a typical recovery profile under calm waves does not necessarily develop,but with a competing process of onshore drift,undertow and longshore currents.Sediment transport rate during storms reaches several hundreds of times as those under calm waves,and two storm events contribute approximately 60%to the beach erosion.Sediment transport pattern under calm waves is mainly bed load,but as the fine sands underneath begin to expose,the contribution of suspended load becomes significant.

Comparative Analysis of the Erosion Mechanism of Different Profiles in the Arcuate Foreshore under Typhoon Action

The comparison results of three beach profile data repeatedly measured before and after the typhoon in Shuidong Bay,west Guangdong province which show that there are significant differences in beach profile erosion and response process.And the changes of beach profile can be divided into:strong downward overall low shoreline regressive type and overall slight erosion shoreline regressive type.Application of the modified mildslope equation along three beach profile are simulated wave high reflection to the sea side,to the section vertical shore pressure gradient and including water roll force and radiation stress,the vertical shore forces one dimensional profile along the momentum conservation equation(radiation stress and water roll force)bottom friction and lateral mixing reaction between numerical solution,the momentum conservation equations of the wave increases the water flow velocity and section along the profile distribution of wave height and related forces.The analysis shows that the extent and difference of coastal erosion depend on the shoreline erosion mode stimulated by the maximum surge water of the coastal current and the maximum velocity of the coastal current and the dynamic state of the profile topography under the action of the profile location,morphology and incident wave elements.

Aggregated morphodynamic modelling of tidal inlets and estuaries

Aggregation is used to represent the real world in a model at an appropriate level of abstraction.We used the convection-diffusion equation to examine the implications of aggregation progressing from a three-dimensional(3D)spatial description to a model representing a system as a single box that exchanges sediment with the adjacent environment.We highlight how all models depend on some forms of parametric closure,which need to be chosen to suit the scale of aggregation adopted in the model.All such models are therefore aggregated and make use of some empirical relationships to deal with sub-scale processes.One such appropriately aggregated model,the model for the aggregated scale morphological interaction between tidal basin and adjacent coast(ASMITA),is examined in more detail and used to illustrate the insight that this level of aggregation can bring to a problem by considering how tidal inlets and estuaries are impacted by sea level rise.

Wave-dominated,mesotidal headland-bay beach morphodynamic classsfications of the Shuidong Bay in South China

Beach morphodynamic classifications have achieved extensive acceptance in foreign coastal geomorphological studies. Three beaches located in different zones of a headland-bay coast are classified according to a dimensionless fall parameter, a relative tide range parameter and a dimensionless embayment scaling parameter. Synchronous data, including wave, tide, sediment and beach morphology, are respectively collected from the tangential beach, the transitional beach and the shadow beach of the Shuidong Bay during each spring tide for 16 successive months. The research results indicate that （1） the beach in the tangential zone falls between two major categories which are low tide terrace beaches with rips and barred beaches; the beach in the transitional zone exhibits two main types which are low tide bar/rip beaches and barred dissipative beaches; and the beach in the shadow zone mainly mirrors dissipative states with presence or absence of bars; and （2） the sequential changes and differences of beach states in different coastal zones reflect spatial and temporal variabilities of the headland- bay coast, totally meeting the actual measured beach morphology changes, showing that studies on wave- dominated, meso-macrotidal beaches need to consider the influences of the tides. Meanwhile, the research mainly provides a framework about beach state studies, due to different beach states with different erosion patterns, which requires the need to strengthen the researches in this respect, in order to further enrich theoretical basis for a beach topography evolution, beach morphodynamic processes and beach erosion orevention in China.

Developing a Process Driven Morphological Model for Long Term Evolution of a Dynamic Coastal Embayment

Numerical modelling of coastal morphology is a complex and sometimes unrewarding exercise and often not yielding tangible results. Typically, the underlying drivers of morphology are not properly accounted for in numerical models. Such inaccuracies combined with a paucity of validation data create a difficulty for coastal planners/engineers who are required to interpret such morphological models to develop coastal management strategies. This study develops an approach to long term morphological modelling of a barrier beach system that includes the findings of over 10 years of coastal monitoring on a dynamic coastal system. The novel approach to predicting the long term evolution of the area combines a mix of short term hydrodynamic monitoring and long term morphological modelling to predict future changes in a breached barrier system. A coupled wave, wind, hydrodynamic and sediment transport numerical model was used to predict the coastal evolution in the dynamic barrier beach system of Inner Dingle Bay, Co. Kerry, Ireland. The modelling approach utilizes the schematisation of inputs to reflect observed trends. The approach is subject to two stages of validation both quantitative and qualitative. The study highlights the importance of considering all the parameters responsible for driving coastal evolution and the necessity to have long term monitoring results for trend based validation.

Crescentic dune migration and stabilization： Implications for interpreting paleo-dune deposits as paleoenvironmental records

Paleo-dune deposits have been widely used as a proxy indicator of past dune ac- tivity, which is further used to reconstruct paleoclimates. However, recent studies have criti- cally examined the reproducibility of dune chronologies and the complexity of paleo-dune deposits as paleoenvironmental records. This paper addresses questions on the paleoenvi- ronmental implications of dune chronostratigraphies that have been raised by those reviews, in the specific case of crescentic dunes, using a case study from the Mu Us dune field, north-central China. The processes of turn-over and stabilization of relatively small crescentic dunes are first investigated by observational evidence. In combination with the analysis of a simplified sand preservation model and stratigraphic records, the effect of dune morphody- namics on sand preservation is demonstrated. It is especially evident that thick, nearly in- stantaneously deposited sand units record dune stabilization near the very end of a dune activity episode, while thin sand units may signal the preservation of sand deposited earlier in episodes of activity. Interpreting the distribution of luminescence ages that indicate sand deposition over time is not as simple as assumed in some previous work. Low frequency of sand ages could indicate an interval of either dune field stabilization or extensive dune activity but poor sand preservation. A peak of sand age frequency likely represents a shift in dune field activity towards stabilization, not a peak of active dune extent, especially if it partially overlaps with an independently identified interval of stabilization （e.g. one recorded by pa- leosols）. The nature and magnitude of these biases in the distribution of sand ages over time are strongly affected by the magnitude of net sand accumulation, which is in turn related to sand supply, transport capacity and sand availability, and ultimately climate change. Rela- tively short dune stabilization and turn-over time （101 to 102 yrs） indicate that dune geomor- phic processes can quickly respond to short-term disturbance, but the chronology of that response must be interpreted in light of how those processes influence age distributions.

Morphodynamic study of reticulate dunes at southeastern fringe of the Tengger Desert

Reticulate dunes are one of the commonest dune types, and yet the least understood. Reticulate dunes at southeastern Tengger Desert are constituted by NE-SW trending primary ridges and nearly vertical secondary ridges. The result of field work studying the morphodynamics and formation mechanism for reticulate dunes in this area shows that the primary ridges were formed by dominant northwest wind and the secondary ridges developed and maintained by alternating dominant wind and subdominant northeast wind on the basis of the primary ridges. Viewed from morphodynamics, reticulate dunes correspond to the complex transverse dune on which the longitudinal element superimposed.