Sean Vitousek
Research Oceanographer, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 48
Scalable, data-assimilated models predict large-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise Scalable, data-assimilated models predict large-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise
Coastal change is a complex combination of multi-scale processes (e.g., wave-driven cross-shore and longshore transport; dune, bluff, and cliff erosion; overwash; fluvial and inlet sediment supply; and sea-level-driven recession). Historical sea-level-driven coastal recession on open ocean coasts is often outpaced by wave-driven change. However, future sea-level-driven coastal recession...
Authors
Sean Vitousek, Kilian Vos, Kristen D. Splinter, Kai Alexander Parker, Andrea C. O'Neill, Amy C. Foxgrover, Maya Kumari Hayden, Jennifer Anne Thomas, Li H. Erikson, Patrick L. Barnard
The projected exposure and response of a natural barrier island system to climate-driven coastal hazards The projected exposure and response of a natural barrier island system to climate-driven coastal hazards
Accelerating sea level rise (SLR) and changing storm patterns will increasingly expose barrier islands to coastal hazards, including flooding, erosion, and rising groundwater tables. We assess the exposure of Cape Lookout National Seashore, a barrier island system in North Carolina (USA), to projected SLR and storm hazards over the twenty-first century. We estimate that with 0.5 m of SLR...
Authors
Jennifer Anne Thomas, Patrick L. Barnard, Sean Vitousek, Li H. Erikson, Kai Alexander Parker, Kees Nederhoff, Kevin M. Befus, Manoochehr Shirzaei
Climate controls on longshore sediment transport and coastal morphology adjacent to engineered inlets Climate controls on longshore sediment transport and coastal morphology adjacent to engineered inlets
Coastal jetties are commonly used throughout the world to stabilize channels and improve navigation through inlets. These engineered structures form artificial boundaries to littoral cells by reducing wave-driven longshore sediment transport across inlet entrances. Consequently, beaches adjacent to engineered inlets are subject to large gradients in longshore transport rates and are...
Authors
Andrew W. Stevens, Peter R Ruggiero, Kai Alexander Parker, Sean Vitousek, Guy Gelfenbaum, George M Kaminsky
Monitoring interdecadal coastal change along dissipative beaches via satellite imagery at regional scale Monitoring interdecadal coastal change along dissipative beaches via satellite imagery at regional scale
Coastal morphological changes can be assessed using shoreline position observations from space. However, satellite-derived waterline (SDW) and shoreline (SDS; SDW corrected for hydrodynamic contributions and outliers) detection methods are subject to several sources of uncertainty and inaccuracy. We extracted high-spatiotemporal-resolution (~50 m-monthly) time series of mean high water...
Authors
Marcan Graffin, Mohsen Taherkhani, Meredith Leung, Sean Vitousek, George Kaminsky, Peter Ruggiero
Benchmarking satellite-derived shoreline mapping algorithms Benchmarking satellite-derived shoreline mapping algorithms
Satellite remote sensing is becoming a widely used monitoring technique in coastal sciences. Yet, no benchmarking studies exist that compare the performance of popular satellite-derived shoreline mapping algorithms against standardized sets of inputs and validation data. Here we present a new benchmarking framework to evaluate the accuracy of shoreline change observations extracted from...
Authors
Kilian Vos, Kristen D. Splinter, Jesus Palomar-Vazquez, Josep E. Pardo-Pascual, Jaime Almonacid-Caballer, Carlos Cabezas-Rabadan, Etienne Kras, Arjen Luijendijk, Floris Kalkoen, Luis P. Almeida, Daniel Pais, Antonio Henrique da Fontoura Klein, Yongjing Mao, Daniel Harris, Bruno Castelle, Daniel D. Buscombe, Sean Vitousek
Advances in morphodynamic modeling of coastal barriers: A review Advances in morphodynamic modeling of coastal barriers: A review
As scientific understanding of barrier morphodynamics has improved, so has the ability to reproduce observed phenomena and predict future barrier states using mathematical models. To use existing models effectively and improve them, it is important to understand the current state of morphodynamic modeling and the progress that has been made in the field. This manuscript offers a review...
Authors
Steven Hoagland, Catherine Jeffries, Jennifer Irish, Robert Weiss, Kyle Mandli, Sean Vitousek, Catherine Johnson, Mary Cialone
A model integrating satellite-derived shoreline observations for predicting fine-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise across large coastal regions A model integrating satellite-derived shoreline observations for predicting fine-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise across large coastal regions
Satellite-derived shoreline observations combined with dynamic shoreline models enable fine-scale predictions of coastal change across large spatiotemporal scales. Here, we present a satellite-data-assimilated, “littoral-cell”-based, ensemble Kalman-filter shoreline model to predict coastal change and uncertainty due to waves, sea-level rise (SLR), and other natural and anthropogenic...
Authors
Sean Vitousek, Kilian Vos, Kristen D. Splinter, Li H. Erikson, Patrick L. Barnard
Flushing time variability in a short, low-inflow estuary Flushing time variability in a short, low-inflow estuary
Flushing time, the time scale for exchange and mixing between embayed and oceanic waters in an estuary, plays an integral role in determining water quality and aquatic ecosystem health. Here, we investigated the spatiotemporal variability of flushing times throughout Morro Bay, a short, low-inflow estuary (LIE) on the California coast, using a calibrated and validated hydrodynamic model...
Authors
Mohsen Taherkhani, Sean Vitousek, Ryan K. Walter, Jennifer O’Leary, Amid P. Khodadoust
Multiscale assessment of shoreline evolution in the US Pacific Northwest via a process-based model Multiscale assessment of shoreline evolution in the US Pacific Northwest via a process-based model
Prediction of shoreline evolution in coastal environments is critical to aid adaptation strategy planning for coastal communities. To perform reliable predictions, process-based shoreline change models have recently gained popularity in many applications. The study region here, Tillamook County, Oregon, on the US Pacific Northwest coast, has recently been experiencing elevated shoreline...
Authors
Mohsen Taherkhani, Meredith Leung, Peter Ruggiero, Sean Vitousek, Jonathan Allan
Earth science looks to outer space Earth science looks to outer space
Satellite data are revolutionizing coastal science. A study revealing how the El Niño/Southern Oscillation impacts coastal erosion around the Pacific Rim shows what is possible.
Authors
Patrick L. Barnard, Sean Vitousek
Understanding uncertainties in contemporary and future extreme wave events for broad-scale impact and adaptation planning Understanding uncertainties in contemporary and future extreme wave events for broad-scale impact and adaptation planning
Understanding uncertainties in extreme wind-wave events is essential for offshore/coastal risk and adaptation estimates. Despite this, uncertainties in contemporary extreme wave events have not been assessed, and projections are still limited. Here, we quantify, at global scale, the uncertainties in contemporary extreme wave estimates across an ensemble of widely used global wave...
Authors
Joao Morim, Thomas Wahl, Sean Vitousek, Sara Santamaria, Ian Young, Mark Hemer
The future of coastal monitoring through satellite remote sensing The future of coastal monitoring through satellite remote sensing
Satellite remote sensing is transforming coastal science from a “data-poor” field into a “data-rich” field. Sandy beaches are dynamic landscapes that change in response to long-term pressures, short-term pulses, and anthropogenic interventions. Until recently, the rate and breadth of beach change have outpaced our ability to monitor those changes, due to the spatiotemporal limitations of...
Authors
Sean Vitousek, Dan Buscombe, Kilian Vos, Patrick L. Barnard, Andrew C. Ritchie, Jonathan A. Warrick
Filter Total Items: 19
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 48
Scalable, data-assimilated models predict large-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise Scalable, data-assimilated models predict large-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise
Coastal change is a complex combination of multi-scale processes (e.g., wave-driven cross-shore and longshore transport; dune, bluff, and cliff erosion; overwash; fluvial and inlet sediment supply; and sea-level-driven recession). Historical sea-level-driven coastal recession on open ocean coasts is often outpaced by wave-driven change. However, future sea-level-driven coastal recession...
Authors
Sean Vitousek, Kilian Vos, Kristen D. Splinter, Kai Alexander Parker, Andrea C. O'Neill, Amy C. Foxgrover, Maya Kumari Hayden, Jennifer Anne Thomas, Li H. Erikson, Patrick L. Barnard
The projected exposure and response of a natural barrier island system to climate-driven coastal hazards The projected exposure and response of a natural barrier island system to climate-driven coastal hazards
Accelerating sea level rise (SLR) and changing storm patterns will increasingly expose barrier islands to coastal hazards, including flooding, erosion, and rising groundwater tables. We assess the exposure of Cape Lookout National Seashore, a barrier island system in North Carolina (USA), to projected SLR and storm hazards over the twenty-first century. We estimate that with 0.5 m of SLR...
Authors
Jennifer Anne Thomas, Patrick L. Barnard, Sean Vitousek, Li H. Erikson, Kai Alexander Parker, Kees Nederhoff, Kevin M. Befus, Manoochehr Shirzaei
Climate controls on longshore sediment transport and coastal morphology adjacent to engineered inlets Climate controls on longshore sediment transport and coastal morphology adjacent to engineered inlets
Coastal jetties are commonly used throughout the world to stabilize channels and improve navigation through inlets. These engineered structures form artificial boundaries to littoral cells by reducing wave-driven longshore sediment transport across inlet entrances. Consequently, beaches adjacent to engineered inlets are subject to large gradients in longshore transport rates and are...
Authors
Andrew W. Stevens, Peter R Ruggiero, Kai Alexander Parker, Sean Vitousek, Guy Gelfenbaum, George M Kaminsky
Monitoring interdecadal coastal change along dissipative beaches via satellite imagery at regional scale Monitoring interdecadal coastal change along dissipative beaches via satellite imagery at regional scale
Coastal morphological changes can be assessed using shoreline position observations from space. However, satellite-derived waterline (SDW) and shoreline (SDS; SDW corrected for hydrodynamic contributions and outliers) detection methods are subject to several sources of uncertainty and inaccuracy. We extracted high-spatiotemporal-resolution (~50 m-monthly) time series of mean high water...
Authors
Marcan Graffin, Mohsen Taherkhani, Meredith Leung, Sean Vitousek, George Kaminsky, Peter Ruggiero
Benchmarking satellite-derived shoreline mapping algorithms Benchmarking satellite-derived shoreline mapping algorithms
Satellite remote sensing is becoming a widely used monitoring technique in coastal sciences. Yet, no benchmarking studies exist that compare the performance of popular satellite-derived shoreline mapping algorithms against standardized sets of inputs and validation data. Here we present a new benchmarking framework to evaluate the accuracy of shoreline change observations extracted from...
Authors
Kilian Vos, Kristen D. Splinter, Jesus Palomar-Vazquez, Josep E. Pardo-Pascual, Jaime Almonacid-Caballer, Carlos Cabezas-Rabadan, Etienne Kras, Arjen Luijendijk, Floris Kalkoen, Luis P. Almeida, Daniel Pais, Antonio Henrique da Fontoura Klein, Yongjing Mao, Daniel Harris, Bruno Castelle, Daniel D. Buscombe, Sean Vitousek
Advances in morphodynamic modeling of coastal barriers: A review Advances in morphodynamic modeling of coastal barriers: A review
As scientific understanding of barrier morphodynamics has improved, so has the ability to reproduce observed phenomena and predict future barrier states using mathematical models. To use existing models effectively and improve them, it is important to understand the current state of morphodynamic modeling and the progress that has been made in the field. This manuscript offers a review...
Authors
Steven Hoagland, Catherine Jeffries, Jennifer Irish, Robert Weiss, Kyle Mandli, Sean Vitousek, Catherine Johnson, Mary Cialone
A model integrating satellite-derived shoreline observations for predicting fine-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise across large coastal regions A model integrating satellite-derived shoreline observations for predicting fine-scale shoreline response to waves and sea-level rise across large coastal regions
Satellite-derived shoreline observations combined with dynamic shoreline models enable fine-scale predictions of coastal change across large spatiotemporal scales. Here, we present a satellite-data-assimilated, “littoral-cell”-based, ensemble Kalman-filter shoreline model to predict coastal change and uncertainty due to waves, sea-level rise (SLR), and other natural and anthropogenic...
Authors
Sean Vitousek, Kilian Vos, Kristen D. Splinter, Li H. Erikson, Patrick L. Barnard
Flushing time variability in a short, low-inflow estuary Flushing time variability in a short, low-inflow estuary
Flushing time, the time scale for exchange and mixing between embayed and oceanic waters in an estuary, plays an integral role in determining water quality and aquatic ecosystem health. Here, we investigated the spatiotemporal variability of flushing times throughout Morro Bay, a short, low-inflow estuary (LIE) on the California coast, using a calibrated and validated hydrodynamic model...
Authors
Mohsen Taherkhani, Sean Vitousek, Ryan K. Walter, Jennifer O’Leary, Amid P. Khodadoust
Multiscale assessment of shoreline evolution in the US Pacific Northwest via a process-based model Multiscale assessment of shoreline evolution in the US Pacific Northwest via a process-based model
Prediction of shoreline evolution in coastal environments is critical to aid adaptation strategy planning for coastal communities. To perform reliable predictions, process-based shoreline change models have recently gained popularity in many applications. The study region here, Tillamook County, Oregon, on the US Pacific Northwest coast, has recently been experiencing elevated shoreline...
Authors
Mohsen Taherkhani, Meredith Leung, Peter Ruggiero, Sean Vitousek, Jonathan Allan
Earth science looks to outer space Earth science looks to outer space
Satellite data are revolutionizing coastal science. A study revealing how the El Niño/Southern Oscillation impacts coastal erosion around the Pacific Rim shows what is possible.
Authors
Patrick L. Barnard, Sean Vitousek
Understanding uncertainties in contemporary and future extreme wave events for broad-scale impact and adaptation planning Understanding uncertainties in contemporary and future extreme wave events for broad-scale impact and adaptation planning
Understanding uncertainties in extreme wind-wave events is essential for offshore/coastal risk and adaptation estimates. Despite this, uncertainties in contemporary extreme wave events have not been assessed, and projections are still limited. Here, we quantify, at global scale, the uncertainties in contemporary extreme wave estimates across an ensemble of widely used global wave...
Authors
Joao Morim, Thomas Wahl, Sean Vitousek, Sara Santamaria, Ian Young, Mark Hemer
The future of coastal monitoring through satellite remote sensing The future of coastal monitoring through satellite remote sensing
Satellite remote sensing is transforming coastal science from a “data-poor” field into a “data-rich” field. Sandy beaches are dynamic landscapes that change in response to long-term pressures, short-term pulses, and anthropogenic interventions. Until recently, the rate and breadth of beach change have outpaced our ability to monitor those changes, due to the spatiotemporal limitations of...
Authors
Sean Vitousek, Dan Buscombe, Kilian Vos, Patrick L. Barnard, Andrew C. Ritchie, Jonathan A. Warrick
Filter Total Items: 19