Gianmaria Sannino

Abstract In this study, underwater noise from a full-scale wave energy converter system (ISWEC), installed on the coast of Pantelleria Island (central Mediterranean Sea), was characterized. The noise was measured using an autonomous acoustic recorder anchored to the sea bottom 40 m from the ISWEC hull. Acoustic monitoring continued for 15 months, starting 7 months before (PRE), 2 months during (INST) and 6 months after the ISWEC installation (POST).

Relative sea level rise (RSLR) represents a major hazard for the Mediterranean coasts, which are already vulnerable to extreme events associated with storms surges and waves. Moreover, intense vertical land movements and complex marine circulation amplify the spatial variability of RSLR patterns in the area. Assessing RSLR in the Mediterranean requires the collective effort of scientists from different fields, as well as a combination of appropriate modeling and monitoring tools.