The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The large-scale influence of the Great Barrier Reef matrix on wave attenuation

The large-scale influence of the Great Barrier Reef matrix on wave attenuation
The large-scale influence of the Great Barrier Reef matrix on wave attenuation
Offshore reef systems consist of individual reefs, with spaces in between, which together constitute the reef matrix. This is the first comprehensive, large-scale study, of the influence of an offshore reef system on wave climate and wave transmission. The focus was on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia, utilizing a 16-yr record of wave height from seven satellite altimeters. Within the GBR matrix, the wave climate is not strongly dependent on reef matrix submergence. This suggests that after initial wave breaking at the seaward edge of the reef matrix, wave energy that penetrates the matrix has little depth modulation. There is no clear evidence to suggest that as reef matrix porosity (ratio of spaces between individual reefs to reef area) decreases, wave attenuation increases. This is because individual reefs cast a wave shadow much larger than the reef itself; thus, a matrix of isolated reefs is remarkably effective at attenuating wave energy. This weak dependence of transmitted wave energy on depth of reef submergence, and reef matrix porosity, is also evident in the lee of the GBR matrix. Here, wave conditions appear to be dependent largely on local wind speed, rather than wave conditions either seaward, or within the reef matrix. This is because the GBR matrix is a very effective wave absorber, irrespective of water depth and reef matrix porosity.
offshore reef, coral, wave dissipation, satellite altimetry, wave transmission
0722-4028
1167-1178
Gallop, Shari L.
c14133fc-9141-47d9-ae9c-84c2513ea8ad
Young, Ian R.
52173df6-255b-4cd7-917a-69d52f3623e7
Ranasinghe, Roshanka
595401f8-1450-454d-b9ec-1ea3de9eebb4
Durrant, Tom H.
678cec5d-48b0-48fa-87e9-07fdf5be3b78
Haigh, Ivan D.
945ff20a-589c-47b7-b06f-61804367eb2d
Gallop, Shari L.
c14133fc-9141-47d9-ae9c-84c2513ea8ad
Young, Ian R.
52173df6-255b-4cd7-917a-69d52f3623e7
Ranasinghe, Roshanka
595401f8-1450-454d-b9ec-1ea3de9eebb4
Durrant, Tom H.
678cec5d-48b0-48fa-87e9-07fdf5be3b78
Haigh, Ivan D.
945ff20a-589c-47b7-b06f-61804367eb2d

Gallop, Shari L., Young, Ian R., Ranasinghe, Roshanka, Durrant, Tom H. and Haigh, Ivan D. (2014) The large-scale influence of the Great Barrier Reef matrix on wave attenuation. Coral Reefs, 33 (4), 1167-1178. (doi:10.1007/s00338-014-1205-7).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Offshore reef systems consist of individual reefs, with spaces in between, which together constitute the reef matrix. This is the first comprehensive, large-scale study, of the influence of an offshore reef system on wave climate and wave transmission. The focus was on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia, utilizing a 16-yr record of wave height from seven satellite altimeters. Within the GBR matrix, the wave climate is not strongly dependent on reef matrix submergence. This suggests that after initial wave breaking at the seaward edge of the reef matrix, wave energy that penetrates the matrix has little depth modulation. There is no clear evidence to suggest that as reef matrix porosity (ratio of spaces between individual reefs to reef area) decreases, wave attenuation increases. This is because individual reefs cast a wave shadow much larger than the reef itself; thus, a matrix of isolated reefs is remarkably effective at attenuating wave energy. This weak dependence of transmitted wave energy on depth of reef submergence, and reef matrix porosity, is also evident in the lee of the GBR matrix. Here, wave conditions appear to be dependent largely on local wind speed, rather than wave conditions either seaward, or within the reef matrix. This is because the GBR matrix is a very effective wave absorber, irrespective of water depth and reef matrix porosity.

Text
Gallop_et_al_2014.pdf - Version of Record
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (3MB)

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 25 August 2014
e-pub ahead of print date: 10 September 2014
Published date: December 2014
Keywords: offshore reef, coral, wave dissipation, satellite altimetry, wave transmission
Organisations: Geology & Geophysics, Physical Oceanography

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 374137
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/374137
ISSN: 0722-4028
PURE UUID: 1fd66c92-27fe-4df7-b9ce-f274eea2e366
ORCID for Ivan D. Haigh: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9722-3061

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 05 Feb 2015 11:51
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:26

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Shari L. Gallop
Author: Ian R. Young
Author: Roshanka Ranasinghe
Author: Tom H. Durrant
Author: Ivan D. Haigh ORCID iD

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×