During the early evening of 28 September 2018, a magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck along the coast of northwestern Sulawesi, Indonesia. This region hosts a famous strike-slip fault system...
Coastal Lab - Adam Switzer
The coastal lab investigates the geological record of coastal hazards (storms and tsunamis) in Southeast Asia. The lab’s 11-strong research group brought in from around the world currently studies beaches, coastlines and low-lying areas in ten different countries – Vietnam, China, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Lebanon, Tahiti and Taiwan.
One of the driving aims of the research group is to make the coastlines of Asia safer places to live, work and play. Records of past coastal hazards events can help predict impacts and likelihood of similar future events. We also aim to be able to use the information on past coastal change to provide an idea of what might be expected in the future, and thereby to inform policy and planning decisions.
Globally, studies of the sedimentation and geomorphic effects of tsunami and storm surge have gained increasing popularity and recognition since the Indian Ocean Tsunami of December 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 demonstrated the vulnerability of coastal communities the world over, and the 2011 Tohoku-Oki Tsunami reminded us that we can never be too prepared for such events.
Since its inception in 2010, the lab has made significant contributions to coastal change research around the world, has been involved with developing new approaches to reconstructing tsunami and hurricane hazards, and has made major contributions to improved planning and management of the human activities in the coastal environment.
Coastal HazardsMeteorologists often describe Southeast Asia as the “Maritime Continent”, which underlies its susceptibility to coastal hazards. The rapid demographic growth in this region is a factor that aggravates the risk, as most of the new populations tend to settle on the shores where economic activity is concentrated. Hence coastal hazards are a crucial research field in the region.
Oceanographic and Inundation Modelling
Sedimentary records from historical and paleo-events are used to model storm surge or tsunami inundations in coastal areas. Such modelling is crucial for coastal hazard assessment and risk mitigation.
Sea Level History
Since the 19th century tide gauges measurements record sea-level changes and since 40 years satellites enabled a global and accurate sea-level record. However, researchers need sea-level estimates on a longer-term to validate climate and tectonic models and to infer the local effects of climate change on sea-level rise.
Environmental Change
The coastal lab is involved in the study of environmental change and coastal hazards all over Southeast Asia. Sedimentary records of the South China Sea coastline are analysed to develop an understanding of the geological, geomorphological, and climatic history of the region.
Assessment of the recurrence of typhoons, storms and tsunamis in the region, as well as its onshore and offshore geological evolution, are of crucial interest to the stakeholders, as the South China Sea littorals have one of the highest rates of infrastructure development in the world.
Blog
Latest Publications
"Assessing Undergraduate Learning in Earth Science Residential Fieldwork." Asian Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 10, no. 1 (2020): 69-88.
"Spatiotemporal variations of extreme sea levels around the South China Sea: assessing the influence of tropical cyclones, monsoons and major climate modes." Natural Hazards 98, no. 3 (2019): 969-1001.
Events
21 May 2019
10 Dec 2018 to 14 Dec 2018
10 Oct 2018 to 11 Oct 2018
14 Nov 2017
Collaborators
Latest Projects
The overarching goal of our studies is to characterise the strength of the lithosphere from geodetic to geologic time-scales and explore its implications for landscape evolution and mantle dynamics.
We plan a reconstruction of late Quaternary environmental history of the Kallang basin, southern Singapore.
We propose using geomicrobiology to overcome the primary issue in documenting prehistorical coastal hazards which is the faint distinction between storm and tsunami deposited sediments.
We plan a comparative study to test the feasibility of reconstructing hydroclimate and temperature variability during the past (MIS 5e) and current (Holocene) interglacials from marine sediment cores recovered offshore from Singapore.
The overarching goal of our studies is to characterise the strength of the lithosphere from geodetic to geologic time-scales and its implications for landscape evolution and mantle dynamics.
To assess disaster risk more precisely, Switzer and his group are looking for microbial signatures that indicate past coastal flooding.
Awards
2016
AXA Fellowship
Blog
28 Sep 2019
During the early evening of 28 September 2018, a magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck along the coast of northwestern Sulawesi, Indonesia. This region hosts a famous strike-slip fault system...