Proposal for a new meteotsunami intensity index

Lewis, C., Smyth, T., Neumann, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3244-2578 and Cloke, H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1472-868X (2024) Proposal for a new meteotsunami intensity index. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 24 (1). pp. 121-131. ISSN 1684-9981 doi: 10.5194/nhess-24-121-2024

Abstract/Summary

Atmospherically generated coastal waves labelled as meteotsunami are known to cause destruction, injury and fatality due to their rapid onset and unexpected nature. Unlike other coastal hazards such as tsunami, there exists no standardised means of quantifying this phenomenon which is crucial for understanding shoreline impacts and to enable researchers to establish a shared language and framework for meteotsunami analysis and comparison. In this study, we present a new 5-level Lewis Meteotsunami Intensity Index (LMTI) trialled in the United Kingdom (UK) but designed for global applicability. A comprehensive dataset of meteotsunami events recorded in the UK was utilised and the index's effectiveness was evaluated, with intensity level and spatial distribution of meteotsunami occurrence derived. Results revealed a predominant occurrence of Level 2 moderate intensity meteotsunamis (69%) in the UK, with distinct hotspots identified in Southwest England and Scotland. Further trial implementation of the LMTI in a global capacity revealed its potential adaptability to other meteotsunami prone regions facilitating the comparison of events and promoting standardisation of assessment methodologies.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/114159
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Department of Geography and Environmental Science Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher	European Geosciences Union
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