Development of a Coastal Surface Monitoring System Using High-Resolution Images Taken in Haeundae, South Korea

Coastal erosion causes loss of properties in coastal areas, and rip currents are the main factor causing coastal erosion. The use of remote sensing data is efficient for conducting coastal erosion research due to its advantages for acquiring the geometric and spectral information of coastal surfaces without human accessibility. This research aims to develop the coastal surface monitoring system (CSMS) using the high-resolution images taken in Haeundae, South Korea. Multiple mapping and image processing techniques are included in the methodology for developing CSMS. First, the coastlines are extracted from the images using the clustering algorithm and the data conversion technique. Buffering is applied along the generated coastlines to create the coast zone, and then the multiple materials in the coast zone are identified using the clustering algorithm. Next, constant intervals are set on the generated coastlines to create coast segments. Then the major material in each segment is determined by comparing the numbers of pixels in the clusters. Finally, different-colored coastlines are generated to show the major material in each segment. The developed CSMS can be used for monitoring coastal erosion caused by rip currents.