High-frequency sea level oscillations in the Mediterranean and their connection to synoptic patterns

Šepić, Jadranka; Vilibić, Ivica; Lafon, Amaury; Macheboeuf, Loïc; Ivanović, Zvonko

doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2015.07.005

Cited by 35 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…In the meteotsunami propagation stage, wave amplification is highly sensitive to the matching between the speed of the atmospheric disturbance and the bathymetry‐dictated free wave speed of the meteotsunami [ Vilibić , 2007; Orlić et al ., ]. Propagation direction also affects this amplification, as the disturbance pathway dictates the fetch and the bathymetry over which the disturbance propagates [ Vilibić et al ., ; Orlić et al ., ; Šepić et al ., ]. To reveal the effects of atmospheric disturbance velocities on meteotsunami formation, numerical models have been employed to quantify meteotsunami height in response to various atmospheric disturbance velocities [ Vilibić et al ., ; Orlić et al ., ; Bechle and Wu , ; Šepić et al ., ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To reveal the effects of atmospheric disturbance velocities on meteotsunami formation, numerical models have been employed to quantify meteotsunami height in response to various atmospheric disturbance velocities [ Vilibić et al ., ; Orlić et al ., ; Bechle and Wu , ; Šepić et al ., ]. In the nearshore wave transformation stage, direction of propagation affects how the meteotsunami wave interacts with the local shoreline and bathymetry [ Vilibić et al ., ; Orlić et al ., ; Šepić et al ., ]. For example, topographic wave effects such as shoaling and refraction are dictated by the bathymetry over which the wave travels [ Harris , ] and wave reflection depends upon the direction at which the wave strikes the coast [ Bechle and Wu , ; Choi et al ., ; Anderson et al ., ] or reflects from a shelf break [ Pasquet and Vilibić , ; Bailey et al ., ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterization and assessment of the meteotsunami hazard in northern Lake Michigan

Linares

Bechle

2016

JGR Oceans

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The meteotsunami hazard is assessed in northern Lake Michigan from both short‐term and long‐term records of water level, wind speed, and air pressure. Cross‐wavelet analysis reveals that meteotsunamis can be caused by atmospheric disturbances that are pressure dominated, wind dominated, or both pressure and wind forced. In total, air pressure and wind stress are found to contribute similarly to meteotsunami initiation in northern Lake Michigan. The pressure‐driven meteotsunamis tend to be associated with convective storms, whereas meteotsunamis that are mainly wind‐driven are associated more with cyclonic‐type storms. The atmospheric disturbances responsible for largest meteotsunamis in northern Lake Michigan are found to have a propagation speed close to 32 m/s and from the south to north direction. A heuristic approach is developed to estimate the maximum meteotsunami height from the atmospheric disturbance strength and velocity. Overall, the heuristic approach is shown to be an effective methodology to assess the meteotsunami hazard over a wide range of potential atmospheric disturbance conditions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization and assessment of the meteotsunami hazard in northern Lake Michigan

Linares

Bechle

2016

JGR Oceans

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“…Still, a number of high-frequency processes that substantially contribute to sea level extremes (such as tsunamis, meteotsunamis, and infragravity waves) cannot be properly assessed using hourly data. The science of tsunamis, due to their global importance and impact, has constantly been at the forefront of sea level research9, while the remainder of the high-frequency sea level signal, which can be defined as consisting of nonseismic sea level oscillations at tsunami timescales (NSLOTT), has been researched only locally10111213. The concept of NSLOTT events refers to all sea level oscillations except tsunamis that appear at periods between a few minutes to a few hours.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This database contains raw, not-quality checked data with a temporal resolution of 1 min, and it is the only global database containing multi-year global sea level observations at tsunami timescales. An initial regional (Mediterranean) study using these data showed that NSLOTT events may be dominant over tides during extreme sea level episodes and should thus be included in any sea level assessment13.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Global mapping of nonseismic sea level oscillations at tsunami timescales

Vilibić

Šepić

2017

Sci Rep

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Present investigations of sea level extremes are based on hourly data measured at coastal tide gauges. The use of hourly data restricts existing global and regional analyses to periods larger than 2 h. However, a number of processes occur at minute timescales, of which the most ruinous are tsunamis. Meteotsunamis, hazardous nonseismic waves that occur at tsunami timescales over limited regions, may also locally dominate sea level extremes. Here, we show that nonseismic sea level oscillations at tsunami timescales (<2 h) may substantially contribute to global sea level extremes, up to 50% in low-tidal basins. The intensity of these oscillations is zonally correlated with mid-tropospheric winds at the 99% significance level, with the variance doubling from the tropics and subtropics to the mid-latitudes. Specific atmospheric patterns are found during strong events at selected locations in the World Ocean, indicating a globally predominant generation mechanism. Our analysis suggests that these oscillations should be considered in sea level hazard assessment studies. Establishing a strong correlation between nonseismic sea level oscillations at tsunami timescales and atmospheric synoptic patterns would allow for forecasting of nonseismic sea level oscillations for operational use, as well as hindcasting and projection of their effects under past, present and future climates.

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Meteotsunami occurrences and causes in Lake Michigan

Bechle

Kristovich

2015

JGR Oceans

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The occurrence of meteotsunamis in Lake Michigan is quantified at 10 locations from up to 20 years of historical water level records. Meteotsunami height data are fit with Pareto Type 1 and Generalized Pareto Distributions to estimate exceedance probabilities. The annual meteotsunami return level exceeds 0.25 m at all but two stations, with the largest annual return level of 0.62 m at Calumet Harbor. Analysis of radar imagery indicates that Lake Michigan meteotsunamis are associated primarily with convective storm structures, with a considerable contribution from frontal storms as well. Meteotsunami association with convective storm structures is more prevalent in southern Lake Michigan while frontal storm structures have a greater association with meteotsunamis in northern Lake Michigan. Water depths in southern Lake Michigan are conducive to Proudman resonance with convective storms while the northern Lake Michigan is too deep to meet Proudman resonance criteria, suggesting Greenspan edge wave resonance as the likely generation mechanism. Interestingly, meteotsunami events occur primarily in the late spring and early summer, approximately 1 month before the peak convective storm season but after the peak cyclone season. Overall, this statistical analysis provides valuable insight into the spatial and temporal trends in meteotsunami occurrence in Lake Michigan needed to estimate the risk posed by these dangerous coastal hazards.

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High-frequency sea level oscillations in the Mediterranean and their connection to synoptic patterns

Cited by 35 publications

References 69 publications

Characterization and assessment of the meteotsunami hazard in northern Lake Michigan

Characterization and assessment of the meteotsunami hazard in northern Lake Michigan

Global mapping of nonseismic sea level oscillations at tsunami timescales

Meteotsunami occurrences and causes in Lake Michigan

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