Research: The East Coast is sinking
Residents of the East Coast should prepare for a muddy future. Research published in the journal Scientific Reports finds that the region will be threatened by more flooding, with Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina at the most risk.
The research differentiates between two types of flooding:
- Catastrophic coastal flooding: That happens “when wind-driven storm surge inundates large areas,” the researchers write. "The relative contribution of sea-level rise to the frequency of these events is difficult to evaluate.”
- Nuisance flooding: This is often associated with high tides, the article points out. And “recent increases in frequency are more clearly linked to sea-level rise and global warming.”
While both types of flooding are likely to increase, the authors write, nuisance flooding is “an early indicator of areas that will eventually experience increased catastrophic flooding and land loss.”
The article is: "Nuisance Flooding and Relative Sea-Level Rise: The Importance of Present-Day Land Motion," published in Scientific Reports Sept. 11, led by Makan A. Karegar, School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, and currently a guest researcher at the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation at the University of Bonn, et al.
CASSINI’S GRAND FINALE: NASA’s Cassini spacecraft will plunge into Saturn Sept. 15, ending its mission.
The spacecraft made a final approach to the moon Titan Sept. 11. It was to fly 73,974 miles (119,049 kilometers) above the moon's surface. Mission engineers call the encounter Cassini’s “goodbye kiss,” as it “provides a gravitational nudge that sends the spacecraft toward its dramatic ending in Saturn's upper atmosphere,” according to NASA.
The space agency will air briefings on its website on Sept. 15. The spacecraft should signal scientists at NASA on Sept. 12 to transmit images taken during the final approach to Titan.
Related:
Hurricane Sandy-level flooding to rise
Researchers prep for spacecraft's grand finale
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