Applicant:

Dr. Helena Mitasova, Geographic Modeling Systems Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Title of Research Proposal

Multiscale characterization and simulation of near-shore environment using advanaced GIS technology

Field Name : Topography of the Sea Floor Code : 14.01.00.B4236 Advisor: R.S. Harmon, ARO

Brief Abstract (100words)

While modeling of terrestrial processes using GIS technology is currently a mature field, routine application of GIS for studies of coastal and marine environments is in its early stages. Recent developments in multidimensional GIS provide opportunity to apply this technology to complex dynamic systems typical for coastal areas, with the potential to bring new insights into spatial aspects of near-shore processes and support coastal resource inventory, planning, and management. The proposed research will be based on a comprehensive review of the current state in near-shore characterization and modeling and will focus on investigation of effective use of advanced GIS for processing coastal field measurements, numerical modeling, data assimilation and visualization. Coupling of GIS and near-shore process modeling will be tested and evaluated using a selected portion of North Carolina shore?

Detailed Proposal

(4 pages max_(sign and date each page at the bottom)

Background/problem
Understanding near-shore processes is crucial for effective coastal management, especially with the increased threat of global warming with possible acceleration of coastline erosion problems. The general research strategy identified by the report "Nearshore Processes Research" (Thornton et al., 2000) focuses on combination of field experiments with numerical models spanning a range of scales. Both field measurements and models involve processing, analysis and visualization of large volumes of georeferenced data, often in different computational environments and formats. GIS would appear as a natural choice for integration of this type of data sets, however, the studied processes are complex, dynamic and multiscale, therefore traditional 2D static GIS cannot provide sufficient support. Recent developments in integration of GIS and environmental modeling (Goodchild et al., 1993, 1996, Parks et al. 2000, Mitasova et al., 1995) create an opportunity to extend the range of GIS application to new areas such as oceanography (Wright et al. 2001) and coastal studies. Advanced GIS technology can increase efficiency in data processing and analysis but it also creates an opportunity to gain new understanding of the processes and to improve coastal planning and management (see e.g., Coastal visions 2025" (NOAA 2000): "Enabling technologies, such as geographic information systems, remote sensing and
imaging, real time environmental monitoring and communications networks, and environmental modeling and simulation will dramatically improve the quality and quantity of information available and utilized for coastal management.")

Objective
The goal of the proposed research is to extend GIS-based modeling and visualization methods originally developed for landscape surface processes to near-shore applications and coastal management. The research will focus on effective use of GIS for processing of near-shore measurements, support of numerical modeling, and multidimensional dynamic visualization.

Approach
While modeling of terrestrial processes using GIS technology is currently a mature field, application of GIS for studies of near-shore processes is in its early stages (Wright and xxx, 1999, Hydraulic Processes Analysis System (HyPAS): tool for manipulation and viewing of hydrodynamic data with ArcView, references from GISEM3,4). To assess the potential benefits and obstacles of GIS application, the current state of the art in spatial near-shore characterization and modeling will be reviewed and its needs will be compared with the current capabilities of selected, widely used GISystems. It is expected that to fully support the use of GIS in studies of nearshore proceeses, current GIS should have capabilities for:

volume data storage, processing and analysis, needed for example for characterization of physical/chemical quantities of 3D water bodies (temperature, flow, pollutants, sediment, ...)
handling of spatio-temporal data, needed for description and modeling of highly dynamic nearshore environment
visualization capabilities which support surfaces, volumes, sites and their dynamics along with the standard GIS data
multiscale data characterization

Recent developments in OPEN Source GIS (Mitasova et al. 1995), commercial systems (Intergraph ERMA), as well as industry-wide moves towards open, extendable GIS have a potential to provide at least some of these capabilities, enhance the existing ones or develop new tools which can be easily linked with the general GIS.

The research will focus on - (this is rather general and very wide - the focus will be described in more detail as I get some feedback from you and learn more from literature ):

1. Near-shore landscape characterization:

Suitability of multivariate spatial interpolation (Mitasova et al. 1995) for processing of near-shore field measuremets (e.g. bathymetry, coastal topography, spatio-temporal data) will be evaluated, with special attention given to the interpolation of large, heterogeneous data sets, effective reduction of noise and interpolation within constrained space boundary given by bathymetry, shoreline and water level.
Analysis of bathymetric surface geometry at different scales/levels of detail will be performed simultaneously with interpolation and its relevance to the study of near-shore processes will be assessed
Possibilities to combine the available state and county GIS data with nearshore/bathymetry/LIDAR data to create 3D multiscale models of coastal areas will be investigated.

2. Modeling of nearshore proceses:

Review of the current state-of-the-art will be performed (Thieler et al. 2000, WES www) , with focus on landscape scale and multiscale models
Based on the experience with spatial modeling of surface hydrology and overland flow erosion, the possibilities to use path sampling method for simulation of selected near-shore processes will be explored, with focus on capturing the impact of human induced changes
Integration of terrestrial and near-shore processes, wind and water driven processes will be studied? Impact of watershed management on coastal areas? Tom I need your input here, please.
Coupling of field observations and numerical modeling - real-time predictions using data assimilation techniques and support for mobile adaptive sampling of the predicted property fields will be studied (this is more for future - but I would like to learn more about this topic).

3. Multidimensional dynamic visualization :
Various approaches to visualization of multiscale dynamic phenomena will be explored and the most effective methodologies for analysis and communication will be identified.

The research will be performed for the selected study area in North Carolina: - we need to discuss which area, data, processes would be the best for this

The proposed research aims at bringing new ideas, techniques and approaches based on the use of GIS technology to problems of coastal management and studies of near-shore processes.

Budget

stipend
computer workstation
travel
publication

References:

Thieler E.R., Pilkey O.H., Young R.S., et al., The use of mathematical models to predict beach behavior for US coastal engineering: A critical review. Journal of Coastal Research, Vol 16(1), WIN 2000, pp 48-70

Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines http://www.eos.duke.edu/Research/psds/psds.htm

Orrin H. Pilkey, Jr. and William J. Neal, series editors: Living with the Shore Book Series

http://www.oce.orst.edu/po/ (processes at different scales)

Dawn Wright (Oregon State University, USA) and Darius Bartlett,(Eds) 2000, Marine and Coastal Geographical Information Systems. Taylor & Francis
Linkages have been successfully made between GIS and a wide variety of process models drawn from the terrestrial domain: in the natural environment, these include groundwater contamination models, climate models, soil loss equations, surface hydrological models etc. In contrast, many of the techniques involved in coupling marine and coastal models to GIS are still poorly investigated or understood, and thus the benefits and synergy that can arise from bringing these different tools together are rarely seen.

//www.noaa.gov/
http://bromide.ocean.washington.edu/gis/active.html Endeavour segment gis - deep ocean

HyPAS Summary The Hydraulic Processes Analysis System (HyPAS) is a tool designed to manipulate and view large data sets of high resolution hydrodynamic data such as three-dimensional currents collected with Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP).ArcView application

CEDAS: The Coastal Engineering Design and Analysis System (CEDAS) is a comprehensive collection of coastal engineering design and analysis software, developed by or for the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station. The system contents range from the simple technologies of the popular ACES package, to sophisticated models for multi-dimensional hydrodynamics, wave propagation, nearshore hydrodynamics and beach processes, inlet technology, and harbor oscillation.

SBEACH (Storm-induced BEAch CHange Model) - simulates cross-shore beach, berm, and dune erosion produced by storm waves and water levels. The latest version allows simulation of dune erosion in the presence of a hard bottom.

BMAP (Beach Morphology Analysis Package) - a collection of automated and interactive tools to analyze morphologic and dynamic properties of beach profiles. BMAP is dynamically linked with SBEACH to support beach erosion analysis.

NEMOS (Nearshore Evolution MOdeling System) is a set of models used for simulating long-term beach evolution in response to imposed wave conditions, coastal structures, beach nourishment, and other engineering activity.

ADCIRC (ADvanced CIRCulation Multi-dimensional Hydrodynamic Model) - a latest-generation multidimensional hydrodynamic model based on the solution of the generalized wave equation formulation of the governing equations on a highly flexible unstructured grid.

CEM Part III on Coastal Sediment Processes. This Part contains 6 chapters on coastal sediment properties,longshore sediment transport, cross-shore sediment transport processes, wind-blown sediment transport, erosion, transport, and deposition of cohesive sediments, and sediment transport outside the surf zone.

SHOALS can simultaneously conduct complete navigation and shore protection project surveys.

The Field Research Facility Branch operates a facility at Duck, North Carolina, to conduct nearshore research and to provide field data for use in calibrating models of wave generation and transformation, sediment transport, and currents.