Faculty member Dr. Harry Williams has received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study tropical cyclones in Thailand. The project, "Catalyzing U.S. - Thailand Collaboration: Geologic Records of Tropical Cyclone Strikes on the Gulf of Thailand Coast", will be conducted in collaboration with Professor Montri Choowong of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Aided by a UNT Charn Usawchoke International Development Award, Dr. Williams spent a week in Thailand in 2012 planning the NSF proposal with Thai collaborators and conducting preliminary reconnaissance of potential field sites (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Dr. Williams and Sumet Phantuwongraj (Chulalongkorn graduate student) examining a sediment core in 2012.

The Gulf of Thailand coast is subject to intense tropical cyclone strikes, including the 1989 Category 3 Typhoon Gay--one of the deadliest tropical cyclones in Thailand's history, generating 11-m-high swells and causing 800 fatalities (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Recent tropical cyclones making landfall on the Gulf of Thailand coast.

The main objective of the study is to identify and date storm surge sediment beds in coastal marshes in order to construct a long-term record of tropical cyclone strikes. Such a record will aid in disaster preparation, planning and mitigation. Dr. Williams will spend about three weeks in Thailand in June, accompanied by UNT graduate research assistant Eric Simon.

To learn more about this and other international research in the Department of Geography, visit our faculty research page at http://geography.unt.edu/people/faculty

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