Influence of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events on the evolution of central California's shoreline

Research Article| February 01, 2000 Influence of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events on the evolution of central California's shoreline Curt D. Storlazzi; Curt D. Storlazzi 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064-1077 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gary B. Griggs Gary B. Griggs 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064-1077 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Curt D. Storlazzi 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064-1077 Gary B. Griggs 1Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064-1077 Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 23 Apr 1998 Revision Received: 07 Apr 1999 Accepted: 19 May 1999 First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2000) 112 (2): 236–249. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(2000)1122.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 23 Apr 1998 Revision Received: 07 Apr 1999 Accepted: 19 May 1999 First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Curt D. Storlazzi, Gary B. Griggs; Influence of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events on the evolution of central California's shoreline. GSA Bulletin 2000;; 112 (2): 236–249. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(2000)1122.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Significant sea-cliff erosion and storm damage occurred along the central coast of California during the 1982–1983 and 1997–1998 El Niño winters. This generated interest among scientists and land-use planners in how historic El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) winters have affected the coastal climate of central California. A relative ENSO intensity index based on oceanographic and meteorologic data defines the timing and magnitude of ENSO events over the past century. The index suggests that five higher intensity (relative values 4–6) and 17 lower intensity (relative values 1–3) ENSO events took place between 1910 and 1995. The ENSO intensity index correlates with fluctuations in the time series of cyclone activity, precipitation, detrended sea level, wave height, sea-surface temperature, and sea-level barometric pressure. Wave height, sea level, and precipitation, which are the primary external forcing parameters in sea-cliff erosion, increase nonlinearly with increasing relative ENSO event intensity. The number of storms that caused coastal erosion or storm damage and the historic occurrence of large-scale sea-cliff erosion along the central coast also increase nonlinearly with increasing relative event intensity. These correlations and the frequency distribution of relative ENSO event intensities indicate that moderate- to high-intensity ENSO events cause the most sea-cliff erosion and shoreline recession over the course of a century. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.