Depth of Closure Derived from Airborne Laser Bathymetry

This study develops a method to identify the depth of closure using airborne laser bathymetric data, and compares the measured depth of closure with estimated depth of closures. Airborne laser data sets were collected before and after the 2004 hurricane season in southeast Florida. Estimated depth of closures in terms of wave data is compatible to the measured depth of closures. However, the estimated depth of closure is on average larger than was measured, especially in the southern end of the study area, which could be due to geologic influence. Further research is needed to determine if geology plays a critical role in the depth of closure at this study's location.