Sediment Dynamics in the Bay of Marseille, Gulf of Lions (France): Hydrodynamic Forcing<i>vs.</i>Bed Erodibility

Vousdoukas, Michalis; Verney, Romaric; Dufois, François; Pinazo, Christel; Sauzade, Didier; Meulé, Samuel; Cann, Philippe; Plomaritis, Theocharis A.

doi:10.2112/jcoastres-d-10-00122.1

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Additional simulations were conducted using different erosion rates. We used E 0 = 5 × 10 −3 kg·m −2 ·s −1 for the reference experiment, but a high variability of this parameter has been found in different environments [ Warner et al ., ; Bever et al ., ; Vousdoukas et al ., ; Bever and Harris , ]. Three additional simulations were conducted testing E 0 = 5 × 10 −4 kg·m −2 ·s −1 , E 0 = 5 × 10 −5 kg·m −2 ·s −1 , and E 0 = 5 × 10 −6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Formation of fine sediment deposit from a flash flood river in the Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2014

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We identify the mechanisms controlling fine deposits on the inner-shelf in front of the Besos River, in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. This river is characterized by a flash flood regime discharging large amounts of water (more than 20 times the mean water discharge) and sediment in very short periods lasting from hours to few days. Numerical model output was compared with bottom sediment observations and used to characterize the multiple spatial and temporal scales involved in offshore sediment deposit formation. A high-resolution (50 m grid size) coupled hydrodynamic-wave-sediment transport model was applied to the initial stages of the sediment dispersal after a storm-related flood event. After the flood, sediment accumulation was predominantly confined to an area near the coastline as a result of preferential deposition during the final stage of the storm. Subsequent reworking occurred due to wave-induced bottom shear stress that resuspended fine materials, with seaward flow exporting them toward the midshelf. Wave characteristics, sediment availability, and shelf circulation determined the transport after the reworking and the final sediment deposition location. One year simulations of the regional area revealed a prevalent southwestward average flow with increased intensity downstream. The circulation pattern was consistent with the observed fine deposit depocenter being shifted southward from the river mouth. At the southern edge, bathymetry controlled the fine deposition by inducing near-bottom flow convergence enhancing bottom shear stress. According to the shortterm and long-term analyses, a seasonal pattern in the fine deposit formation is expected.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Formation of fine sediment deposit from a flash flood river in the Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2014

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“…Wave propagation models have been proven capable of accurately predicting wave fields across large areas, are being widely used for scientific research (e.g., Vousdoukas et al 2011c;Dodet et al 2010;Castelle et al 2008), and are commonly part of operational wave-forecasting platforms (e.g., Lane et al 2009;Warner et al 2010) or coastal management projects (e.g., Irish et al 2010). On the other hand, the prediction of coastal morphological change using numerical models is a more challenging task (e.g., Roelvink and Broker 1993;Vousdoukas et al 2009), since model validation/calibration requires extensive field data, and as a result, there are very few systems producing operational predictions of beach erosion (Ciavola et al 2011a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward reliable storm-hazard forecasts: XBeach calibration and its potential application in an operational early-warning system

et al. 2012

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The study aims to calibrate/validate and apply the dune-erosion model, XBeach, in order to predict morphological response to storm events along a meso-tidal, steeply sloping beach. More than 10,000 XBeach calibration runs, including different model parameters and erosion events, were compared with measurements of beach-profile response to storm conditions. Off-shore wave and tidal measurements were used as input for a SWAN wave model, which was used to provide wave conditions to XBeach. The results indicate that using XBeach to predict beachprofile morphodynamic response during storm events on steeply sloping intermediate-to-reflective beaches may be more demanding than for dissipative beaches and that the default model setup can overestimate dune/beach-face erosion. The performance of the model after calibration was satisfactory, with Brier Skill Scores from 0.2 to 0.72. XBeach was found to be more sensitive to input parameters such as the beach-face slope and the surf similarity parameter ξ (especially for values ξ>0.6). The calibrated XBeach setup was used for simulations of storm scenarios with different return periods (5, 25, and 50 years), and the simulations highlighted the fragility of the dune field and the potential for storm-induced dune retreat, lowering, and overwash in the study area. Finally, the nested SWAN/ XBeach models were forced by an existing operational wave-forecast WAVEWATCH-III/SWAN model, operated by the Portuguese Hydrographic Institute to generate daily forecasts of storm impact and serve as a prototype-case for an early warning system for storm hazard mitigation.

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“…This event released more than 7000 MJ mm h −1 ha −1 d −1 energy (i.e., three times more than in one mean year). These results show that sediment exports depend not only on the water flows but also on specific environmental factors [51,52]: evidently, the Mediterranean climate with severe but short storms in summer and autumn leads to more significant peaks in sediment flux compared with the temperate oceanic climate basins where rainfall events are generally characterized by a lower intensity and a longer duration.…”

Section: Seasonal Hazard and Extreme Rainfall Eventsmentioning

confidence: 88%

Modelling the Rainfall Erosivity of the Rhone Region (Southeastern France) Associated with Climate Variability and Storminess

Diodato

Bellocchi

Romano

et al. 2016

Advances in Meteorology

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Changes in the spatial and temporal patterns of extreme rainfall may have important effects on the magnitude and timing of rainfall erosivity, which in turn lead to even severe soil degradation phenomena. The Mediterranean belt is characterized by strong climatic variability and specific seasonal features, where dry periods are often interrupted by pulsing storms. Identifying the thresholds associated with extreme rainfall events is among the most important challenges for this region. To discern the spatial patterns of rainfall erosivity hazard in the Rhone region (eastern France), this study establishes thresholds in the power of rainstorms. An indicator Kriging approach was employed for computing probability maps of the annual rainfall erosivity exceeding the threshold of 1800 MJ mm ha−1 h−1, the latter being twice greater than the standard deviation. The interdecadal spatial patterns of hazard were assessed for recent decades (1991–2010) and the precedents ones (1961–1990). Climate fluctuations of rainfall erosivity revealed possible signals of increased storminess hazard across the region in recent times. We also discussed changes in the rainfall erosivity hazard forcing as related to climatic changes in daily rain rate, especially in autumn when the erosivity is likely affected by more intense storminess occurring across the southern part of the Rhone region.

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Sediment Dynamics in the Bay of Marseille, Gulf of Lions (France): Hydrodynamic Forcingvs.Bed Erodibility

Cited by 13 publications

References 48 publications

Formation of fine sediment deposit from a flash flood river in the Mediterranean Sea

Formation of fine sediment deposit from a flash flood river in the Mediterranean Sea

Toward reliable storm-hazard forecasts: XBeach calibration and its potential application in an operational early-warning system

Modelling the Rainfall Erosivity of the Rhone Region (Southeastern France) Associated with Climate Variability and Storminess

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