HO CHI MINH UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Coastal Geology
Dr. Bui Trong Vinh – March 2019

Chapter 11

Extreme Waves

Speaker Nguyen Hoai Tan

 Contents

I. Introduction
II. Types of extreme waves

III. Impact

IV. Approaches

V. Summary
 I. Introduction

I.1 Definition I.2 Example

 I.1 Definition
What are they ?
o The interactions between waves on the sea surface
result in locally higher waves that can lead to fatalities
and casualties both at sea and inland.
Rosenthal & Lehner, 2008

Fig 1: Extreme wave spotted at

Ireland. (The Irish Time, 2010)
 I.1 Definition
Where do they come from ?
o Mostly generated during storms
o Constructive interference of difference wave fields due
to weather disturbance
o Earth movements: tectonic or volcano activity
Rosenthal & Lehner, 2008
 I.1 Definition
How can they become so extreme ?

o The release of energy

from natural phenomenon

o Neighbor waves interactions

Rosenthal & Lehner, 2008

 I.1 Definition
Wait a minute! Tsunamis and extreme waves are similar?

Not quite!
o Tsunamis are NOT tidally produced
o Tsunamis are the product of sudden & massive energy
release
Monserrat et al., 2010
 I.2 Example

What you are about to watch is the video of Durban

North Beach Abnormal Extreme Waves

Youtube, Mohamed Amod, 2017

II. Types of extreme waves
II.1. Storm waves II.2. Rouge waves

II.3. Tsunami II.4. Meteotsunami

 II.1. Storm wave
What is it ?
The product of strong winds blowing for lengthy period
over a long ocean surface.
Guedes-Soares et al, 2003

Fig 2: Storm wave at Spain.

(The Weather Network, 2016)
 II.1. Storm wave
Where does it come from ?
Its origin varies: hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons.

Guedes-Soares et al, 2003

Fig 3: From left to right: hurricane, cyclone, typhoon.

 II.1. Storm wave

Fig 4: Storm wave measured about 26.5m at Staoil’s Draupner gas platform
(16/11-E) in the North Sea, January 1995 (Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy Pile)
 II.2. Rouge wave
What is it ?
The product of the focus of
wave energy that allows it to
grow larger than its
neighbor waves.
Mallory, 1974
Fig 5: Rogue wave at North Sea.
(The Inertia, 2016)
 II.2. Rouge wave
What the difference comparing with the Storm Wave?
Rogue wave is shorter and has steeper forward face
preceded.
Mallory, 1974
 II.2. Rouge wave
Where does it come from ?
It is created from the focusing of waves
(time-space and current).
Mallory, 1974
 II.2. Rouge wave

More detail:
+ Time-space: X-Y surface
+ Current: energy
Mallory, 1974

Fig 6: Modeled trajectories of rogue wave.

(Extreme waves paper, page 312)
Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy Pile
 II.3. Tsunami
What is it ?
A type of extreme wave with very long weight length,
enormous speed more than 700 km/h, higher than 30 m.
Mallory , 2006

Fig 7: Tsunami at ocean comparing to the city (IE) vs it reaches inland

 II.3. Tsunami
What about its origin?
The most common cause
is earthquake-triggered
sudden energy release.
Mallory , 2006

Fig 8: Tectonic movement releases

massive amount of energy causing
tsunami (Jose Antonio, 2013)
 II.3. Tsunami
How aggressive? Truly terrifying.
 II.4. Meteotsunami
What is it ?
Meteotsunamis are atmospherically induced oceans
waves that influenced by the weather disturbance.
Bryant, 2001

Fig 9: Meteotsunami was

spotted in Great Lake, USA
(July 2017)
 II.4. Meteotsunami
It is not aggressive but where does it come from ?
Meteotsunamis are driven by air-pressure disturbance
associated with fast-moving thunderstorm.
Bryant, 2001
III. Hazards
III.1. Coastal environment

III.2. Society & Infrastructure

 III.1. Coastal environment
Causes substantial erosional reconfiguration.
Anthony, 2006

Fig 10: The remains of fishing

village near Tacloban, Philippine
after typhoon surged in
November 2013 killed more than
6,000 people
Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy Pile
 III.1. Coastal environment
Fauna and flora destruction (wipe-out).
Anthony, 2006

Fig 11: The ecosystem is heavily damaged after the tsunami (BGS, 2015)
 III.2. Society & Infrastucture
Destruction of buiding and re-location of infrastructure.
Anthony, 2006

Fig 12: The remains of Palu,

Indonesia after the tsunami
(2004)
Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy
Pile
 III.2. Society & Infrastucture

Fig 13: The rail line between London and southeast of England was
damaged by extreme wave. (February 2013)
Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy Pile
 III.2. Society & Infrastucture

Fig 14: Japan was destroyed by Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

(March 11th 2011)
IV. Approaches
 Approaches
Strengthen the coastal defends.
Cooper and Pile, 2014

Fig 15: Sea walls were installed to prevent the rise of sea level and
mitigate the impact of potential extreme waves (ClimateTech 2010)
 Approaches
Netherland is on the top of the game when it comes to
coastal defends.

Fig 16: Holland billion dollars anti-flooding system to tackle the

unexpected sea level rise (Interesting Engineer, 2010)
 Approaches
Study the meteorological data continuously.
Cooper and Pile, 2014

Fig 17: Weather satellite (NOAA 16) collects wave data for research.
(Space News, 2009)
 Approaches
Predict and response quickly.
Cooper and Pile, 2014

Fig 18: Weather buoy sends data to the lab for investigation.
(BBC Weather, 2010)
V. Summary
 Summary
Extreme waves are the result of neighbor
waves interaction.
Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy Pile, Extreme Waves:
Causes Characteristics and Impact on Coastal Environment and
Society , p.329
 Summary
Extreme waves gain the energy from weather
disturbance, mostly from storms.
Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy Pile, Extreme Waves:
Causes Characteristics and Impact on Coastal Environment and
Society , p.329
 Summary
Extreme waves have different types, the most
aggressive are tsunamis.
Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy Pile, Extreme Waves:
Causes Characteristics and Impact on Coastal Environment and
Society , p.329
 Summary
Extreme waves potentially cause loss of life,
damage of infrastructure, economy and
ecosystem.
Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy Pile, Extreme Waves:
Causes Characteristics and Impact on Coastal Environment and
Society , p.329
 Summary
Extreme waves are now preventable and predictable
with the help of modern technology (weather buoy,
satellite, sea walls, etc.)
Jim D. Hansom, Adam D. Switzer, Jeremy Pile, Extreme Waves: Causes
Characteristics and Impact on Coastal Environment and Society , p.329
 BACH KHOA UNIVERSITY
Coastal Geology
Dr. Bui Trong Vinh – March 2019

Chapter 11

The End

Speaker Nguyen Hoai Tan

“Sea you again
I hope it’s worth the wave”

Speaker Nguyen Hoai Tan

Quizzes
 Quiz 1
How many type of extreme wave?

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
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 Quiz 2
What is the most devastating type of extreme wave?

A. Strom wave
B. Rough wave
C. Tsunami
D. Meteotsunami
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 Quiz 3
What is the most common cause of tsunami?

A. Wind
B. Strom
C. Earthquakes
D. Global warming
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 Quiz 4
What is consequence of extreme wave?
A. Coastal erosion
B. Society & Economic devastation
C. Infrastructure destruction
D. All of the above

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 Quiz 5
How to prevent the occurrence of extreme waves?
A. Build sea walls
B. Study weather satellite
C. Buoy data analyze
D. All of the above

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Q&A
 References
[1] Anthony, E.J., 2009. Shore Processes and Their Palaeoenvironmental Applications. Developments
in Marine Geology, vol. 4. Elsevier, 519pp

[2] Cooper, J.A.G., Pile, J., 2014. The adaptation-resistance spectrum: a classification of contemporary
adaptation approaches to climate-related coastal change. Ocean and Coastal Management. 94,
90 e98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2013.09.006

[3] Monserrat, S., Vilibı´c, I., Rabinovich, A.B., 2006. Meteotsunamis: atmospherically induced destructive
ocean waves in the tsunami frequency band. Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. 6 (6),1035 e1051.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/nhess-6-1035-2006

[4] Monserrat, S., Vilibı´c, I., Rabinovich, A.B., 2006. Meteotsunamis: atmospherically induced destructive
ocean waves in the tsunami frequency band. Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. 6 (6),1035 e1051.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/nhess-6-1035-2006

[5] Mallory, J.K., 1974. Abnormal waves on the south east coast of South Africa. Intl. Hydrog. 51,91 e29.

[6] Rosenthal, W., Lehner, S., 2008. Rogue waves: results of the MaxWave project. J. Offshore Mech.Arct.
Eng. 130 (2), 8.http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/1.2918126.
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