RT journal article
T1 A Risk Assessment of Underwater Cultural Heritage for Wave-Induced Hazards: The Impact of Climate Change on Cadiz Bay
A1 Ferrero Martín, Carmen
A1 Izquierdo González, Alfredo
A1 Bethencourt Núñez, Manuel
A1 Fernández-Montblanc, Tomás
A2 Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química Inorgánica
K1 underwater cultural heritage; climate change; hybrid downscaling; decontextualization risk; scouring risk; wear erosion risk, numerical modelling, ocean waves
K1 underwater cultural heritage
K1 climate change
K1 hybrid downscaling
K1 decontextualization risk
K1 scouring risk
K1 wear erosion risk
K1 numerical modelling
K1 ocean waves
AB The combination of future changes in sea levels and wave climate in coastal areas represents one of the greatest threats to the preservation of underwater cultural heritage (UCH). This study presents a new methodology to assess climate change’s impacts on UCH preservation in shallow waters, focusing on wave-induced hazards like decontextualization, scouring, and wear erosion. The approach uses hybrid downscaling of bias-corrected wave fields from the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 CMIP5 scenarios. The methodology was applied in the Bay of Cadiz, where an overall reduction in wave energy flux was observed. However, local increases were detected in rocky outcrops and coastal areas with high UCH density. As a result, the shallow zones exhibited significant changes in decontextualization and scouring hazards. However, the most relevant risk changes were linked to wear erosion, particularly at sites on rocky outcrops near Cadiz. The methodology proposed in this study is essential for identifying areas with higher risk and for evaluating UCH preservation under future climate conditions. It offers an effective tool for discriminating sites at risk and for conducting a long-term assessment of these risks in coastal environments affected by climate change.
SN 2077-1312
YR 2025
FD 2025-01-14
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/34515
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/34515
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 10-may-2026