| Title | Nearshore sediment transport as influenced by Changing Sea Ice, North Shore of Prince Edward Island, Canada |
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| Author | Manson, G K |
| Source | Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences vol. 59, no. 11, 2022 p. 935-944, https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2020-0150  Open Access |
| Image |  |
| Year | 2022 |
| Alt Series | Natural Resources Canada, Contribution Series 20210621 |
| Publisher | Canadian Science Publishing |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Prince Edward Island |
| NTS | 11I; 11J; 11K; 11L; 11M; 11N; 11O; 11P; 21I; 21P; 12A; 12B; 12C; 12D; 12E; 12F; 12G; 12H; 22A; 22H |
| Lat/Long WENS | -66.0000 -56.0000 50.0000 46.0000 |
| Subjects | environmental geology; marine geology; Nature and Environment; coastal environment; coastal studies; sediment transport; climate effects; climate; sea ice; Gulf of St. Lawrence Basin; Climate
change |
| Illustrations | location maps; time series; tables; graphs |
| Program | Climate Change Geoscience Coastal Infrastructure |
| Released | 2022 03 07 |
| Abstract | This study considers the influence of changing sea ice on nearshore sediment transport in the central north shore of Prince Edward Island, Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is widely accepted that
changing climate is causing sea ice to decrease in the region. Sea ice attenuates wave energy thereby reducing sediment transport. The Delft3D hydrodynamic model is used to simulate waves, currents, and sediment transport in seven sea ice
concentration scenarios that can be differentiated into four classes: open water (<10%), low ice (10% to 35%), moderate ice (36% to 60%), and high ice (>60%). If ice concentration decreases from high to moderate, sediment transport is expected to
increase 23%. Similarly, if ice concentration decreases from moderate to low, sediment transport is expected to increase a further 24%. If ice concentration decreases from low to open water conditions, sediment transport is expected to abruptly
increase a further 85%. The increase in sediment transport as sea ice decreases from high concentration to open water conditions is 180%. Linear and power-law fits of sediment transport and sea ice concentration intersect at an ice concentration of
30%, indicating this value may be a useful threshold in planning for increased coastal erosion and developing appropriate adaptation strategies, in particular, adapting to increased sediment transport near tidal inlets and navigation channels.
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| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
While nearshore sea ice can be destructive to infrastructure, often when sea ice is present adjacent to the shore, it reduces wave energy and protects
against erosion. Sea ice is decreasing in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and is expected to be absent by 2055. As sea ice decreases from high concentrations to open water conditions, modelled nearshore sediment transport increases 180%. The
increase is gradual until sea ice concentrations decrease to approximately 30%. Below this concentration, sea ice has little effect on wave energy, and sediment transport increases dramatically to fully open water conditions. It is difficult to
relate rates of nearshore sediment transport to rates of coastal erosion, but the results indicate the North Shore of Prince Edward Island will have a more energetic wave climate in the absence of sea ice which suggests increased rates of coastal
erosion. Tidal inlets and adjacent shoals may be most affected with implications for navigation and dredging. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 329572 |
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