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Pacific Northwest Coastal Environments: Earthquakes and Sea Level Rise investigates the potential impacts of changes in global sea level by examining historical sea and land levels, projected future levels, and by determining how those changes may affect future tides and storm surges to inform their potential to cause harmful impacts. This region has a unique interaction of land, sea, and tectonics. Climate and tectonic change can initiate issues ranging from an inundation of coastal areas due to a combination of sea level rise, vertical land movement, and potential tsunami. This combination of factors leads to the retreat of coastal shorelines due to erosion caused by both tidal action and wave runup. Specific topics explored in this book include the following:
- Coastal erosion rates along the Pacific Northwest coastline from Eureka, California to Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
- Sea cliff retreat mitigation techniques looking at both the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques.
- Interaction between subduction zone earthquakes and vertical land movement.
- Wave characterization in both deep and shallow water. In addition, the book looks at both wave refraction and reflection along the coastline.
- Tides along the Pacific Northwest coastline and their role in calculating the relative sea level and its effect on coastal erosion.
List of contents
Introduction; PART I: NORTHWEST PACIFIC COASTAL GEOLOGY ISSUES; 2. Marine and Coastal Geology; PART II: NORTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN ISSUES; 3. North Pacific Ocean; 4. Tides; 5. Wave Characterization; 6. Wave Behavior in Shallow Water and Run-Up; PART III: COASTAL SOIL AND ROCK MATERIALS; 7. Sources and Characteristics of Beach Materials; PART IV: CHANGING SEA LEVEL AND CLIFF RETREAT; 8. Relative Sea Levels; 9. Cliff Retreat; PART V: EFFECTS ON MAN-MADE STRUCTURES; 10. Cliff Retreat Mitigation Measures
About the author
Ronald C. Chaney is an Emeritus Professor of Environmental Resources Engineering, former Director of the Telonicher Marine Laboratory, and Head of Vessel Operations at Cal Poly Humboldt (formally Humboldt State University) in Arcata, California. Prior to that, he was an associate professor of civil engineering at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He received his BSCE and MSCE from Cal State University-Long Beach and a PhD in engineering from the University of California-Los Angeles. Dr. Chaney was previously the editor of the International Journal of Marine Geotechnology, co-editor of the Journal of Marine Georesources and Geotechnology, and co-editor of the American Society for Testing and Materials’ Geotechnical Testing Journal. He is the author and co-author of the books Seafloor Processes and Geotechnology; Environmental Geotechnology, 2nd edition; and Marine Geology and Geotechnology of the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. He is a fellow of both ASCE and ASTM. Dr. Chaney is also both a licensed civil and geotechnical engineer in California and a retired licensed professional engineer in Oregon.
Summary
Pacific Northwest Coastal Environments: Earthquakes and Sea Level Rise investigates the potential impacts of changes in global sea level by examining historical sea and land levels, projected future levels, and by determining how those changes may affect future tides and storm surges to inform their potential to cause harmful impacts.
