Sandy beaches and dunes are vital for protecting coastal communities from erosion and flooding, particularly along high-energy, sediment-limited coastlines. This rugged coastline, defined by rocky headlands and sediment-starved systems, requires a comprehensive understanding of sediment dynamics to maintain its natural defenses. This study examines sediment characteristics, dynamics, and connectivity along a 65-km stretch of coastline in southwest England using a comprehensive dataset comprising ground-truth sediment analysis, high-resolution remote sensing (bathymetric and LiDAR), and hydrodynamic modeling outputs. Four sediment clusters, distinguished by grain size and carbonate content, served as fingerprints to track sediment variability. Remote sensing data were used to create a seabed roughness map, differentiating flat sediment areas from rocky reef-dominated zones. By integrating sediment characteristics, geological features, and regional hydrodynamic models, the study identifies seven sediment cells dominated by a strong eastward-northward sediment transport pathway, with sediment settling downstream on the constraining headlands. These results provide a basis for evaluating the impacts of sediment supply and regional transport pathways on the future evolution of sand beaches and dune systems in sediment-starved embayed regions.

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Identification of Sediment Distribution and Pathways on an Energetic, Sediment-Starved, Embayed Coast

  • Wassim Seksaf,
  • Tim Scott,
  • Gerd Masselink,
  • Nieves G. Valiente,
  • Daniel Conley

摘要

Sandy beaches and dunes are vital for protecting coastal communities from erosion and flooding, particularly along high-energy, sediment-limited coastlines. This rugged coastline, defined by rocky headlands and sediment-starved systems, requires a comprehensive understanding of sediment dynamics to maintain its natural defenses. This study examines sediment characteristics, dynamics, and connectivity along a 65-km stretch of coastline in southwest England using a comprehensive dataset comprising ground-truth sediment analysis, high-resolution remote sensing (bathymetric and LiDAR), and hydrodynamic modeling outputs. Four sediment clusters, distinguished by grain size and carbonate content, served as fingerprints to track sediment variability. Remote sensing data were used to create a seabed roughness map, differentiating flat sediment areas from rocky reef-dominated zones. By integrating sediment characteristics, geological features, and regional hydrodynamic models, the study identifies seven sediment cells dominated by a strong eastward-northward sediment transport pathway, with sediment settling downstream on the constraining headlands. These results provide a basis for evaluating the impacts of sediment supply and regional transport pathways on the future evolution of sand beaches and dune systems in sediment-starved embayed regions.