Coastal vulnerability assessment of National Park of American Samoa (NPSA) to sea-level rise
Pendleton EA, Thieler ER, Williams SJ. 2005. Coastal vulnerability assessment of National Park of American Samoa (NPSA) to sea-level rise. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Open-File Report. 2005-1055. United States Geological Survey. Reston, VA
A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was used to map the relative vulnerability of the coast to future sea-level rise within National Park of American Samoa. The CVI ranks the following in terms of their physical contribution to sea-level rise-related coastal change: geomorphology regional coastal slope, rate of relative sea-level rise, historical shoreline change rates, mean tidal range and mean significant wave height. The rankings for each input variable were combined and an index value calculated for 500-meter grid cells covering in the park. The CVI highlight those regions where the physical effects of sea-level rise might be the greatest. This approach combines the costal system's susceptibility to change with its natural ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, yield a quantitative, although relative, measure of the park's natural vulnerability to the effects of sea-level rise. The CVI provides an objective technique for evaluation and long-term planning by scientists and park managers. National Park of American Samoa consists of carbonate sand and coral rubble beaches, rock cliffs and platforms, and lagoon shoreline. The areas within National Park of American Samoa that are likely to be most vulnerable to sea-level rise are areas of unconsolidated sediment where coastal slope is shallowest and wave energy is high.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Pendleton, Elizabeth; Thieler, E; Williams, S
- Date of Issue
- 2005
- Publisher
- United States Geological Survey
- Units
- HIST , NPSA , PACN
- Keywords
- Coast, Coastal Vulnerability Index, cvi, ehistory, Geology, History, National Park Of American Samoa, Sea Level