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Wave Height (wave + height)
Kinds of Wave Height Selected AbstractsDynamics of multiple intertidal bars over semi-diurnal and lunar tidal cycles, North Lincolnshire, EnglandEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 10 2008Selma van Houwelingen Abstract Multiple intertidal bars are common features of wave-dominated sandy beaches, yet their short-term (<1 month) and small-scale (<1 km) morphology and dynamics remain poorly understood. This study describes the morphodynamics of multiple intertidal bars in North Lincolnshire, England, during single and lunar tidal cycles under two contrasting conditions , first when significant wave height was <0·5 m and second when significant wave height frequently exceeded 1 m. The relative importance of swash, surf and shoaling processes in determining morphological change was examined using detailed field observations and a numerical model. The beach featured four intertidal bars and both cross-shore and longshore bar morphology evolved during the field investigation, particularly under medium to high wave-energy conditions. Numerical modelling suggests shoaling processes are most common on the seaward two bars under calm wave conditions (Hs < 0·5 m) and that surf zone processes become more common during neap tides and under more energetic (Hs < 0·5 m) conditions. Surf processes dominate the inner two bars, though swash influence increases in a landward direction. The numerical modelling results combined with low tide survey data and high-resolution morphological measurements strongly suggest changes in the intertidal bar morphology are accomplished by surf zone processes rather than by shoaling wave or swash processes. This is because shoaling waves do not induce significant sediment transport to have any morphological effect, whereas swash action generally does not have enough scope to act as the swash zone is much narrower than the surf zone. It was found, however, that the absolute rate of morphological change under swash action and surfzone processes are of similar magnitudes and that swash action may induce a significant amount of local morphological change when the high tide mark is located on the upper bar, making this process important for bar morphodynamics. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Field observations of nearshore bar formationEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 7 2008Troels Aagaard Abstract The formation of an inner nearshore bar was observed during a high-energy event at the sandy beach of Vejers, Denmark. The bar accreted in situ during surf zone conditions and the growth of the bar was associated with the development of a trough landward of the bar. Measurements of hydrodynamics and sediment fluxes were obtained from electromagnetic current meters and optical backscatter sensors. These process measurements showed that a divergence in sediment transport occurred at the location of the developing trough, and observed gradients in cross-shore net sediment flux were consistent with the morphological development. The main cause for the flux gradients were cross-shore gradients in offshore-directed mean current (undertow) speed which depended upon local relative wave height and local bed slope. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Daily to seasonal cross-shore behaviour of quasi-persistent intertidal beach morphologyEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 9 2007S. Quartel Abstract In this study, an intertidal bar and trough system on the beach of Noordwijk, The Netherlands was monitored over a 15-month period in order to examine the daily to seasonal sequential cross-shore behaviour and to establish which conditions force or interrupt this cyclic bar behaviour. The beach morphology (bars and troughs) was classified from low-tide Argus video images based on surface composition. From the classified images, time series of the landward boundary of the bar and of the trough were extracted. The time series of the alongshore-averaged boundary positions described sawtooth motion with a period between 1 and 4 months, comprising gradual landward migration followed by abrupt seaward shifts. The abrupt seaward shift appeared to be a morphological reset induced by storm events, which lasted at least 30 h with a large average root-mean-square wave height (,2 m) and offshore surge level (,0·5 m), and a small trough (<20 m wide) in the pre-storm beach morphology. The time series of the boundary positions exhibited very little longer (seasonal) scale variability, but somewhat larger smaller (daily) scale variability. The bar boundary was found to be more dynamic than the trough boundary. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Impact of a rock avalanche on a moraine-dammed proglacial lake: Laguna Safuna Alta, Cordillera Blanca, PeruEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 10 2005Bryn Hubbard Abstract Moraines that dam proglacial lakes pose an increasing hazard to communities in the Andes and other mountain ranges. The moraines are prone to failure through collapse, overtopping by lake waters or the effect of displacement waves resulting from ice and rock avalanches. Resulting floods have led to the loss of thousands of lives in the Cordillera Blanca mountains of Peru alone in the last 100 years. On 22 April 2002 a rock avalanche occurred immediately to the south-west of Laguna Safuna Alta, in the Cordillera Blanca. The geomorphic evidence for the nature, magnitude and consequences of this event was investigated in August 2002. Field mapping indicated that the avalanche deposited 8,20 × 106 m3 of rock into the lake and onto the surface of the frontal region of Glaciar Pucajirca, which flows into the lake. Repeated bathymetric surveying indicated that ,5 × 106 m3 of this material was deposited directly into the lake. The immediate effect of this event was to create a displacement wave that gained in height as it travelled along the lake basin, overtopping the impounding moraine at the lake's northern end. To achieve overtopping, the maximum wave height must have been greater than 100 m. This, and subsequent seiche waves, caused extensive erosion of both the proximal and distal faces of the impounding terminal moraine. Further deep gullying of the distal face of this moraine resulted from the supply of pressurized water to the face via a relief overflow tunnel constructed in 1978. Two-dimensional, steady-state analysis of the stability of the post-avalanche moraine rampart indicates that its proximal face remains susceptible to major large-scale rotational failure. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Spatio-temporal statistical modelling of significant wave heightENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 1 2009A. Baxevani Abstract In this paper, we construct a homogeneous spatio-temporal model to describe the variability of significant wave height over small regions of the sea and over short periods of time. Then, the model is extended to a non-homogeneous one that is valid over larger areas of the sea and for time periods of up to 10 h. To validate the proposed model, we reconstruct the significant wave height surface under different scenarios and then compare it to satellite measurements and the C-ERA-40 field. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Predicting the effects of marine climate change on the invertebrate prey of the birds of rocky shoresIBIS, Issue 2004Michael A. Kendall By the end of the 21st century models of climate change predict that the air temperature over most of the British Isles will increase by between 2 and 3 °C and sea-level will rise by 40,50 cm. Over that period it will become windier and mean wave height will increase, as will the frequency of storms. These changes in climate and weather will impact the intertidal zone of the UK and will cause distribution changes in many of the common invertebrate species that live there. Where these changes are severe they may well impact on patterns of distribution of ducks and wading birds. In the British Isles a number of organisms live close to their geographical limits of distribution. Some of these species might be expected to extend their range as climatic restraints are relaxed. Species currently limited by cool summers or winter cold will move northwards. In most cases the effects on the distribution of waterbirds will be small. For example, the replacement of the Northern Limpet Patella vulgata by the Southern Limpet P. depressa is unlikely to adversely affect Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus. Of wider concern is the possibility that as climate warms the abundance and productivity of brown algae will decrease. This is likely to have two significant effects for waders. First, it would represent a loss of potentially rich feeding grounds for species such as Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres that feed on small easily desiccated invertebrates living on or below the seaweed. Secondly, as algae die or are broken away the resulting debris is exported to sediment habitats where it considerably boosts the in situ production of bacteria at the base of the food web. An increase in sea-level will only have a major impact on the extent of rocky shore invertebrate communities where shore topography prevents the upward migration of the biota. Where a seawall limits shores, for example, biological production will be curtailed as the area available for colonization decreases. Increases in the size of waves and the frequency of storms will mimic increasing exposure and there will be a significant reduction in algal production in areas that are affected. [source] Godunov-type adaptive grid model of wave,current interaction at cuspate beachesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 6 2004Benedict D. Rogers Abstract This paper presents a second-order accurate Godunov-type numerical scheme for depth- and period-averaged wave,current interaction. A flux Jacobian is derived for the wave conservation equations and its eigensystem determined, enabling Roe's approximate Riemann solver to be used to evaluate convective fluxes. Dynamically adaptive quadtree grids are used to focus on local hydrodynamic features, where sharp gradients occur in the flow variables. Adaptation criteria based on depth-averaged vorticity, wave-height gradient, wave steepness and the magnitude of velocity gradients are found to produce accurate solutions for nearshore circulation at a half-sinusoidal beach. However, the simultaneous combination of two or more separate criteria produces numerical instability and interference unless all criteria are satisfied for mesh depletion. Simulations of wave,current interaction at a multi-cusped beach match laboratory data from the United Kingdom Coastal Research Facility (UKCRF). A parameter study demonstrates the sensitivity of nearshore flow patterns to changes in relative cusp height, angle of wave incidence, bed roughness, offshore wave height and assumed turbulent eddy viscosity. Only a small deviation from normal wave incidence is required to initiate a meandering longshore current. Nearshore circulation patterns are highly dependent on the offshore wave height. Reduction of the assumed eddy viscosity parameter causes the primary circulation cells for normally incident waves to increase in strength whilst producing rip-like currents cutting diagonally across the surf zone. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Variability and trends in the directional wave climate of the Southern HemisphereINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Mark A. Hemer Abstract The effect of interannual climate variability and change on the historic, directional wave climate of the Southern Hemisphere is presented. Owing to a lack of in situ wave observations, wave climate in the Southern Hemisphere is determined from satellite altimetry and global ocean wave models. Altimeter data span the period 1985 to present, with the exception of a 2-year gap in 1989,1991. Interannual variability and trends in the significant wave height are determined from the satellite altimeter record (1991 to present), and the dominant modes of variability are identified using an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. Significant wave heights in the Southern Ocean are observed to show a strong positive correlation with the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), particularly during Austral autumn and winter months. Correlation between altimeter derived significant wave heights and the Southern Oscillation Index is observed in the Pacific basin, which is consistent with several previous studies. Variability and trends of the directional wave climate are determined using the ERA-40 Waves Re-analysis for the period 1980,2001. Significant wave height, mean wave period and mean wave direction data are used to describe the climate of the wave energy flux vector. An EOF analysis of the wave energy flux vector is carried out to determine the dominant modes of variability of the directional seasonal wave energy flux climate. The dominant mode of variability during autumn and winter months is strongly correlated to the SAM. There is an anti-clockwise rotation of wave direction with the southward intensification of the Southern Ocean storm belt associated with the SAM. Clockwise rotation of flux vectors is observed in the Western Pacific Ocean during El-Nino events. Directional variability of the wave energy flux in the Western Pacific Ocean has previously been shown to be of importance to sand transport along the south-eastern Australian margin, and the New Zealand region. The directional variability of the wave energy flux of the Southern Ocean associated with the SAM is expected to be of importance to the wave-driven currents responsible for the transport of sand along coastal margins in the Southern Hemisphere, in particular those on the Southern and Western coastal margins of the Australian continent. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society [source] An application of dynamic positioning control using wave feed forwardINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROBUST AND NONLINEAR CONTROL, Issue 13 2001A. B. Aalbers Abstract The paper presents the results of model tests for a large tanker in which wave drift force feed forward was applied in the dynamic positioning control system. The estimation method of the nonlinear (second order) wave drift forces from the measurement of relative water motions at the side of a ship hull is presented. The estimated wave drift forces are used in the DP control system, to enhance the filter process of the extended Kalman filter, and in the required thruster set-points. The EKF uses the nonlinear equations of low-frequency ship motions on the horizontal plane, which are also presented. The results of the model tests show that the use of wave drift force feed forward significantly improves the positioning accuracy in sea states with 3.5 m significant wave height or higher. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Saltmarsh erosion and restoration in south-east England: squeezing the evidence requires realignmentJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2005MINEKE WOLTERS Summary 1Saltmarshes in south-east England have been eroding rapidly since 1960. Recently, Hughes & Paramor (2004) and Morris et al. (2004) have presented contrasting views on the extent to which physical and biological processes might contribute to the erosion. There are three contentious issues: (i) saltmarsh erosion is the result of coastal squeeze, where sea walls prevent a landward migration of a saltmarsh in response to sea level rise; (ii) saltmarsh erosion is linked to bioturbation and herbivory of seedlings by the ragworm Nereis diversicolor; (iii) new saltmarshes will not develop on managed realignment sites where existing sea walls have been removed because of the effects of ragworms. 2In this paper, we provide a literature review of physical and biological processes relevant to the above three issues, and discuss the relative importance of these processes at different spatial and temporal scales. 3Our synthesis shows that, at a regional scale, the combination of strong winds, high tides and increased wave height appears to be responsible for the increased rate of marsh erosion and creek dissection recorded in the 1970s. There is also some laboratory evidence that bioturbation and herbivory from populations of Nereis can lead to sediment instability and loss of pioneer plant species, such as Salicornia spp. However, the field evidence is more equivocal and has been conducted at small spatial scales. 4At a large number of different managed realignment sites there is strong evidence that even if bioturbation and herbivory by Nereis have occurred, overall the effects have been insufficient to restrict plant succession of exposed sediment. 5Synthesis and applications. There is an urgent need for long-term field studies that integrate and quantify physical and biological processes and the related feedbacks at different spatial and temporal scales. Until this is completed, terms such as coastal squeeze will remain contentious and management decisions will invite criticism. [source] A mechanistic model for roll waves for two-phase pipe flowAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 11 2009George W. Johnson Abstract A new two-phase roll wave model is compared with data from high pressure two-phase stratified pipe flow experiments. Results from 754 experiments, including mean wave speed, wave height, pressure gradient, holdup and wave length, are compared with theoretical results. The model was able to predict these physical quantities with good accuracy without introducing any new empirically determined quantities to the two-fluid model equations. This was possible by finding the unique theoretical limit for nonlinear roll amplitude and applying a new approach for determining the friction factor at the gas-liquid interface. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009 [source] Growth and mortality of common octopus Octopus vulgaris reared at different stocking densities in Mediterranean offshore cagesAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 10 2009Benjamín García García Abstract Four ongrowing cycles of common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), each with two stocking densities, were carried out in an offshore area in order to evaluate the effect of the following variables on growth (G, % body weight day,1) and mortality (M, % day,1): weight (W, 0.5,3.0 kg), temperature (T, 14,26 °C), stocking density (SD, 6,46 kg m,3), size dispersion, expressed as coefficient of variation (CV, 13,42%) and significant wave height (SWH: 0.4,1.2 m). The assays were performed in an 8 m3 stainless-steel floating cage divided into two compartments of 4 m3 each. For the range of temperatures considered (14,26 °C), G depended significantly on T and SWH, with maximum G values being obtained at 18.5 °C and with an important negative effect of SWH. M depended significantly on T, W and CV, mortality being minimal at 18 °C. The two other variables had an antagonistic effect, mortality increasing with greater size dispersion , suggesting that animals should be graded throughout the process , although the effect diminished as the sizes increased. The results point towards two alternatives for the commercial ongrowing of octopus under the particular conditions of the present study: (A) two ongrowing cycles of 3.5 months to reach a final weight of 2.5 kg or (B) one 5-month cycle to reach a final weight of 3.5 kg. [source] Variability and trends in the directional wave climate of the Southern HemisphereINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Mark A. Hemer Abstract The effect of interannual climate variability and change on the historic, directional wave climate of the Southern Hemisphere is presented. Owing to a lack of in situ wave observations, wave climate in the Southern Hemisphere is determined from satellite altimetry and global ocean wave models. Altimeter data span the period 1985 to present, with the exception of a 2-year gap in 1989,1991. Interannual variability and trends in the significant wave height are determined from the satellite altimeter record (1991 to present), and the dominant modes of variability are identified using an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. Significant wave heights in the Southern Ocean are observed to show a strong positive correlation with the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), particularly during Austral autumn and winter months. Correlation between altimeter derived significant wave heights and the Southern Oscillation Index is observed in the Pacific basin, which is consistent with several previous studies. Variability and trends of the directional wave climate are determined using the ERA-40 Waves Re-analysis for the period 1980,2001. Significant wave height, mean wave period and mean wave direction data are used to describe the climate of the wave energy flux vector. An EOF analysis of the wave energy flux vector is carried out to determine the dominant modes of variability of the directional seasonal wave energy flux climate. The dominant mode of variability during autumn and winter months is strongly correlated to the SAM. There is an anti-clockwise rotation of wave direction with the southward intensification of the Southern Ocean storm belt associated with the SAM. Clockwise rotation of flux vectors is observed in the Western Pacific Ocean during El-Nino events. Directional variability of the wave energy flux in the Western Pacific Ocean has previously been shown to be of importance to sand transport along the south-eastern Australian margin, and the New Zealand region. The directional variability of the wave energy flux of the Southern Ocean associated with the SAM is expected to be of importance to the wave-driven currents responsible for the transport of sand along coastal margins in the Southern Hemisphere, in particular those on the Southern and Western coastal margins of the Australian continent. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Dynamical versus statistical downscaling methods for ocean wave heightsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Xiaolan L. Wang Abstract In this study, dynamical and statistical downscaling methods for estimating seasonal statistics of significant wave heights (SWH) were intercompared, with the downscaling results being evaluated against the ERA40 wave data in terms of climatological characteristics and interannual variability. It was also shown that biases in climate-model-simulated climate and variability of the atmospheric circulation (or predictors in general) can result in large biases in the estimated climate and variability of SWH (or the predictand in general), and that such biases can be effectively diminished by using standardized predictor quantities in statistical downscaling models. In dynamical downscaling, however, model variability biases remain to be dealt with, whereas the effects of model climate biases can be reduced to some extent by replacing the climate-model-simulated wind climate with the observed one. Therefore, the dynamical approach was found to be not as good as the statistical methods in terms of reproducing the observed climate and interannual variability of the predictand, although it bears substantial similarity to the statistical methods in terms of projected possible future changes. Also, it was shown that the observed interannual variability of seasonal statistics (including extremes) can be better reproduced by using 12-hourly, rather than seasonal, data in statistical downscaling. This stresses the importance of availability of higher-resolution data from climate model outputs. Nevertheless, a non-stationary extreme value model with covariates was found to be the best in reproducing the observed climate of extremes. All the statistical downscaling methods and the intercomparison results are applicable to other climate variables (not limited to ocean wave heights). Copyright © 2009 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Preliminary climatology and improved modelling of south Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean mid-latitude cyclonesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 10 2004Bruce W. Buckley Abstract The intense mid-latitude cyclones that traverse the southern waters of the Indian Ocean, between South Africa and southwestern Western Australia, are among the strongest depressions found anywhere in the world, outside tropical waters. Near-surface winds that exceed storm force (i.e. 24 m/s or 48 knots), and central pressures of 960 hPa and lower, are relatively common for these systems. They pose a constant threat to both open ocean and coastal shipping, and regularly generate severe weather over the populated southwestern corner of Australia. Large ocean waves and swell produce extensive coastal inundation and erosion. There were two main aims in this study. The first aim was to develop a preliminary climatology of these intense mid-latitude cyclones, for the region 20,60 °S, 30,130 °E. The climatology, which is the first that we are aware of for this notoriously data-sparse region, is based largely upon satellite observations, particularly scatterometer data, and is supplemented by ship, buoy and all available land observations. The climatology revealed that, historically, the frequency and intensity of the mid-latitude cyclones in this domain have been significantly underestimated. This underestimation has resulted in analyses that have serious flaws, and the resultant operational forecasts provided to the duty forecasters in the regional forecast centre located in Perth, Western Australia, are of highly variable quality. A number of other climatological features of these storms are discussed in this article. The second aim was to identify the factors that can contribute to a significant improvement in model forecasts of these storms. So far, there have been very few studies of explosively developing cyclones over this part of the world. Results are presented here from a series of high-resolution numerical simulations of an intense cool season Southern Ocean cyclone that developed in 2003, using the HIRES numerical weather prediction model developed by L.M. Leslie. Here, we examine the sensitivity of the cyclone predictions to both model resolution and the initial analyses. The predicted variables of most interest are the central pressure, maximum sustained near-surface wind speeds, extent of storm-force winds, and the horizontal and vertical structure of the storm. Increased detail in the initial state is provided mainly by the assimilation into the archived global operational analyses of high-resolution satellite-derived data, including QuikSCAT scatterometer winds and sea-surface temperatures. The combination of increased horizontal and vertical model resolution, and improved initial model states, was found to produce numerical forecasts with significantly more accurate wind speeds than those obtained from the coarser resolution operational models, which also did not have the benefits of all the additional data. Finally, areas of future research are outlined, including coupling the HIRES atmospheric model with ocean and wave models, to improve forecasts of the sea state, including wind wave heights, swell and storm surges. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Statistical simulation of flood variables: incorporating short-term sequencingJOURNAL OF FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2008Y. Cai Abstract The pluvial and fluvial flooding in the United Kingdom over the summer of 2007 arose as a result of anomalous climatic conditions that persisted for over a month. Gaining an understanding of the sequencing of storm events and representing their characteristics within flood risk analysis is therefore of importance. This paper provides a general method for simulating univariate time series data, with a given marginal extreme value distribution and required autocorrelation structure, together with a demonstration of the method with synthetic data. The method is then extended to the multivariate case, where cross-variable correlations are also represented. The multivariate method is shown to work well for a two-variable simulation of wave heights and sea surges at Lerwick. This work was prompted by an engineering need for long time series data for use in continuous simulation studies where gradual deterioration is a contributory factor to flood risk and potential structural failure. [source] The multivariate Gaussian tail model: an application to oceanographic dataJOURNAL OF THE ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY: SERIES C (APPLIED STATISTICS), Issue 1 2000P. Bortot Optimal design of sea-walls requires the extreme value analysis of a variety of oceanographic data. Asymptotic arguments suggest the use of multivariate extreme value models, but empirical studies based on data from several UK locations have revealed an inadequacy of this class for modelling the types of dependence that are often encountered in such data. This paper develops a specific model based on the marginal transformation of the tail of a multivariate Gaussian distribution and examines its utility in overcoming the limitations that are encountered with the current methodology. Diagnostics for the model are developed and the robustness of the model is demonstrated through a simulation study. Our analysis focuses on extreme sea-levels at Newlyn, a port in south-west England, for which previous studies had given conflicting estimates of the probability of flooding. The novel diagnostics suggest that this discrepancy may be due to the weak dependence at extreme levels between wave periods and both wave heights and still water levels. The multivariate Gaussian tail model is shown to resolve the conflict and to offer a convincing description of the extremal sea-state process at Newlyn. [source] Relationships Between Community Structure of the Intertidal Macroinfauna and Sandy Beach Characteristics Along the Chilean CoastMARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2001Eduardo Jaramillo Abstract. Eight sandy beaches were seasonally sampled along the coast of Chile, from ca. 21 to 42° S (about 3000 km) to study the relationship between community structure of the intertidal macroinfauna and beach characteristics. Sediment samples (0.1 m2, 30 cm deep) were collected (July , September 1998 and December 1998 , January 1999) with plastic cylinders at 15 equally spaced levels along three replicated transects extending from above the drift line to the swash zone. The sediment was sieved through a 1 mm mesh and the organisms collected stored in 5 % formalin. To define beach types, Dean's parameter (,) was calculated from wave heights and periods, and fall velocity of sand particles from the swash zone. Crustaceans (mainly peracarids) were the most diverse group with 14 species, followed by polychaetes with 5 species. The talitrid amphipod Orchestoidea tuberculata, the cirolanid isopods Excirolana braziliensis and E. hirsuticauda and the anomuran decapod Emerita analoga were the most widely distributed and common species. Regression analyses between species richness, abundance and biomass of the whole macroinfauna versus sediment characteristics, beach face slopes and morphodynamic beach states showed no significant relationships. Thus, macroinfaunal community characteristics did not increase linearly from lower intermediate to higher intermediate or dissipative beach states as had been found before in Chile or in other coasts. A comparative analysis with data from sandy beaches of other world regions showed that the number of species inhabiting Chilean sandy beaches was generally lower, whereas total population abundances were generally higher compared with values reported elsewhere. [source] Statistical investigation of the nonlinear dynamical behavior of offshore structuresPROCEEDINGS IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS & MECHANICS, Issue 1 2008Jürgen Reimers The increasing amount of reports concerning damages of ships, structures and loss of cargo due to wave structure interaction demand the development of systems to predict critical situations in the offshore environment. Within the last years, research has been done to predict encounter with critical wave or wave groups such as "rogue waves" or the so,called "three sisters". The aim of such research is to develop programs that predict dangerous incidents and possibly alert the crew in time. The dangers of such extreme wave situations are severe, but occurrence of them is rather rare. Additionally and more often, structures are endangered because of fluid,structure,interaction leading to critical dynamical system behaviour in a wave environment that shows no extreme wave heights. The severeness of these incidents then depends on the experience and correctness of decision concerning the evasive actions of the master and his crew. Taking nonlinear effects into account, the statistical investigation of structures in waves shows critical behaviour of ships and structures without the absolute necessity of heavy sea conditions or the occurrence of dangerous sea phenomena. This paper describes the development of a program that uses a Monte,Carlo,Simulation technique based on a common panel,method for the creation of added masses and added dampings to predict the behaviour of the structure in several wave conditions. It shows possible ways to prevent the occurrence using similar early warning systems to those in development for critical wavegroups. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] | |||||||||||||||||||