As described Cesium was deemed to be the satisfactory software for presenting the data. To achieve the aims and objectives of the project Cesium was installed and styled. The software is provided with stylesheets and templates and to adapt the user-end of the model, to add points of interest a combination of html and JavaScript was used.
To be able to import the raster and geotiff into Cesium GDAL software library a software application was developed. The application uses GDAL to read the raster data and converts it to the format required by Cesium. The application was developed by Geodata Institute and is completely independent from the rest of the Langstone Harbour model, it must be run on a Linux server and has been made publicly available through github (https://github.com/). The converted files were imported into Cesium, which then allows the topographic raster data to be overlapped with the geotif to create a 3D model of the landscape. By adding a time element and giving users a way of controlling and choosing what they want to see the 4D model is complete.
Once this process was completed it was also applied to the Baie de Lannion case study area where topographical changes have been modelled.
2.6. Summary
The historical evolution of the coast provides valuable information on past trends which can help develop future coastal climate change scenarios. Present coastal landforms have developed since the last Ice Age, studies of their evolution based on archaeology, palaeoenvironmental and coastal heritage features provides a seamless timescale from the Ice Age to the mid-20th century.
Early archaeological evidence demonstrates how people were impacted by coastal change in the past and how populations reacted to some large-scale landscape and climate changes. More recent human activity along the coast can show us how humans have had a direct impact on coastal stability. Some has been positive but much has been counterproductive.
Maps, charts and artistic representations of the coast can all be available for study. Combining information from these data sources within particular coastal frontages enables an in depth understanding of long-term change. An understanding of ongoing changes and the consequent
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environmental and physical impacts can help inform coastal managers when they are faced with long term strategic decisions.
Sources of data vary within each country with some nations or regions having particular specialist collections, while others do not hold directly comparable data sets. The research process identified key collections which have then been used in support of the Arch-Manche analysis, many of the data sources were ranked using the assessment criteria developed for the project outlined above.
The next section (section 3) of this report includes the individual case study reports from across the partner countries, these outline the results of the ranking and fieldwork, and the subsequent analysis of these results to inform our understanding of long-term coastal change. In order to ensure that a diverse range of coastal situations were assessed across the Channel-Southern North Sea region, fourteen case study areas were selected. These included a variety of coastal frontages which are faced with different challenges in terms of management, physical conditions and available data resources.
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3. The Arch-Manche Case Study Sites
In order to ensure that a diverse range of coastal situations were assessed across the Channel-Southern North Sea region, fourteen case study areas were selected within the partner countries. These included a variety of coastal frontages which are faced with different challenges in terms of management, physical conditions and available data resources.
The following areas were subject to detailed ranking of available data sources, fieldwork and analysis to review evidence of coastal change over time. The methodologies used in the ranking, fieldwork and analysis are also explained in Section 2.
Figure 3.1 Location of the fourteen Arch-Manche case study areas and the partner organisations.
UK Case Studies
3A – East Anglia
3B – Kent
3C – Hastings
3D – Solent and Isle of Wight
3E – West Dorset and East Devon
3F – West Cornwall
3G – North Cornwall and North Devon French Case Studies
3H – Cote d’Emeraude
3I - Trégor - North Finistère
3J – Cornouailles
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3K - Quiberon Belgian Case Studies
3L – Ostend – Raversijde
3M – Scheldt polders Dutch Case Study
3N - Netherlands
Past coastal planning regimes have suffered from a poor understanding of the ongoing processes and natural trends that are shaping our coastal zone. Consequently, many coastal settlements are becoming vulnerable as the frequency of coastal erosion, flooding and coastal instability events increase, and the relationship between the land and sea evolves.
This report and in particular the individual case study reports quantify the value of under-used coastal indicators that can be applied as tools to inform long term patterns of coastal change.
In addition, it provides instruments to communicate past change effectively, model areas under threat and interpret progressive coastal trends.
Alongside the case study reports, the data used and the results of the ranking can be viewed through the Arch-Manche portal – www.archmanche-geoportal.eu. This spatial viewer contains the archaeological, palaeoenvironmental, art, photographs and map data used in the project at the case study areas. It also contains the various 2, 3 and 4D models created in some of the case study areas to demonstrate how these sites have changed over time.
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