Sand beach ridges record 6000 year history of extreme tropical cyclone activity in northeastern Australia

Nott, Jonathan, Smithers, Scott, Walsh, Kevin, and Rhodes, Ed (2009) Sand beach ridges record 6000 year history of extreme tropical cyclone activity in northeastern Australia. Quaternary Science Reviews, 28 (15). pp. 1511-1520.

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Abstract

Sand beach ridges are considered to be derived either from aeolian processes and/or waves but their deposition by individual or multiple storms has not been investigated in any detail. We use numerical meteorological and oceanographic models to determine the origin of a sequence of 29 shore parallel sand beach ridges in northeastern Australia. The results suggest that the ridges were constructed by waves and that the final form or height of the ridges is a function of high-energy tropical cyclone generated waves plus storm tides. Hence these landforms archive a nearly 6000 year long history of intense tropical cyclones. The record implies that these extreme tempests occur considerably more frequently than that suggested by the short historical record for this region. The genesis of this sand beach ridge plain has implications for the interpretation of similar sequences elsewhere along the northeast coast of Australia and in comparable environments globally. If other similar sand beach ridge plains have also been deposited by like processes it stands to reason that these long-term records of high intensity tropical cyclones can be used to ascertain a regional scale risk assessment from this hazard.

Item ID: 8021
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1873-457X
Keywords: Queensland; coastal geomorphology; cyclone; beach ridge; climate change
Date Deposited: 29 Jan 2010 03:11
FoR Codes: 04 EARTH SCIENCES > 0403 Geology > 040310 Sedimentology @ 50%
04 EARTH SCIENCES > 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience > 040605 Palaeoclimatology @ 25%
04 EARTH SCIENCES > 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience > 040604 Natural Hazards @ 25%
SEO Codes: 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960502 Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Environments @ 100%
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