Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-2024-7
https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-2024-7
29 Oct 2024
 | 29 Oct 2024
Status: this preprint is currently under review for the journal GC.

The value of visualization in improving compound flood hazard communication: A new perspective through a Euclidean Geometry lens

Soheil Radfar, Georgios Boumis, Hamed R. Moftakhari, Wanyun Shao, Larisa Lee, and Alison N. Rellinger

Abstract. Compound flooding, caused by the sequence/co-occurrence of flood drivers (i.e. river discharge and elevated sea level ) can lead to devastating consequences for society. Weak and insufficient progress toward sustainable development and disaster risk reduction are likely to exacerbate the catastrophic impacts of these events on vulnerable communities. For this reason, it is indispensable to develop new perspectives on evaluating compound flooding dependence and communicating the associated risks to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to climate action, sustainable cities, and sustainable coastal communities. An indispensable first step for studies examining the dependence between these bivariate extremes is plotting the data in the variable space, i.e., visualizing a scatterplot, where each axis represents a variable of interest, then computing a form of correlation between them. This paper introduces the Angles method, based on Euclidean geometry of the so-called “subject space,” for visualizing the dependence structure of compound flooding drivers. Here, we evaluate, for the first time, the utility of this geometric space in computing and visualizing the dependence structure of compound flooding drivers. To assess the effectiveness of this method as a risk communication tool, we conducted a survey with a diverse group of end-users, including academic and non-academic respondents. The survey results provide insights into the perceptions of applicability of the Angles method and highlight its potential as an intuitive alternative to scatterplots in depicting the evolution of dependence in the non-stationary environment. This study emphasizes the importance of innovative visualization techniques in bridging the gap between scientific insights and practical applications, supporting more effective compound flood hazard communication in a warming climate.

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Soheil Radfar, Georgios Boumis, Hamed R. Moftakhari, Wanyun Shao, Larisa Lee, and Alison N. Rellinger

Status: open (until 24 Dec 2024)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
Soheil Radfar, Georgios Boumis, Hamed R. Moftakhari, Wanyun Shao, Larisa Lee, and Alison N. Rellinger

Data sets

Survey results Soheil Radfar and Georgios Boumis https://github.com/sradfar/CFnonStatViz/blob/main/Survey%201_Converted%20-%20Copy.xlsx

Washington gauge data Georgios Boumis and Soheil Radfar https://github.com/sradfar/CFnonStatViz/blob/main/Washington-Q_S.csv

Houston gauge data Georgios Boumis and Soheil Radfar https://github.com/sradfar/CFnonStatViz/blob/main/Houston-Q_SWL.csv

Model code and software

Dependence analysis code Georgios Boumis https://github.com/sradfar/CFnonStatViz/blob/main/CF_viz_Analysis.R

Fig 06 plot code Soheil Radfar https://github.com/sradfar/CFnonStatViz/blob/main/CFviz_Fig06.R

Fig 07 plot code Soheil Radfar https://github.com/sradfar/CFnonStatViz/blob/main/CFviz_Fig07.R

Interactive computing environment

Fig 08 plot code Soheil Radfar https://github.com/sradfar/CFnonStatViz/blob/main/CFviz_Fig08.R

Soheil Radfar, Georgios Boumis, Hamed R. Moftakhari, Wanyun Shao, Larisa Lee, and Alison N. Rellinger

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Short summary
Our study presents a method to visualize how variations in the relationship of flood drivers like discharge and surge evolve over time. This method simplifies complex relationships, making it easier to understand evolving flood risks, especially as climate change increases these threats. By surveying a diverse group, we found that this visual approach could improve communication between scientists and non-experts, helping communities better prepare for compound flooding in a changing climate.
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