Global changes of extreme coastal wave energy fluxes triggered by intensifying teleconnection patterns

In this study we conducted a comprehensive modelling analysis to identify global trends inextreme Wave Energy Flux (WEF) along coastlines in the 21st century under a high emissionspathway (RCP8.5). For the end of the century, results show a significant increase up to 30% in100-year return level WEF...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: MENTASCHI Lorenzo, VOUSDOUKAS Michail, VOUKOUVALAS Evangelos, DOSIO Alessandro, FEYEN Luc
Language:English
Published: AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC105464
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016GL072488/abstract
https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL072488
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Summary:In this study we conducted a comprehensive modelling analysis to identify global trends inextreme Wave Energy Flux (WEF) along coastlines in the 21st century under a high emissionspathway (RCP8.5). For the end of the century, results show a significant increase up to 30% in100-year return level WEF for the majority of the coastal areas of the Southern Temperate Zone,while in the Northern Hemisphere large coastal areas are characterized by a significant negativetrend. We show that the most significant long term trends of extreme WEF can be explained byintensification of teleconnection patterns such as the Antarctic Oscillation (AAO), El-NinoSouthern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The projected changes willhave broad implications for ocean engineering applications and disaster risk management.Especially low-lying coastal countries in the Southern Hemisphere will be particularlyvulnerable due to the combined effects of projected Relative Sea Level Rise (RSLR) and moreextreme wave activity. JRC.E.1 - Disaster Risk Management