Brazilian coastal processes: Wind, wave climate and sea level

Abstract

The coast of Brazil has substantial physical and environmental diversity, constituting a constant challenge for coastal management. This diversity is characterized by heterogeneity regarding the morphology of the coast and its hydrodynamic components, such as waves, tides, sea level changes and atmospheric pressure gradients. In this chapter an historical review regarding the existing observed data is presented. Also a detailed description of the wave climate, astronomical tide and storm surge along the Brazilian coast is provided, based on the SMC-Brasil databases: Downscaled Ocean Waves (DOW), Global Ocean Tides (GOT) and Global Ocean Surges (GOS). Finally a briefly description of the SMC-Brasil is provided focusing on it is principal characteristics and an example of it is application to the Massaguaçu beach is shown on Appendix.