Wave transformation within a coral reef lagoon system, Erakor lagoon, Vanuatu

Abstract

Coral reefs encircle most of the islands in Vanuatu and provide natural breakwaters for coastal communities by reducing wave energy arriving at the shoreline acting to control both inundation and erosion. Climate Change is projected to both exacerbate coastal hazards and endanger corals. The aim of this paper is to better understand the parameters that govern hydrodynamics on fringing reef systems. The interaction between the depth, waves and currents are studied from measurements conducted in Erakor lagoon, Vanuatu.