Ignacio Toledo , José Ignacio Pagán , Isabel López , Jorge Olcina , Luis Aragonés
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Storm surge is a fundamental process to understanding the behaviour of sea level. This variable, which depends on atmospheric pressure and wind action, has been widely documented. However, few studies quantify these relationships for various geographic areas. This study analyses the most influential factors in the variation of storm surges at several points on the Spanish coast. The results show that the event duration and the regional geographic factor are very relevant in the correlation of storm surge with pressure drop, so assigning a single value as has been commonly done, typically 1 cm/hPa, is an error. The Mediterranean Sea experiences a greater sensitivity to the atmospheric pressure drop than the Atlantic Ocean, with sea level rise of up to 2 or 3 cm/hPa for a storm surge event below 40 h, compared to those of 1.5 cm/hPa for the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, higher wind speeds intensify storm surge, whether it results in positive or negative superelevation. However, the storm surge does not always increase when the wind blows towards the coast but also depends on the location of the water masses and the continent. Finally, there is no perception of a growing trend of storm surges in the context of climate change in a general way. A precise knowledge of these elements will help all those agents involved in coastal protection to define more accurate alert levels, enhancing safety along the waterfront.
期刊介绍:
Marine Geology is the premier international journal on marine geological processes in the broadest sense. We seek papers that are comprehensive, interdisciplinary and synthetic that will be lasting contributions to the field. Although most papers are based on regional studies, they must demonstrate new findings of international significance. We accept papers on subjects as diverse as seafloor hydrothermal systems, beach dynamics, early diagenesis, microbiological studies in sediments, palaeoclimate studies and geophysical studies of the seabed. We encourage papers that address emerging new fields, for example the influence of anthropogenic processes on coastal/marine geology and coastal/marine geoarchaeology. We insist that the papers are concerned with the marine realm and that they deal with geology: with rocks, sediments, and physical and chemical processes affecting them. Papers should address scientific hypotheses: highly descriptive data compilations or papers that deal only with marine management and risk assessment should be submitted to other journals. Papers on laboratory or modelling studies must demonstrate direct relevance to marine processes or deposits. The primary criteria for acceptance of papers is that the science is of high quality, novel, significant, and of broad international interest.