COASTAL HAZARDS & SeA-LEVEL RISE
Ocean levels are rising – slowly. Global sea level is currently rising at ~3-4 mm/yr (Watson et al. 2015, Yi et al. 2015). However, this rate is expected to increase due to accelerated ocean warming and land-based ice melt. In most coastal regions, the amount of sea-level rise occurring over years to decades is significantly smaller than normal ocean-level fluctuations caused by tides and waves. Nevertheless, gradual sea-level rise compounds the frequency and severity of coastal flooding.
My research, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii, the U.S. Geological Survey, and University of Cantabria (Spain), seeks to quantify the impacts of accelerated frequency of coastal hazards through modeling and observation.
Photo of Erosion by my friend and colleague Pat Limber