Shoreline Evolution and Metocean Data Behaviour in Southwest England: Is There Any Historical Link?

Abstract

This research aims to evaluate and compare the historical morphodynamic behaviour of coastal systems (shoreline dynamics) in Southwest England in response to the historical meteorological and oceanographic (metocean) attributes. Historical geomorphological evolution of the two shoreline systems in St Ives-Hayle and Camel-Padstow were examined to evaluate morphodynamic activities through the application of shoreline analysis tools (such as Digital Shoreline Analysis System - DSAS), while the broad metocean features were investigated as the possible drivers of coastal dynamics. This study showed that low shoreline recession along southwest England coast, where sediments are present, was attributed mostly to the significant sea-level rise in this region (no significant change was observed on rocky low water shorelines). The high water shoreline, on the other hand, imposes a different pattern of change in response to constraining factors, as different percentages of erosion and accretion are observed at different sections of the study sites, principally triggered by both environmental factors and anthropogenic activities. The general overview of the regional control suggests that climatic activities (specifically wave climate and extreme wind) variably account for the persistent and progressive gradual erosion of some shorelines amidst evidence of cyclic/variable behaviour. No one specific metocean forcing, however, exerts an overarching control on these systems, but the nature of the shoreline (sedimentary vs. bedrock) is responsible for local variability.