a. A nontechnical explanation of the project's broader significance and importance
As coastal populations grow, sea level rises, and climate models predict increasing storminess, there needs to be a better understanding of the effects of high-energy waves on coastal regions. The urgency of this need is underscored by landmark storms that have struck world-wide in recent years. Western Europe was ravaged by a series of unusually strong storms this past winter, which generated the largest waves ever measured in Irish waters (25 m high). Damage to coastal infrastructure will cost tens of millions of dollars to repair, and major amounts of erosion and sediment movement are now being documented. This project will use these storms as an oppportunity for before-and-after analysis that can increase our knowledge of how storm waves move large objects. Using an existing database of photographs (most taken last summer) at surveyed sites tied to specific GPS locations, this research will use repeat photography to document and measure changes wrought by the winter storms. This investigation will establish a relationship between storm power and the inland extent of boulder movement that can serve as an index of the destructive power of storm waves. The results will be applicable to coastal regions world-wide and can serve as the basis for developing effective public policy.
b. A technical description of the project
The ability of storm waves to move large objects such as boulders is controversial. Some researches have suggested that only tsunami have the power to move massive objects to higher elevations, yet the distribution of coastal boulder ridges in areas not prone to tsunami indicate a more widespread and common mechanism. This project will use existing benchmark photographs and measurements of boulder distribution at key sites in the west of Ireland to make quantitative comparisons of boulder locations before and after thw winter storms of 2013-2014. The surveys will use recent field photographs taken mostly in 2012 and 2013 to make on-the-ground comparisons with the present boulder configurations, documenting which boulders have moved and measuring both the sizes and translation distances of the transported clasts. Because these sites have been topographically surveyed, the masses and movements to elevations above high water and distances inland will be documented, thus generating relationships between the maximum sea states recorded last winter and the inland extent of boulder movements. Data generated during this project will quaintify the connection between storm waves and boulder transport. The results will be applicable to other regions at risk from severe storm damage and can be used as the basis for refining models of coastal transport. This project will train students in the process of approaching a scientific problem that has societal relevance, and will broaden their understanding of geoscience and its broader roles. Undergraduate students, a high proportion of whom are from under-represented groups, will receive intense one-on-one mentoring and training in the field and in lab, as well as hands-on experience with a variety of field and analytical tools. The international nature of the work, the wide range of techniques involved, and the relevance for public planning will help prepare these undergraduates for successful, effective careers in research and teaching.
