Spatial Variability of Beach Impact from Post-Tropical Cyclone Katia (2011) on Northern Ireland’s North Coast

In northern Europe, beach erosion, coastal flooding and associated damages to engineering structures are linked to mid-latitude storms that form through cyclogenesis and post-tropical cyclones, when a tropical cyclone moves north from its tropical origin. The present work analyses the hydrodynamic f...

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Main Authors: Giorgio Anfuso, Carlos Loureiro, Mohammed Taaouati, Thomas Smyth, Derek Jackson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
Series:Water
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/5/1380
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author Giorgio Anfuso
Carlos Loureiro
Mohammed Taaouati
Thomas Smyth
Derek Jackson
author_facet Giorgio Anfuso
Carlos Loureiro
Mohammed Taaouati
Thomas Smyth
Derek Jackson
author_sort Giorgio Anfuso
collection DOAJ
description In northern Europe, beach erosion, coastal flooding and associated damages to engineering structures are linked to mid-latitude storms that form through cyclogenesis and post-tropical cyclones, when a tropical cyclone moves north from its tropical origin. The present work analyses the hydrodynamic forcing and morphological changes observed at three beaches in the north coast of Northern Ireland (Magilligan, Portrush West’s southern and northern sectors, and Whiterocks), prior to, during, and immediately after post-tropical cyclone Katia. Katia was the second major hurricane of the active 2011 Atlantic hurricane season and impacted the British Isles on the 12–13 September 2011. During the Katia event, offshore wave buoys recorded values in excess of 5 m at the peak of the storm on the 13 September, but nearshore significant wave height ranged from 1 to 3 m, reflecting relevant wave energy dissipation across an extensive and shallow continental shelf. This was especially so at Magilligan, where widespread refraction and attenuation led to reduced shore-normal energy fluxes and very minor morphological changes. Morphological changes were restricted to upper beach erosion and flattening of the foreshore. Longshore transport was evident at Portrush West, with the northern sector experiencing erosion while the southern sector accreted, inducing a short-term rotational response in this embayment. In Whiterocks, berm erosion contributed to a general beach flattening and this resulted in an overall accretion due to sediment influx from the updrift western areas. Taking into account that the post-tropical cyclone Katia produced £100 m ($157 million, 2011 USD) in damage in the United Kingdom alone, the results of the present study represent a contribution to the general database of post-tropical storm response on Northern European coastlines, informing coastal response prediction and damage mitigation.
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spelling doaj.art-521834da45b04e03b90bbfa7f97bb0842023-11-20T00:16:29ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-05-01125138010.3390/w12051380Spatial Variability of Beach Impact from Post-Tropical Cyclone Katia (2011) on Northern Ireland’s North CoastGiorgio Anfuso0Carlos Loureiro1Mohammed Taaouati2Thomas Smyth3Derek Jackson4Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cádiz, Polígono del Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, SpainBiological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland FK9 4LA, UKDepartment of Exact Sciences, National School of Architecture, Tetouan 93000, MoroccoDepartment of Biological and Geographical Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UKSchool of Geography & Environmental Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland BT52 1SA, UKIn northern Europe, beach erosion, coastal flooding and associated damages to engineering structures are linked to mid-latitude storms that form through cyclogenesis and post-tropical cyclones, when a tropical cyclone moves north from its tropical origin. The present work analyses the hydrodynamic forcing and morphological changes observed at three beaches in the north coast of Northern Ireland (Magilligan, Portrush West’s southern and northern sectors, and Whiterocks), prior to, during, and immediately after post-tropical cyclone Katia. Katia was the second major hurricane of the active 2011 Atlantic hurricane season and impacted the British Isles on the 12–13 September 2011. During the Katia event, offshore wave buoys recorded values in excess of 5 m at the peak of the storm on the 13 September, but nearshore significant wave height ranged from 1 to 3 m, reflecting relevant wave energy dissipation across an extensive and shallow continental shelf. This was especially so at Magilligan, where widespread refraction and attenuation led to reduced shore-normal energy fluxes and very minor morphological changes. Morphological changes were restricted to upper beach erosion and flattening of the foreshore. Longshore transport was evident at Portrush West, with the northern sector experiencing erosion while the southern sector accreted, inducing a short-term rotational response in this embayment. In Whiterocks, berm erosion contributed to a general beach flattening and this resulted in an overall accretion due to sediment influx from the updrift western areas. Taking into account that the post-tropical cyclone Katia produced £100 m ($157 million, 2011 USD) in damage in the United Kingdom alone, the results of the present study represent a contribution to the general database of post-tropical storm response on Northern European coastlines, informing coastal response prediction and damage mitigation.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/5/1380wave energyHurricane Katialongshore transportdissipative
spellingShingle Giorgio Anfuso
Carlos Loureiro
Mohammed Taaouati
Thomas Smyth
Derek Jackson
Spatial Variability of Beach Impact from Post-Tropical Cyclone Katia (2011) on Northern Ireland’s North Coast
Water
wave energy
Hurricane Katia
longshore transport
dissipative
title Spatial Variability of Beach Impact from Post-Tropical Cyclone Katia (2011) on Northern Ireland’s North Coast
title_full Spatial Variability of Beach Impact from Post-Tropical Cyclone Katia (2011) on Northern Ireland’s North Coast
title_fullStr Spatial Variability of Beach Impact from Post-Tropical Cyclone Katia (2011) on Northern Ireland’s North Coast
title_full_unstemmed Spatial Variability of Beach Impact from Post-Tropical Cyclone Katia (2011) on Northern Ireland’s North Coast
title_short Spatial Variability of Beach Impact from Post-Tropical Cyclone Katia (2011) on Northern Ireland’s North Coast
title_sort spatial variability of beach impact from post tropical cyclone katia 2011 on northern ireland s north coast
topic wave energy
Hurricane Katia
longshore transport
dissipative
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/5/1380
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