Identification and simulation the response of storm-induced coastal erosion in the China Yellow sea

Abstract

Storm events have a significant impact on coastal topography, which can subsequently lead to coastal erosion and ecological deterioration. Traditional field measurements are affected by environmental factors and consume substantial resources, making it difficult to conduct large-scale terrain, hydrodynamic and other monitoring tasks. Significant challenges still remain to identify the response of coastal processes to storm events due to the lack of field measured data. In this study, the response of coastal morphodynamical variations to extreme storm events was simulated by the coupled XBeach and FVCOM models and the storm-induced coastal evolution was evaluated in the China Yellow Sea. The costal morphodynamical variations under different wind conditions were also quantified. The results reveal that erosion dominated the supratidal zone while accretion mainly occurred in the subtidal zone. Comparing the coastal morphology before and after the storm, we found the alongshore currents were the primary factors influencing sediment transport. The degree of coastal erosion and accretion shift was positively correlated with the wind speed and direction. The present nested model may serve as a valuable tool for predicting future coastal erosion and accretion, contributing to more scientifically informed coastal management decisions. The study also provides a scientific basis for understanding the response mechanism of coastal morphodynamical process to extreme storm events and coastline evolution under global change.