Effects of Storm Surges on the Beaufort Sea Coast, Northern Alaska

Auteurs-es

  • Erk Reimnitz
  • Douglas K. Maurer

DOI :

https://doi.org/10.14430/arctic2631

Mots-clés :

Coast changes, Erosion, Shorelines, Storm surges, Alaska, Northern, Alaskan waters

Résumé

In 1970, a major storm surge caused by gale-force westerly winds inundated low-lying tundra plains and deltas as far as 5000 m inland and left a driftwood line as much as 3.4 m above normal sea level along the Beaufort Sea coast of Alaska. The height of the surge followed a predictable pattern and was highest along windward-facing shorelines. Coastal retreat and thermoerosion are greatly accelerated on such west-facing shores with eastward sediment transport opposite to normal littoral drift. Evidence suggests an approximate 100-year recurrence interval for similar surges, with potential for damaging the developing oil fields on the North Slope.

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Publié-e

1979-01-01