On the use of convolutional deep learning to predict shoreline change

Abstract

The process of shoreline change is inherently complex, and reliable predictions of shoreline position remain a key challenge in coastal research. Predicting shoreline evolution could potentially benefit from deep learning (DL), which is a recently developed and widely successful data-driven methodology. However, so far its implementation for shoreline time series data has been limited. The aim of this contribution is to investigate the potential of DL algorithms to predict interannual shoreline position derived from camera system observations at a New Zealand study site. We investigate the application of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and hybrid CNN-LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) networks. We compare our results with two established models: a shoreline equilibrium model and a model that addresses timescales in shoreline drivers. Using a systematic search and different measures of fitness, we found DL models that outperformed the reference models when simulating the variability and distribution of the observations. Overall, these results indicate that DL models have potential to improve accuracy and reliability over current models.