Beach Profiles and Sediments, a Case of Caspian Sea

Abstract

The Caspian Sea is a closed depression and possesses almost all of the different coastal types existing along the world's coastlines. This research aimed to evaluate the linkage between sedimentary characteristics and beach morphology on the southern Caspian Sea coast. All available maps were reviewed and three field surveys were performed. The first survey gave a general insight into the study area; the second was aimed at nearshore sediment sampling, nearshore hydrography and shore topography; and the third survey evaluated deep sediment characteristics and provided hydrographic profiles. Laboratory tests were performed on sediment samples and, finally, a database was created including information about beach profiles and sediment characteristics. Data analysis showed that there is a direct correlation between beach gradient and sediment grain size: the steeper the coasts, the coarser the grain size and vice versa. On the sandy beaches of the southern Caspian Sea, the sediment grain size distribution was also correlated with beach face slope.