The Cluster of Excellence “The Future Ocean” thus contributed to preparing future research generations for the challenges that climate change brings to densely populated coastal regions.
Kiel University and the Research and Technology Centre on the west coast in Büsum conducted the Summer School “Coastal Hazards” from the 16th to the 20th of September and offered PhD students and young postdocs the opportunity to gain insight into the current status of coastal research regarding natural hazards and possible adaption strategies. This research area is growing in importance under the influence of climate change since the rising sea level as well as frequent extreme weather incidences increase the risk of catastrophic floods to growing, densely populated coastal regions. The course incorporated the scientific analysis of past catastrophic coastal events using geological and geophysical methods in order to derive risk evaluations and protective measures for the future.
An excursion to the coastline east of Kiel offered the participants the chance to take a close look at numerous interesting coastal sections which demonstrate changes due to rising sea level, sedimentary dynamics and coastal protection. Karl Stattegger, professor for Geology at Kiel University and one of the organizers of the Summer School, explained: “In this way our participants gain an on-site impression of the current status of the southwesterly Baltic coast and can understand the coastal changes under the influence of coastal protection.”
Apart from looking at the situation of the close Baltic coast, the Summer School topics also included insight into coastal processes and possible dangers of international examples, such as the study of submarine landslides and their consequences. In the second part of the event, Prof. Saito and Prof. Syvitski discussed different views on river deltas and their role in coastal hazards.
Links:
www.futureocean.org Cluster of Excellence "The Future Ocean"
www.uni-kiel.de Kiel University
Contact
Prof. Karl Stattegger, Institut für Geowissenschaften, 0431-880-2881
kst@gpi.uni-kiel.de
Christian Urban, Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Exzellenzcluster „Ozean der Zukunft“, 0431-880-3031
curban@uv.uni-kiel.de
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