RUI: Measuring the effects of winter storms (2013-2014) on the movement of boulders in western Ireland

a. 随着沿海人口的增长，海平面上升，气候模型预测风暴会增加，需要更好地了解高能海浪对沿海地区的影响。近年来袭击世界各地的具有里程碑意义的风暴突出了这一需要的紧迫性。 去年冬天，西欧遭受了一系列异常强烈的风暴的蹂躏，在爱尔兰沃茨产生了有史以来最大的海浪（25米高）。 对沿海基础设施的破坏将花费数千万美元进行修复，目前正在记录大量的侵蚀和沉积物移动。该项目将利用这些风暴作为前后分析的机会，可以增加我们对风暴波如何移动大型物体的了解。 利用现有的照片数据库（大多数是去年夏天拍摄的），在与特定GPS位置相关的调查地点，这项研究将使用重复摄影来记录和测量冬季风暴造成的变化。这项调查将建立风暴功率和巨石运动的内陆范围之间的关系，可以作为风暴波的破坏力的指标。研究结果将适用于全世界的沿海地区，并可作为制定有效公共政策的基础。该项目的技术描述风暴波移动巨石等大型物体的能力是有争议的。一些研究表明，只有海啸才有能力将大型物体移动到更高的高度，但在不易发生海啸的地区，沿海巨石山脊的分布表明了一种更普遍和常见的机制。 该项目将使用现有的基准照片和爱尔兰西部关键地点巨石分布的测量结果，对2013-2014年冬季风暴前后的巨石位置进行定量比较。 这些调查将使用主要在2012年和2013年拍摄的最新实地照片，与目前的巨砾结构进行实地比较，记录哪些巨砾发生了移动，并测量搬运碎屑的大小和平移距离。 由于这些地点已经进行了地形调查，因此将记录高水位以上的质量和运动以及内陆距离，从而产生去年冬天记录的最大海况与巨石运动的内陆范围之间的关系。该项目期间产生的数据将使风暴波和巨石运输之间的联系更加精确。 研究结果将适用于面临严重风暴损害风险的其他地区，并可用作完善沿海运输模型的基础。该项目将在处理具有社会相关性的科学问题的过程中培养学生，并将扩大他们对地球科学及其更广泛作用的理解。本科生，其中很大一部分来自代表性不足的群体，将在现场和实验室接受密集的一对一指导和培训，以及各种现场和分析工具的实践经验。这项工作的国际性质，所涉及的技术范围广泛，以及与公共规划的相关性将有助于这些本科生在研究和教学方面取得成功，有效的职业生涯。

a. A nontechnical explanation of the project's broader significance and importanceAs coastal populations grow, sea level rises, and climate models predict increasing storminess, there needs to be a better understanding of the effects of high-energy waves on coastal regions. The urgency of this need is underscored by landmark storms that have struck world-wide in recent years. Western Europe was ravaged by a series of unusually strong storms this past winter, which generated the largest waves ever measured in Irish waters (25 m high). Damage to coastal infrastructure will cost tens of millions of dollars to repair, and major amounts of erosion and sediment movement are now being documented. This project will use these storms as an oppportunity for before-and-after analysis that can increase our knowledge of how storm waves move large objects. Using an existing database of photographs (most taken last summer) at surveyed sites tied to specific GPS locations, this research will use repeat photography to document and measure changes wrought by the winter storms. This investigation will establish a relationship between storm power and the inland extent of boulder movement that can serve as an index of the destructive power of storm waves. The results will be applicable to coastal regions world-wide and can serve as the basis for developing effective public policy.b. A technical description of the projectThe ability of storm waves to move large objects such as boulders is controversial. Some researches have suggested that only tsunami have the power to move massive objects to higher elevations, yet the distribution of coastal boulder ridges in areas not prone to tsunami indicate a more widespread and common mechanism. This project will use existing benchmark photographs and measurements of boulder distribution at key sites in the west of Ireland to make quantitative comparisons of boulder locations before and after thw winter storms of 2013-2014. The surveys will use recent field photographs taken mostly in 2012 and 2013 to make on-the-ground comparisons with the present boulder configurations, documenting which boulders have moved and measuring both the sizes and translation distances of the transported clasts. Because these sites have been topographically surveyed, the masses and movements to elevations above high water and distances inland will be documented, thus generating relationships between the maximum sea states recorded last winter and the inland extent of boulder movements. Data generated during this project will quaintify the connection between storm waves and boulder transport. The results will be applicable to other regions at risk from severe storm damage and can be used as the basis for refining models of coastal transport. This project will train students in the process of approaching a scientific problem that has societal relevance, and will broaden their understanding of geoscience and its broader roles. Undergraduate students, a high proportion of whom are from under-represented groups, will receive intense one-on-one mentoring and training in the field and in lab, as well as hands-on experience with a variety of field and analytical tools. The international nature of the work, the wide range of techniques involved, and the relevance for public planning will help prepare these undergraduates for successful, effective careers in research and teaching.