Analyse d’image pour l’évaluation de l’exposition de la côte à l’action des vagues

Abstract

A method of analysis was developed to estimate wind‐induced wave heights in the coastal zone. The analysis is based on a digital bathymetry model in raster format. The model uses wind characteristics such as direction, velocity, and fetch. In addition, underwater terrain slope magnitude and orientation, and water depth are used in the computation of the model to estimate wave heights. Two analyses are shown, taking into account waves built from short fetch wind and indefinite fetch wind. The analysis was applied to Hare Bay in northern Newfoundland. First, we take into account a northerly wind of 6.9 ms−1 where the fetch is 19 km or less. The estimated wave heights vary between 0 and 0.5 m. With the second application, we considered an indefinite ESE fetch wind of 17.8 ms−1. In this case, the wave heights resulting from the application of the model vary between 0 and 11.8 m. We compared the modelling results based on ESE wind and the wave energy derived through visual analysis. Relationships were identified between the wave height classes and the wave energy categories.