global warming, as is well known the sea level rise, threatening coastal regions. However, for you alone are the ever-swelling masses of water are not a Problem. Also the energy of the waves increases as a result of climate change, reported an international team of researchers in the journal “Nature Communications”. This will increase the risk for structures such as coastal protection facilities, or ports.
wind speed and wave height increase
As the researchers Borja Reguero, University of California, Santa Cruz letter, have shown a number of measurements of wind speeds, as well as the height of the sea have increased in waves in the past few decades. In the waves, the energy contained was so far little attention. It originates mainly from the Wind acting on the water surface and thereby transfers energy. In the calculation formula of the wave energy, the wave height and the period. Their value had increased in the past years, in the same way as the heat of the surface water, the scientists write. The connection appears to be conclusive: The rising heat content manifests itself in higher surface temperatures of the water. This leads to a change in wind conditions, which have finally, stronger waves.
Regueros Team analyzed data on water temperatures and wave heights and periods from the years 1948 to 2008. These come both from direct measurements and from satellites, which can be observed in the far-flung areas, waves””. Accordingly, the wave has increased energy around the world since 1948 to 0.4 per cent per year, although there are clear regional differences. Clearly, the increase in the southern ocean, covering the Antarctic was the most.
wave energy depends on the temperature of the sea areas
according to the researchers, is the wave energy, not only temporally, but also locally very closely with the temperature development of the respective sea linked areas. To understand “how the energy content of the waves is responding to the warming that has big consequences for the coast,” argue the authors. “The ocean waves to determine where infrastructure will be constructed, such as for example ports, and where coastal protection such as breakwaters or dikes to be erected.” Waves played in the change – up to the destruction of coasts a crucial role. The more the wave energy increases, the more the impact can be.
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As an example, Reguero and colleagues lead to the particularly energy-charged storms in the Atlantic five years ago. Orkan “Christian” was taken in October 2013, the coasts of Western Europe, at least 14 people died, 300 million euros property, plant and discovered the damage. Or, the hurricane “Xaver” in December 2013, killing at least 15 people, and one of the most severe storm surges in Northern Germany. The devastating hurricane season in 2017 in the Caribbean reminds according to the authors, significantly to the destructive power and economic impact of coastal storms.
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“The consequences of global warming are felt to be particularly on the coasts,” adds one of the co-authors, Fernando Méndez of the University of Cantabria (Spain), according to a text message: “If in the risk analysis, the changes in the wave energy can be neglected and the rise in sea level is considered as a single driver, there is the risk that the consequences of climate change are underestimated. This, in turn, could lead to adjustments are inadequate.“
