Abstract
Grain size determinations were carried out for 54 beach-sand samples from the western (n = 25) and eastern (n = 29) coasts of the Gulf of California, Mexico, in order to establish the relationship among coastal processes, relief, and grain size parameters for both areas based on grain size distributions. This was done because both coastal areas are controlled by marine processes and the geomorphology of the coast, since fluvial discharges are negligible in the distribution of sands. In general, sands from the western coast are mainly coarse, moderately sorted, near-symmetrical with leptokurtic and very leptokurtic distributions. Correlations between grain-size parameters for the western coast are controlled by less selectivity in the coastal processes to concentrate fractions in a specific range of sizes, a narrow coastal plain, and compositional differences in the sands due to the heterogeneous lithology and the presence of carbonate shells. Eastern coast beach sands are medium, moderately well sorted, near-symmetrical with mesokurtic to leptokurtic distributions. Correlations between grain size parameters for the eastern coast are controlled by longshore current drifts in a northwestern direction and a wider coastal plain compared to the western coast.
Highlights
Grain size determinations were carried out for 54 beach-sand samples from the western (n = 25) and eastern (n = 29) coasts of the Gulf of California, Mexico, in order to establish the relationship among coastal processes, relief, and grain size parameters for both areas based on grain size distributions
Changes in grain size distributions of sands in coastal areas are determined by coastal geomorphology, waves, longshore transport, winds, tidal regimes, river discharges near the beach, and sand
The aim of this paper is to establish the relationship among grain size and coastal processes and geomorphology, in both coastal areas of the Gulf of California
Summary
Grain size determinations were carried out for 54 beach-sand samples from the western (n = 25) and eastern (n = 29) coasts of the Gulf of California, Mexico, in order to establish the relationship among coastal processes, relief, and grain size parameters for both areas based on grain size distributions. This was done because both coastal areas are controlled by marine processes and the geomorphology of the coast, since fluvial discharges are negligible in the distribution of sands. La longitud de la costa oeste es de aproximadamente 1300 km, mientras que la de la costa este es de 1500 km hasta la boca del golfo (fig. 1)
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