Description
Sandy coastlines around the world face flooding and erosion hazards that threaten vulnerable populations and ecosystems. To mitigate these threats, sand nourishments are frequently placed to preserve coastal sediment buffers. However, the fate of nourished sand particles is still not well understood, particularly in nearshore areas with complex flow and transport patterns like tidal inlets and estuaries. We need this information to strategically place nourishments and quantify their ecological impacts, but it is challenging to distinguish nourished sand from natural sediments. Here we propose an approach to numerically simulate the “bleaching” of sand grains during their movement through coastal environments based on a light-sensitive signal called luminescence. This is a necessary first step towards using such models to monitor nourished sand and predict its dispersal.Using field measurements from the Dutch Wadden Sea, we derive relationships between suspended sediment concentration, texture (i.e., sand vs mud), other suspended matter (e.g., chlorophyll), and light attenuation as a function of water depth. We then introduce these relationships into the numerical sediment particle tracking model, SedTRAILS. The model can then predict the cumulative exposure history of a given sand particle to light. These developments set the stage for future experiments that will quantify the precise link between light exposure and feldspar luminescence bleaching rates. A model that can then directly predict bleaching rates of nourished sand will be a valuable tool for enabling more strategic coastal protection and ecological sustainability.
| Period | 15 Dec 2022 |
|---|---|
| Event title | AGU Fall Meeting 2022 |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Chicago, United StatesShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |