A new climate index controlling winter wave activity along the Atlantic coast of Europe: The West Europe Pressure Anomaly

International audienceA pioneering and replicable method based on a 66-year numerical weather and wave hindcast is developed to optimize a climate index based on the sea level pressure (SLP) that best explains winter wave height variability along the coast of western Europe, from Portugal to UK (36–52 ∘ N). The resulting so-called Western Europe Pressure Anomaly (WEPA) is based on the sea level pressure gradient between the stations Valentia (Ireland) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands). The WEPA positive phase reflects an intensified and southward shifted SLP difference between the Icelandic low and the Azores high, driving severe storms that funnel high-energy waves toward western Europe southward of 52 ∘ N. WEPA outscores by 25–150% the other leading atmospheric modes in explaining winter-averaged significant wave height, and even by a largest amount the winter-averaged extreme wave heights. WEPA is also the only index capturing the 2013/2014 extreme winter that caused widespread coastal erosion and flooding in western Europe

Increased winter-mean wave height, variability and periodicity in the North-East Atlantic over 1949-2017

A 69-year (1948-2017) numerical weather and wave hindcast is used to investigate the interannual variability and trend of winter wave height along the west coast of Europe. Results show that the winter-mean wave height, variability, and periodicity all increased significantly in the northeast Atlantic over the last seven decades which primarily correlate with changes in the climate indices North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and West Europe Pressure Anomaly (WEPA) affecting atmospheric circulation in the North Atlantic. NAO and WEPA primarily explain the increase in winter-mean wave height and periodicity, respectively, while both WEPA and NAO explain the increase in interannual variability. This increase in trend, variability, and periodicity resulted in more frequent high-energy winters with high NAO and/or WEPA over the last decades. The ability of climate models to predict the winter NAO and WEPA indices a few months ahead will be crucial to anticipate coastal hazards in this region. Plain Language Summary We explore the evolution of winter-mean wave height, variability, and periodicity in the northeast Atlantic over 1949-2017 and the links with the primary climate indices explaining winter wave activity, which is critical from the coastal hazard perspective. The climate indices NAO and WEPA primarily drive the increase in winter-mean wave height and periodicity, respectively, while both WEPA and NAO explain the increase in interannual variability, resulting in more frequent high-energy winters over the last seven decades. Extreme winter-mean wave heights become more frequent as WEPA and NAO positivity and variability increase. Predicting WEPA and NAO a few months ahead is crucial to anticipate coastal hazards, which is of interest for coastal and climate communities

Infragravity waves: From driving mechanisms to impacts

Infragravity (hereafter IG) waves are surface ocean waves with frequencies below those of wind-generated “short waves” (typically below 0.04 Hz). Here we focus on the most common type of IG waves, those induced by the presence of groups in incident short waves. Three related mechanisms explain their generation: (1) the development, shoaling and release of waves bound to the short-wave group envelopes (2) the modulation by these envelopes of the location where short waves break, and (3) the merging of bores (breaking wave front, resembling to a hydraulic jump) inside the surfzone. When reaching shallow water (O(1–10 m)), IG waves can transfer part of their energy back to higher frequencies, a process which is highly dependent on beach slope. On gently sloping beaches, IG waves can dissipate a substantial amount of energy through depth-limited breaking. When the bottom is very rough, such as in coral reef environments, a substantial amount of energy can be dissipated through bottom friction. IG wave energy that is not dissipated is reflected seaward, predominantly for the lowest IG frequencies and on steep bottom slopes. This reflection of the lowest IG frequencies can result in the development of standing (also known as stationary) waves. Reflected IG waves can be refractively trapped so that quasi-periodic along-shore patterns, also referred to as edge waves, can develop. IG waves have a large range of implications in the hydro-sedimentary dynamics of coastal zones. For example, they can modulate current velocities in rip channels and strongly influence cross-shore and longshore mixing. On sandy beaches, IG waves can strongly impact the water table and associated groundwater flows. On gently sloping beaches and especially under storm conditions, IG waves can dominate cross-shore sediment transport, generally promoting offshore transport inside the surfzone. Under storm conditions, IG waves can also induce overwash and eventually promote dune erosion and barrier breaching. In tidal inlets, IG waves can propagate into the back-barrier lagoon during the flood phase and induce large modulations of currents and sediment transport. Their effect appears to be smaller during the ebb phase, due to blocking by countercurrents, particularly in shallow systems. On coral and rocky reefs, IG waves can dominate over short-waves and control the hydro-sedimentary dynamics over the reef flat and in the lagoon. In harbors and semi-enclosed basins, free IG waves can be amplified by resonance and induce large seiches (resonant oscillations). Lastly, free IG waves that are generated in the nearshore can cross oceans and they can also explain the development of the Earth's “hum” (background free oscillations of the solid earth)

Altimetry for the future: Building on 25 years of progress

In 2018 we celebrated 25 years of development of radar altimetry, and the progress achieved by this methodology in the fields of global and coastal oceanography, hydrology, geodesy and cryospheric sciences. Many symbolic major events have celebrated these developments, e.g., in Venice, Italy, the 15th (2006) and 20th (2012) years of progress and more recently, in 2018, in Ponta Delgada, Portugal, 25 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry. On this latter occasion it was decided to collect contributions of scientists, engineers and managers involved in the worldwide altimetry community to depict the state of altimetry and propose recommendations for the altimetry of the future. This paper summarizes contributions and recommendations that were collected and provides guidance for future mission design, research activities, and sustainable operational radar altimetry data exploitation. Recommendations provided are fundamental for optimizing further scientific and operational advances of oceanographic observations by altimetry, including requirements for spatial and temporal resolution of altimetric measurements, their accuracy and continuity. There are also new challenges and new openings mentioned in the paper that are particularly crucial for observations at higher latitudes, for coastal oceanography, for cryospheric studies and for hydrology. The paper starts with a general introduction followed by a section on Earth System Science including Ocean Dynamics, Sea Level, the Coastal Ocean, Hydrology, the Cryosphere and Polar Oceans and the ‘‘Green” Ocean, extending the frontier from biogeochemistry to marine ecology. Applications are described in a subsequent section, which covers Operational Oceanography, Weather, Hurricane Wave and Wind Forecasting, Climate projection. Instruments’ development and satellite missions’ evolutions are described in a fourth section. A fifth section covers the key observations that altimeters provide and their potential complements, from other Earth observation measurements to in situ data. Section 6 identifies the data and methods and provides some accuracy and resolution requirements for the wet tropospheric correction, the orbit and other geodetic requirements, the Mean Sea Surface, Geoid and Mean Dynamic Topography, Calibration and Validation, data accuracy, data access and handling (including the DUACS system). Section 7 brings a transversal view on scales, integration, artificial intelligence, and capacity building (education and training). Section 8 reviews the programmatic issues followed by a conclusion

Altimetry for the future: building on 25 years of progress

In 2018 we celebrated 25 years of development of radar altimetry, and the progress achieved by this methodology in the fields of global and coastal oceanography, hydrology, geodesy and cryospheric sciences. Many symbolic major events have celebrated these developments, e.g., in Venice, Italy, the 15th (2006) and 20th (2012) years of progress and more recently, in 2018, in Ponta Delgada, Portugal, 25 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry. On this latter occasion it was decided to collect contributions of scientists, engineers and managers involved in the worldwide altimetry community to depict the state of altimetry and propose recommendations for the altimetry of the future. This paper summarizes contributions and recommendations that were collected and provides guidance for future mission design, research activities, and sustainable operational radar altimetry data exploitation. Recommendations provided are fundamental for optimizing further scientific and operational advances of oceanographic observations by altimetry, including requirements for spatial and temporal resolution of altimetric measurements, their accuracy and continuity. There are also new challenges and new openings mentioned in the paper that are particularly crucial for observations at higher latitudes, for coastal oceanography, for cryospheric studies and for hydrology. The paper starts with a general introduction followed by a section on Earth System Science including Ocean Dynamics, Sea Level, the Coastal Ocean, Hydrology, the Cryosphere and Polar Oceans and the “Green” Ocean, extending the frontier from biogeochemistry to marine ecology. Applications are described in a subsequent section, which covers Operational Oceanography, Weather, Hurricane Wave and Wind Forecasting, Climate projection. Instruments’ development and satellite missions’ evolutions are described in a fourth section. A fifth section covers the key observations that altimeters provide and their potential complements, from other Earth observation measurements to in situ data. Section 6 identifies the data and methods and provides some accuracy and resolution requirements for the wet tropospheric correction, the orbit and other geodetic requirements, the Mean Sea Surface, Geoid and Mean Dynamic Topography, Calibration and Validation, data accuracy, data access and handling (including the DUACS system). Section 7 brings a transversal view on scales, integration, artificial intelligence, and capacity building (education and training). Section 8 reviews the programmatic issues followed by a conclusion

Modélisation morphodynamique d'une embouchure tidale dominée par la houle : la lagune d'Albufeira

Wave-dominated tidal inlets are very dynamic coastal systems, whose morphology is continuously shaped by the combined action of the waves and the tides. The rapid morphological changes they experience impact directly their ecological and socio-economic environments. In order to implement adequate regulations for the sustainable management of tidal inlets, systematic environmental studies are necessary. The main objective of this PhD research work is to gain a better understanding of the physical processes that control the morphological evolutions of an ephemeral tidal inlet in Portugal - the Albufeira Lagoon inlet - based on the analysis of hydrodynamic and topographic data and on the results of a newly developed morphodynamic modelling system. The processes that impact the dynamics of the inlet at short time-scales, particularly those related to wave-current interactions, are investigated through the application of the modelling system to the inlet. The seasonal modulations of the wave climate and mean sea level strongly affect the sediment dynamics of the inlet and contribute to the natural closure of the inlet during the winter period. Long-term processes are also investigated based on a 65-year hindcast of mean wave parameters at regional and local scales. The large inter-annual variability of the wave climate and the associated longshore sediment transport – both correlated to the North-Atlantic Oscillation – are proposed to explain the differences in the morphological behaviour of the inlet-lagoon system at pluri-annual time-scales.Les embouchures tidales dominées par la houle sont des systèmes côtiers particulièrement dynamiques dont la morphologie est continuellement remodelée par l’action des vagues et de la marée. Les rapides évolutions morphologiques auxquelles elles sont sujettes impactent directement leurs environnements écologiques et socio-économiques. Afin de mettre en œuvre des réglementations adaptées à la gestion durable des embouchures tidales, des études environnementales systématiques sont nécessaires. L’objectif principal de cette thèse est de mieux comprendre les processus physiques qui contrôlent les évolutions morphologiques d’une embouchure tidale éphémère au Portugal - l’embouchure de la lagune d’Albufeira – à partir de l’analyse de mesures hydrodynamiques et topographiques et de résultats d’un système de modélisation morphodynamique récemment développé. Les processus qui influent sur la dynamique de l’embouchure tidale à court terme, notamment ceux liés aux interactions vague-courant, ont été étudiés à travers l’application du système de modélisation à l’embouchure. Les modulations saisonnières du climat de vagues et du niveau moyen de la mer affectent fortement la dynamique sédimentaire de l’embouchure et contribuent au comblement naturel de l’embouchure pendant l’hiver. Les processus à long terme ont également été étudiés à partir de simulations rétrospectives de paramètres moyens de vagues pour des échelles régionales et locales sur une période 65 ans. Les fortes variabilités interannuelles du climat de vagues et de la dérive littorale qui lui est associée pourraient expliquer les différences d’évolutions morphologiques du système embouchure-lagune sur des échelles de temps pluri–annuels

Characterizing sea state variability along the French Atlantic coast

International audienceSea states condition a large part of marine activities in the coastal zone, such as navigation, fishing, maritime engineering, port logistics, and even nautical leisure activities. In order to monitor, understand and predict sea states, it is essential to have access to observation databases both in the form of historical archives and near real time data. These data generally come from networks of in situ measuring instruments, coastal radars, satellite remote sensing or modeling systems, each of which has its strengths and limitations. In France, the Centre d’Archivage National des Données de Houle In Situ (CANDHIS) aims to disseminate wave buoy data acquired in the coastal zone to the scientific community, maritime professionals and the general public. The CANDHIS network includes around a hundred wave recorders deployed along the French coasts and overseas. These instruments are mostly located within 50 kilometers from the coast and provide every hour sea state parameters, such as the significant wave height, wave period and wave direction. However, depending on the environmental characteristics of the sites (bathymetry, currents, climatology) selected to deploy the instruments, the spatial representativeness of these acquisitions can vary significantly. In this study, we seek to characterize the scales of spatial representativeness of the sea state parameters recorded by 11 buoys of the CANDHIS network along the French Atlantic coastline from retrospective simulations obtained using a high-resolution regional spectral wave model. For each of the stations, areas of representativeness are defined from the degree of similarity between the time series simulated at the station and those of neighboring nodes, estimated from statistical parameters. The variability and spatial distribution of the representativeness areas obtained for all of the stations along the coast of mainland France are then analyzed with regard to the very diverse environmental conditions encountered along this coast. The consequences for the exploitation of these data are finally discussed

A numerical scheme for coastal morphodynamic modelling on unstructured grids

International audienceOver the last decade, modelling systems based on unstructured grids have been appearing increasingly attractive to investigate the dynamics of coastal zones. However, the resolution of the sediment continuity equation to simulate bed evolution is a complex problem which often leads to the development of numerical oscillations. To overcome this problem, addition of artificial diffusion or bathy-metric filters are commonly employed methods, although these techniques can potentially over-smooth the bathymetry. This study aims to present a numerical scheme based on the Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (WENO) formalism to solve the bed continuity equation on unstructured grids in a finite volume formulation. The new solution is compared against a classical method, which combines a basic node-centered finite volume method with artificial diffusion, for three idealized test cases. This comparison reveals that a higher accuracy is obtained with our new method while the addition of diffusion appears inappropriate mainly due to the arbitrary choice of the diffusion coefficient. Moreover, the increased computation time associated with the WENO-based method to solve the bed continuity equation is negligible when considering a fully-coupled simulation with tides and waves. Finally, the application of the new method to the pluri-monthly evolution of an idealized inlet subjected to tides and waves shows the development of realistic bed features (e.g. secondary flood channels , ebb-delta sandbars, or oblique sandbars at the adjacent beaches), that are smoothed or nonexistent when using additional diffusion

Historical global ocean wave data simulated with CMIP6 anthropogenic and natural forcings

Abstract This dataset presents historical ocean wave climate during 1960–2020, simulated using the numerical model WAVEWATCH III (WW3) forced by Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) simulations corresponding to natural-only (NAT), greenhouse gas-only (GHG), aerosol-only (AER) forcings, combined forcing (natural and anthropogenic; ALL), and pre-industrial control conditions. Surface wind at 3-hourly temporal resolution, and sea-ice area fraction at monthly frequency, from a CMIP6 model - MRI-ESM2.0 are used to force WW3 over the global ocean. Model calibration and validation of the significant wave height are carried out using inter-calibrated multi-mission altimeter data produced by the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative, with additional corroboration using ERA-5 reanalysis. The simulated dataset is assessed for its skill to represent mean state, extremes, trends, seasonal cycle, time consistency, and spatial distribution over time. Numerically simulated wave parameters for different individual external forcing scenario is not available yet. This study produces a novel database particularly useful for detection and attribution analysis to quantify the relative contributions of natural and anthropogenic forcings to historical changes