I am a life long learner who loves to work in team settings to solve complex problems. I enjoy helping people accomplish their goals and feel a responsibility to contribute to a more thorough understanding of physical processes and systems. Supervisors: Jan Hjort, Ev Wingert, and Charles Fletcher
Coastal plain stratigraphy is often over looked in paleo–sea-level reconstructions because carbon... more Coastal plain stratigraphy is often over looked in paleo–sea-level reconstructions because carbonate sediments do not precisely constrain former sea level. Pacific Island sedimentology provides an invaluable record of geomorphic and environmental consequences of coastal evolution in response to changes in sea level and local tectonics. A series of coastal auger cores obtained from eastern ʻUpolu reveal a subsurface carbonate sand envelope predominately composed of coral and coralline algae derived from the reef framework. Coupling the sedimentological record with geophysical models of Holocene sea level, we identify a critical value (0.3–1.0 m) during the falling phase of the sea-level high stand (1899–2103 cal yr BP) that represents the transition from a transgressive to a regressive environment and initiates coastal progradation. Correlating the critical value with time, we observe nearly a millennium of coastal plain development is required before a small human population is esta...
ABSTRACT It is imperative that coastal erosion studies produce valid erosion rates and erosion ha... more ABSTRACT It is imperative that coastal erosion studies produce valid erosion rates and erosion hazard predictions to aid in the development of public policy and protect coastal resources. Currently, the Single-Transect method is the most common shoreline change model, which calculates a rate at each shore-normal transect without regard to influences of data from adjacent transects along a beach. Improving on Single-Transect, the University of Hawaii Coastal Geology Group has developed the PX (Polynomial in distance X) and PXT (Polynomial in distance X and Time) shoreline change rate calculation methods, which model all the shoreline positions within a beach simultaneously using polynomial techniques. PX is a special case of PXT that models shoreline change rates spatially along a beach. PXT not only models the shoreline change spatially, but it lets the rate change with time (acceleration). This is an important advance, as beaches may not erode or accrete at a constant (linear) rate. A linear sum of basis functions characterizes the shoreline change rate for both PX and PXT. These methods are an improvement on previous methods as they produce more meaningful, i.e., statistically significant rates and erosion hazard predictions. We use an information criterion (gMDL) to (1) identify the number of coefficients of the basis functions that are needed to describe shoreline change in PX and PXT, and (2) compare different methods to determine which method best describes shoreline change. The southeast coastline of Oahu, Hawaii, features a range of beach morphologies and littoral dynamics well suited for further testing of the PX and PXT shoreline change rate calculation methods. The PX and PXT methods find significant rates for 70% of the study area versus 28% significant rates with the Single-Transect method. In companion with the work presented by Ayesha Genz on the PX and PXT rate methods, we present results from the Southeast Oahu Shoreline Study as a demonstration of the utility of the new rate calculation methods and for comparison with the previously used rate methods.
Abstract: Maui’s coastal lands, along with many others worldwide, are under tremendous pressure f... more Abstract: Maui’s coastal lands, along with many others worldwide, are under tremendous pressure from expanding development and accelerating coastal erosion. While it may be perceived by the public that the lands most at risk from sea-level rise are those immediately bordering the coastline, the threat to low-lying areas from a rising water table inland of the coast may also be great. Maui planning officials have begun to recognize that regardless of the uncertainty over projected rates of sea-level rise, threats associated with rising sea level should be identified and mitigated through a combination of modeling, mapping, and direct observation. This paper provides a review of current sea-level rise science and describes the scientific and management approaches being undertaken by Maui County to better understand potential risks associated with rising seas and account for these projections in long-range planning.
REFERENCES Fletcher, C.H., Rooney, J.J.B., Barbee, M., Lim, S.-C., and Richmond, B.M., 2003, Mapp... more REFERENCES Fletcher, C.H., Rooney, J.J.B., Barbee, M., Lim, S.-C., and Richmond, B.M., 2003, Mapping Shoreline Change Using Digital Orthophotogrammetry on Maui, Hawaii: Journal of Coastal Research, v. Special Issue 38, p. 106-124. Frazer, L.N., Genz, A.S., and Fletcher, C.H., 2009, Toward Parsimony in Shoreline Change Prediction (I): Basis Function Methods: Journal of Coastal Research, v. 25, no. 2, p. 366-379. Genz, A.S., Fletcher, C.H., Dunn, R.A., Frazer, L.N., and Rooney, J.J., 2007, The Predictive Accuracy of Shoreline Change Rate Methods and Alongshore Beach Variation on Maui, Hawaii: Journal of Coastal Research, v. 23, no. 1, p. 87-105. Genz, A.S., Frazer, L.N., and Fletcher, C.H., 2009, Toward Parsimony in Shoreline Change Prediction (II): Applying Basis Function Methods to Real and Synthetic Data: Journal of Coastal Research, v. 25, no. 2, p. 380-392. Romine, B.M., Fletcher, C.H., Frazer, L.N., Genz, A.S., Barbee, M.M., and Lim, S.-C., 2009, Historical shoreline change, Sou...
This Open File report is the latest in a series of similar reports that contain brief texts about... more This Open File report is the latest in a series of similar reports that contain brief texts about the program and focus on the spatial data. I realize this is more of a data release that focuses on publishing the spatial data and brief text is ok. Short and sweet= good. Please ...
Coastal plain stratigraphy is often over looked in paleo–sea-level reconstructions because carbon... more Coastal plain stratigraphy is often over looked in paleo–sea-level reconstructions because carbonate sediments do not precisely constrain former sea level. Pacific Island sedimentology provides an invaluable record of geomorphic and environmental consequences of coastal evolution in response to changes in sea level and local tectonics. A series of coastal auger cores obtained from eastern ʻUpolu reveal a subsurface carbonate sand envelope predominately composed of coral and coralline algae derived from the reef framework. Coupling the sedimentological record with geophysical models of Holocene sea level, we identify a critical value (0.3–1.0 m) during the falling phase of the sea-level high stand (1899–2103 cal yr BP) that represents the transition from a transgressive to a regressive environment and initiates coastal progradation. Correlating the critical value with time, we observe nearly a millennium of coastal plain development is required before a small human population is esta...
ABSTRACT It is imperative that coastal erosion studies produce valid erosion rates and erosion ha... more ABSTRACT It is imperative that coastal erosion studies produce valid erosion rates and erosion hazard predictions to aid in the development of public policy and protect coastal resources. Currently, the Single-Transect method is the most common shoreline change model, which calculates a rate at each shore-normal transect without regard to influences of data from adjacent transects along a beach. Improving on Single-Transect, the University of Hawaii Coastal Geology Group has developed the PX (Polynomial in distance X) and PXT (Polynomial in distance X and Time) shoreline change rate calculation methods, which model all the shoreline positions within a beach simultaneously using polynomial techniques. PX is a special case of PXT that models shoreline change rates spatially along a beach. PXT not only models the shoreline change spatially, but it lets the rate change with time (acceleration). This is an important advance, as beaches may not erode or accrete at a constant (linear) rate. A linear sum of basis functions characterizes the shoreline change rate for both PX and PXT. These methods are an improvement on previous methods as they produce more meaningful, i.e., statistically significant rates and erosion hazard predictions. We use an information criterion (gMDL) to (1) identify the number of coefficients of the basis functions that are needed to describe shoreline change in PX and PXT, and (2) compare different methods to determine which method best describes shoreline change. The southeast coastline of Oahu, Hawaii, features a range of beach morphologies and littoral dynamics well suited for further testing of the PX and PXT shoreline change rate calculation methods. The PX and PXT methods find significant rates for 70% of the study area versus 28% significant rates with the Single-Transect method. In companion with the work presented by Ayesha Genz on the PX and PXT rate methods, we present results from the Southeast Oahu Shoreline Study as a demonstration of the utility of the new rate calculation methods and for comparison with the previously used rate methods.
Abstract: Maui’s coastal lands, along with many others worldwide, are under tremendous pressure f... more Abstract: Maui’s coastal lands, along with many others worldwide, are under tremendous pressure from expanding development and accelerating coastal erosion. While it may be perceived by the public that the lands most at risk from sea-level rise are those immediately bordering the coastline, the threat to low-lying areas from a rising water table inland of the coast may also be great. Maui planning officials have begun to recognize that regardless of the uncertainty over projected rates of sea-level rise, threats associated with rising sea level should be identified and mitigated through a combination of modeling, mapping, and direct observation. This paper provides a review of current sea-level rise science and describes the scientific and management approaches being undertaken by Maui County to better understand potential risks associated with rising seas and account for these projections in long-range planning.
REFERENCES Fletcher, C.H., Rooney, J.J.B., Barbee, M., Lim, S.-C., and Richmond, B.M., 2003, Mapp... more REFERENCES Fletcher, C.H., Rooney, J.J.B., Barbee, M., Lim, S.-C., and Richmond, B.M., 2003, Mapping Shoreline Change Using Digital Orthophotogrammetry on Maui, Hawaii: Journal of Coastal Research, v. Special Issue 38, p. 106-124. Frazer, L.N., Genz, A.S., and Fletcher, C.H., 2009, Toward Parsimony in Shoreline Change Prediction (I): Basis Function Methods: Journal of Coastal Research, v. 25, no. 2, p. 366-379. Genz, A.S., Fletcher, C.H., Dunn, R.A., Frazer, L.N., and Rooney, J.J., 2007, The Predictive Accuracy of Shoreline Change Rate Methods and Alongshore Beach Variation on Maui, Hawaii: Journal of Coastal Research, v. 23, no. 1, p. 87-105. Genz, A.S., Frazer, L.N., and Fletcher, C.H., 2009, Toward Parsimony in Shoreline Change Prediction (II): Applying Basis Function Methods to Real and Synthetic Data: Journal of Coastal Research, v. 25, no. 2, p. 380-392. Romine, B.M., Fletcher, C.H., Frazer, L.N., Genz, A.S., Barbee, M.M., and Lim, S.-C., 2009, Historical shoreline change, Sou...
This Open File report is the latest in a series of similar reports that contain brief texts about... more This Open File report is the latest in a series of similar reports that contain brief texts about the program and focus on the spatial data. I realize this is more of a data release that focuses on publishing the spatial data and brief text is ok. Short and sweet= good. Please ...
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