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Spatial and seasonal aspects of beach stability
Author(s) -
Carr A. P.,
Blackley M. W. L.,
King H. L.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
earth surface processes and landforms
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9837
pISSN - 0197-9337
DOI - 10.1002/esp.3290070305
Subject(s) - geology , intertidal zone , accretion (finance) , bay , beach ridge , storm , oceanography , beach nourishment , erosion , submarine pipeline , sediment , tidal range , beach morphodynamics , plage , coastal erosion , shore , wave height , geomorphology , sediment transport , estuary , physics , astrophysics
Recent work at three contrasting sites in England and Wales has shown characteristics atypical of those frequently reported elsewhere. These differences are: (a) Taking each entire beach system there is no uniform trend of erosion or accretion, nor a progressive variation in beach elevation or volume alongshore, from one survey to the next. However, for Swansea Bay the ‘long‐term’ (i. e. 18 months) range in profile height along that stretch of coast where the alignment of the beach is normal to the direction of wave approach, correlates well with computed wave energy derived from relevant offshore wave directions. (b) While beach variability is greatest during the ‘winter’ (i. e. storm) period there is no overall tendency for a drawdown of sediment from the intertidal zone at that time. Response times are relatively short. Thus high beach levels need not necessarily be associated with ‘summer’ conditions. (c) Although in Swansea Bay there is a tendency for the beach height to fluctuate least at mid‐tide level this is not true of the other two sites. In no area does sediment eroded from the upper exposed part of the beach regularly appear to be deposited on the lower exposed part, or vice versa.