Abstract
La Banya spit, located at the south of the River Ebro Delta, is a sandy formation, developed by annexation of bars forming successive beach ridges, which are oriented and modeled by the eastern and southern waves. The initial ridges run parallel to the coastline, and above them small dunes developed, the crests of which are oriented by dominant winds, forming foredune ridges and barchans. This study attempted to test a number of techniques in order to understand the dune dynamic on this coastal spit between 2004 and 2012: LiDAR data were used to reconstruct changes to the surface and volume of the barchan dunes and foredunes; ground-penetrating radar was applied to obtain an image of their internal structure, which would help to understand their recent evolution. GPS data taken on the field, together with application of GIS techniques, made possible the combination of results and their comparison. The results showed a different trend between the barchan dunes and the foredunes. While the barchan dunes increased in area and volume between 2004 and 2012, the foredunes lost thickness. This was also reflected in the radargrams: the barchan dunes showed reflectors related to the growth of the foresets while those associated with foredunes presented truncations associated with storm events. However, the global balance of dune occupation for the period 2004–2012 was positive.
Highlights
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.The development of dunes on sandy coasts depends on several factors [1] among which the existence of accommodation space where the dune can be stabilized is of prime importance [2]
Beach ridges often facilitate the generation of foredune ridges, [5] which are shore-parallel dunes favored by vegetation [6,7]
The objectives of this work are to present the characteristics and evolution of the field of dunes developed in La Banya spit, that is the lesser known in the Ebro Delta complex; and to contribute to spread the knowledge about sedimentary processes that take place in this deltaic zone
Summary
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.The development of dunes on sandy coasts depends on several factors [1] among which the existence of accommodation space where the dune can be stabilized is of prime importance [2]. Beach ridges often facilitate the generation of foredune ridges, [5] which are shore-parallel dunes favored by vegetation [6,7]. The historical evolution of coastal dune systems depends on a number of environmental variables related to the coastal sediment supply, the maintenance of favorable aeolian conditions and human intervention [7,8]. Such environmental conditions may change through time, leading to variations in the general evolutionary trends of dunes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
