Earth Data Science

Earth Data Science Research

The Earth Data Science (EDS) group conducts research and applications into coastal hazard and risk problems associated with living along the coast. Primarily focused on weather-driven winds, storm surge, and waves, EDS uses state-of-the-art numerical/computational models together with data science approaches to characterize the threat posed by tropical cyclones and extra-tropical storms along the US eastern seaboard. From barrier islands to engineered levees, small details can matter significantly. The ADCIRC tide, storm-surge, and wind-wave model is the primary engine for EDS’s research and applications. Formulated using linear triangular finite elements, ADCIRC enables very high-resolution representation of the complexities of the coast. Together with academic, federal, state, and industry collaborators, EDS runs the operational ADCIRC Prediction System that provides real-time information on storm surge during North Atlantic tropical cyclone events.

Specific application areas include optimal, risk-based evacuation modeling; impacts of hurricane rainfall on coastal water level predictions; interactions of technology and social mechanisms on risk communication; and climate impacts on coastal risks.