Abstract WPC 2010 b

From CSDMS

Observing Coastal-Resuspension associated with Tropical Cyclones

James P.M. Syvitski, Albert J. Kettner, Eric W.H. Hutton

Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System (CSDMS), Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), University of Colorado, Boulder CO, USA.

The CSDMS Integration Facility is developing an integrated workflow that involves model and satellite data to characterize sediment flux within the coastal zone. The Work Flow includes:

  1. Identify and track cyclone to landfall (e.g. MODIS);
  2. Obtain cyclone winds & pressure (e.g. GFS);
  3. Obtain wave history (e.g. NOAA WAVEWATCH IIITM);
  4. Determine cyclone storm surge (e.g. ADCIRC, AMSR-E);
  5. Obtain rainfall before and during landfall (e.g. TRMM);
  6. Obtain evapotranspiration (e.g. MOD16) and soil moisture conditions (e.g. ASAR);
  7. Create a coastal DEM to be used for the routing of runoff (e.g. SRTM, LIDAR);
  8. Determine the routing of water off of the land surface (e.g. TopoFlow);
  9. Determine the flux of sediment off the landscape (e.g. HydroTrend-sed);
  10. Obtain visible to near infrared imagery of coastal waters (e.g. MODIS);
  11. Model sediment dispersal patterns for water column fluxes (e.g. ROMS, SWAN).

MODIS satellites can track the landfall of tropical cyclones, provide for patterns of sediment plumes emanating from river mouths, and from resuspension of shoreline sediment. MODIS can also be used to observe the dimensions of delta flooding and delta-plain aggradation. ROMS coupled with the wave model SWAN provides estimates for bedload and suspended load transport along with evolution of bottom morphology within estuarine, shelf, and nearshore environments. ROMS can be coupled with river models such as HydroTrend or TopoFlow to complete the land-ocean coupling.