Coastal Lab

The coastal lab investigates the geological record of coastal hazards (storms and tsunamis) in Southeast Asia. The lab’s research group brought in from around the world currently studies beaches, coastlines and low-lying areas in ten different countries.

Overview

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.

Resources

Surveying Damage After Typhoon Hato
Introduction to the Southeast Asia SEA-Level (SEA2) Program

Facilities

Coastal Lab Field Equipment
Geochemistry Laboratories
MC-ICP-MS
Paleo-environments Lab

Investigating coastal hazards in Vietnam

Research Interests

Coastal Hazards

Meteorologists 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.

Projects

A comparative study of Late Quaternary hydroclimate from marine sediments from offshore Singapore

We plan a comparative study to test the feasibility of reconstructing hydroclimate and temperature v...

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Investigating the geomicrobiology of storm and tsunami deposits

We propose using geomicrobiology to overcome the primary issue in documenting prehistorical coastal ...

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The strength of the lithosphere from geodetic to geologic time-scales

The overarching goal of our studies is to characterise the strength of the lithosphere from geodetic...

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Sea-Level from Living and Fossil Corals in Sarawak, Malaysia

This project will be conducting fieldwork in Malaysia to study sea level change throughout the past ...

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EOS Participation in “Hazards, Tipping Points, Adaptation and Collapse in the Indo-Pacific World” A Project Integrating History and Science

The project, funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC), aims to provide a new understanding of...

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Was the Ratu Kidul Myth of Southern Java Inspired by a Devastating Tsunami?

This study aims to identify potential historical tsunami deposits on the southern coast of Java and ...

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Experimental Determination of Trace Metal Partitioning in Ostracod Calcite: Calibration Tools for Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction

Switzer and his team are studying the chemistry of ostracods, tiny shrimp-like creatures that are co...

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The Geomicrobiology of the Sedimentary Deposits of Coastal Overwash Events

To assess disaster risk more precisely, Switzer and his group are looking for microbial signatures t...

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Holocene Sea-level History on the Sunda Shelf from Coral Microatolls

Since sea level rise isn't uniform globally, Switzer is using coral reef data from corals to develop...

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A preliminary investigation of Holocene neotectonics of Northwest Luzon, Philippines based on uplifted coral terraces and dunes

This pilot project presents the initial phase of a potential long-term project to investigate the na...

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Historical typhoons, storm surges and other extreme sea level events in the South China Sea and western Pacific

In the 2nd year of this study, we aim to reconstruct the impacts of the 1897 (Ty1897) typhoon in Tac...

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Records of Early Holocene Post Glacial Sea Level Rise from the Singapore Kallang Basin- Stepped or Continuous?

As the ice caps rapidly melt and lead to rising sea levels, there’s a renewed interest in similar me...

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Developing a Robust Seamless Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment (PTHA) Framework for EOS using a Pilot Study in the South China Sea

Estimating the probability of tsunami occurrence is fundamental to tsunami flooding risk assessments...

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Geological Records of Coastal Hazards in Southeast Asia

Funding SourcesNational Research Foundation

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A historical typhoon database for the southern and eastern Chinese coastal regions, 1951 to 2012

Asia is a fast growing economic region and most of the industrial and economy activities focus along...

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Rates and timing of uplift of the Laoag Dune System and Paoay Lake, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

The coastline of Laoag has been affected by tectonic uplift at various times, resulting in stranded ...

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Historical Coastal Hazards: Storms, Tsunamis, Earthquakes and Volcanic Events impacting the Indo-Pacific Region

Noting that Guy Carpenter (GC) and its clients have considerable exposure to coastal hazards in Sout...

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Novel Approaches To Ground Penetrating Radar: Applications In Border Security

To date, examining imported produce and both storm and tsunami deposits uses destructive, time- and ...

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Sediment Provenance In Deposits From The 2004 Tsunami And Paleo-Tsunami

Catastrophic events such as tsunamis or typhoons leave unique signatures in the geologic and geomorp...

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Pb Isotopes Activity In The South China Sea

The study of lead (Pb) regional geochemical cycle in the South China Sea helps to minimize the risk ...

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20th Century Sea Level Variability as Recorded By Coral Microatolls on the Sunda Shelf

This project aims to assess sea level variability over the 20th century with precise and accurate da...

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High-Resolution Sea-Level History On The Sunda Shelf Over The Past 8000 Years

Coral microatolls preserve high-resolution data on past sea-level change, often to within a few cent...

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Storm Surge Risk In Vietnam

Central Vietnam is one of the areas that suffer from serious damaging caused by frequent typhoons. S...

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Modelling Coastal Inundation Using Geological Evidence

Our modelling projects work on the development and application of hydrodynamic numerical models for ...

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Holocene Evolution Of The Twelve Lakes Region, China

The Twelve Lake Area is one of the latest disturbed coastal regions present in Lufeng, southern Chin...

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Coastal Hazards And Geological Evolution Of The Chan May-Lang Co Embayment, Hue Province, Central Vietnam

This project seeks to examine the onshore and offshore geological evolution of the Lang Co and Chan ...

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Storm Surge Risk In Vietnam And China

Central Vietnam is one of the most strongly affected areas to suffer frequent and damaging typhoons....

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Ground Penetrating Radar Of Potential Paleo-Tsunami Cave Deposits, Aceh Province, Indonesia

The discovery of an onshore cave in Aceh Province, Indonesia, that preserves a sequence of marine-or...

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Comparison Of Modern Tsunami And Cyclone Deposits Along The South-East Coast Of India

This project was initiated and is led by Seshachalam Srinivasalu of Anna University, Chennai, to exa...

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Ground Penetrating Radar Of Paleo-Tsunami Deposits From Phra Thong Island, Thailand

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a technique that can non-invasively map subsurface stratigraphy in...

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Coastal Hazards In Southern China Using Geological Records

The coast of southern China is one of the most densely populated, economically important and rapidly...

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Records Of Extreme Marine Inundations From Washover Deposits In The Philippines

Most coastlines in the Philippines are naturally prone to storm surges because they are situated alo...

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Hunting Lebanon AD551 Tsunami Deposits

The AD551 Beirut-Tripoli earthquake is reported to have generated a large tsunami flooding the citie...

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Holocene Evolution Of The Twelve Lakes Region

The Twelve Lake Area is one of the latest disturbed coastal regions present in Lufeng, southern Chin...

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A comparative study of Late Quaternary hydroclimate from marine sediments from offshore Singapore

We will analyse the stable isotopes (d18O and d13C) and trace metal composition (Mg/Ca, Ba/Ca, Sr/Ca...

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Late Quaternary palaeoenvironments of the Kallang River Basin, Singapore

We plan a reconstruction of late Quaternary environmental history of the Kallang basin, southern Sin...

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The strength of the lithosphere: from the lab to the lithosphere

The overarching goal of our studies is to characterise the strength of the lithosphere from geodetic...

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Recent Publications

Year 2022

Submarine Landslides in the West Continental Slope of the South China Sea and Their Tsunamigenic Potential

Xiaoyi Pan, Adam Switzer, Dawei Wang, Linlin Li, & Phuong H. Nguyen

Year 2021

Interacting effects of land-use change and natural hazards on rice agriculture in the Mekong and Red River deltas in Vietnam

Kai Wan Yuen, Adam Switzer, Janice S.H. Lee, Paul Teng, Tang Thi Hanh, & Vu Duong Quynh

Year 2021

Environmental DNA signatures distinguish between tsunami and storm deposition in overwash sand

Wenshu Yap, Adam Switzer, Chris Gouramanis, Dale Dominey-Howes, Ezequiel Marzinelli, Federico M. Lauro, et al.

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The Team

Adam SWITZER

Principal Investigator

Research Fellow

Research Fellow

Research Fellow

PhD Student

Research Assistant

PhD Student

PhD Student

PhD Student

Clair Elaine Jerusha DEVAN

Assistant Manager/Secretary

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Coastal Lab

Overview

Resources

Facilities

Research Interests

Coastal Hazards

Oceanographic and Inundation Modelling

Sea Level History

Environmental Change

Projects

Recent Publications

The Team

From The Blog

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