HR: 09:15h
AN: U31B-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Analysis of the Risk and Vulnerability of the Cancun Beach System-Wilma Hurricane Case
AU: * Silva, R
EM: RSilvaC@ii.unam.mx
AF: Instituto de Ingenieria, UNAM, Circuito Interior s/n, Mexico, DF 04510, Mexico
AU: Ruiz, G
EM: gruizm@iingen.unam.mx
AF: Instituto de Ingenieria, UNAM, Circuito Interior s/n, Mexico, DF 04510, Mexico
AU: Escalante, E
EM: escalant@icmyl.unam.mx
AF: Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, UNAM, Av. Niños Héroes s/n., Puerto Morelos, QR 77580, Mexico
AB: In the last decade, many researchers have been focused on the growth in risk associated with global warming and its implications; such as rising sea levels, increasing cyclone frequency and intensity, among others. However, in some cases, for an adequate understanding of the processes, it is also important to incorporate short time analysis of anthropogenic modifications that induce increased vulnerability, for example the effects of Hurricane Wilma (2005) at Cancun, Mexico. Cancun is located on the Mexican Caribbean Sea (latitude 21º05' N, longitude 86º46' W) and is the most important tourist destination in Mexico. For this research several studies have been carried out integrating previous reports, historical photo analysis, field work and the application of several numerical models (wave, currents, storm surge, sediment transport, etc.) for the characterization of the system for normal and extreme conditions. The measurements of wave conditions during the passing of Hurricane Wilma in front of Cancun show maximum wave heights of around 18 m, mean wave periods of 16 s, surface and bottom currents of 2 m/s. Incredibly, more than 7 million cubic meters of sand were moved from the Cancun beach system to other coast cells thus leaving the resort with no beach. The data presented concerning modifications on the barrier island demonstrates that these extreme meteorological events were responsible for the littoral changes, due to the loss of system flexibility in the biological dynamics and physical equilibrium of the systems, with social, environmental and economic implications. The main conclusion of this work is that local anthropogenic modifications have induced more vulnerability and risk to Cancun beach than those associated with global warming.
DE: 3300 ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES
DE: 4200 OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly