Alfredo Aretxabaleta , PhD
Alfredo's (he/him/his), research mainly focuses in processes controlling water level in coastal environments including tidal effects, storm events, and sea level rise. Another important focus is the investigation of the problems related to sediment transport, especially during storm events, that can affect the redistribution of sediment.
I have a B.S. degree in Marine Sciences (1998) from the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and a Ph.D. in Marine Sciences (Physical Oceanography) from UNC Chapel Hill (2005). I worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Department of Marine Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill, at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (AOPE), and at the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar - CSIC in Barcelona, Spain. I worked as a scientific programmer contractor at U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) until 2016. Now, I am an oceanographer at the WHCMSC.
Science and Products
Using the Lomb-Scargle method for wave statistics from gappy time series
Spatial distribution of water level impact to back-barrier bays
Toward a national coastal hazard forecast of total water levels
Cohesive and mixed sediment in the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS v3.6) implemented in the Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere–Wave–Sediment Transport Modeling System (COAWST r1234)
Physical response of a back-barrier estuary to a post-tropical cyclone
Sensitivity analysis of a coupled hydrodynamic-vegetation model using the effectively subsampled quadratures method
Observations and a linear model of water level in an interconnected inlet-bay system
Progress and challenges in coupled hydrodynamic-ecological estuarine modeling
Estimating time-dependent connectivity in marine systems
Formation of fine sediment deposit from a flash flood river in the Mediterranean Sea
Modeling future scenarios of light attenuation and potential seagrass success in a eutrophic estuary
Transport and retention of vertically migrating adult mysid and decapod shrimp in the tidal front on Georges Bank
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Using the Lomb-Scargle method for wave statistics from gappy time series
Sandwich Town Neck Beach in Sandwich, MA, has experienced substantial erosion and has been the subject of efforts by the town and private landowners to limit the sand loss. Erosion has been particularly dramatic in the past five years with the loss of dwellings. Sandwich's nourishment efforts presented a unique opportunity for scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and MarineAuthorsMarinna A. Martini, Alfredo Aretxabaleta, Christopher R. SherwoodSpatial distribution of water level impact to back-barrier bays
Water level in semi-enclosed bays, landward of barrier islands, is mainly driven by offshore sea level fluctuations that are modulated by bay geometry and bathymetry, causing spatial variability in the ensuing response (transfer). Local wind setup can have a secondary role that depends on wind speed, fetch, and relative orientation of the wind direction and the bay. Inlet geometry and bathymetry pAuthorsAlfredo Aretxabaleta, Neil K. Ganju, Zafer Defne, Richard P. SignellToward a national coastal hazard forecast of total water levels
Storm surge and large waves combine to erode beaches, cause marsh and coral decay, and inundate low-elevation areas, resulting in hazards to coastal communities and loss of natural resources. The USGS, in collaboration with NOAA, is developing a real-time system to provide ∼ 6-day forecasts of total water levels (TWLs) combining tides, storm surge, and wave runup. TWL is compared with dune elevatiAuthorsAlfredo Aretxabaleta, Kara S. Doran, Joseph W. Long, Li H. EriksonCohesive and mixed sediment in the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS v3.6) implemented in the Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere–Wave–Sediment Transport Modeling System (COAWST r1234)
No abstract available.AuthorsChristopher R. Sherwood, Alfredo Aretxabaleta, Courtney K. Harris, J. Paul Rinehimer, Romaric Verney, Bénédicte FerréPhysical response of a back-barrier estuary to a post-tropical cyclone
This paper presents a modeling investigation of the hydrodynamic and sediment transport response of Chincoteague Bay (VA/MD, USA) to Hurricane Sandy using the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave-Sediment-Transport (COAWST) modeling system. Several simulation scenarios with different combinations of remote and local forces were conducted to identify the dominant physical processes. While 80% of the waterAuthorsAlexis Beudin, Neil Kamal Ganju, Zafer Defne, Alfredo AretxabaletaSensitivity analysis of a coupled hydrodynamic-vegetation model using the effectively subsampled quadratures method
Coastal hydrodynamics can be greatly affected by the presence of submerged aquatic vegetation. The effect of vegetation has been incorporated into the Coupled-Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave-Sediment Transport (COAWST) Modeling System. The vegetation implementation includes the plant-induced three-dimensional drag, in-canopy wave-induced streaming, and the production of turbulent kinetic energy by the preseAuthorsTarandeep S. Kalra, Alfredo Aretxabaleta, Pranay Seshadri, Neil K. Ganju, Alexis BeudinObservations and a linear model of water level in an interconnected inlet-bay system
A system of barrier islands and back-barrier bays occurs along southern Long Island, New York, and in many coastal areas worldwide. Characterizing the bay physical response to water level fluctuations is needed to understand flooding during extreme events and evaluate their relation to geomorphological changes. Offshore sea level is one of the main drivers of water level fluctuations in semienclosAuthorsAlfredo Aretxabaleta, Neil K. Ganju, Bradford Butman, Richard P. SignellProgress and challenges in coupled hydrodynamic-ecological estuarine modeling
Numerical modeling has emerged over the last several decades as a widely accepted tool for investigations in environmental sciences. In estuarine research, hydrodynamic and ecological models have moved along parallel tracks with regard to complexity, refinement, computational power, and incorporation of uncertainty. Coupled hydrodynamic-ecological models have been used to assess ecosystem processeAuthorsNeil K. Ganju, Mark J. Brush, Brenda Rashleigh, Alfredo L. Aretxabaleta, Pilar del Barrio, Jason S. Grear, Lora A. Harris, Samuel J. Lake, Grant McCardell, James O'Donnell, David K. Ralston, Richard P. Signell, Jeremy Testa, Jamie M. P. VaudreyEstimating time-dependent connectivity in marine systems
Hydrodynamic connectivity describes the sources and destinations of water parcels within a domain over a given time. When combined with biological models, it can be a powerful concept to explain the patterns of constituent dispersal within marine ecosystems. However, providing connectivity metrics for a given domain is a three-dimensional problem: two dimensions in space to define the sources andAuthorsZafer Defne, Neil K. Ganju, Alfredo AretxabaletaFormation of fine sediment deposit from a flash flood river in the Mediterranean Sea
We identify the mechanisms controlling fine deposits on the inner-shelf in front of the Besòs River, in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. This river is characterized by a flash flood regime discharging large amounts of water (more than 20 times the mean water discharge) and sediment in very short periods lasting from hours to few days. Numerical model output was compared with bottom sediment obsAuthorsManel Grifoll, Vicenç Gracia, Alfredo L. Aretxabaleta, Jorge Guillén, Manuel Espino, John C. WarnerModeling future scenarios of light attenuation and potential seagrass success in a eutrophic estuary
Estuarine eutrophication has led to numerous ecological changes, including loss of seagrass beds. One potential cause of these losses is a reduction in light availability due to increased attenuation by phytoplankton. Future sea level rise will also tend to reduce light penetration and modify seagrass habitat. In the present study, we integrate a spectral irradiance model into a biogeochemical modAuthorsPilar del Barrio, Neil K. Ganju, Alfredo L. Aretxabaleta, Melanie Hayn, Andrés García, Robert W. HowarthTransport and retention of vertically migrating adult mysid and decapod shrimp in the tidal front on Georges Bank
Vertical profiles of the adult epibenthic shrimp Neomysis americana and Crangon septemspinosus obtained during June 1985 were used to simulate possible rates of ascent from bottom (40 to 50 m) to near surface at night and return by day, and the consequence of these rates on their horizontal distribution. Numerical particles were released at the sampling site using archived model current fields witAuthorsR. Gregory Lough, Alfredo L. Aretxabaleta - Software
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