Beach Ridges Research Articles

Hydrogeology and Landform Morphology Affect Plant Communities in a Great Lakes Ridge-and-Swale Wetland Complex

Trajectories of vegetative change in wetlands can be influenced strongly by shifts in water-table elevation driven by evapotranspiration and spatial-temporal variability in groundwater. The specific dynamics of such interactions are difficult to quantify because of spatial complexities associated with local climate, geomorphology, and underlying geology. Nonetheless, a better understanding of the effects of groundwater and landform pattern on plant communities in wetlands can help with future predictions of change. Over two successive growing seasons, we investigated water-balance dynamics in 15 wetlands in a forested Great Lakes coastal wetland complex consisting of relict beach ridges and intervening swales. Our goal was to explore how variation in hydrogeology and landform morphology affected plant community composition. Water-balance analyses from water-level fluctuation methods, along with interpretation of underlying stratigraphy and slope, were used to explain plant-community ordination results. Our findings showed that phreatophytic plant communities developed in locations where hydrogeology or greater slopes allowed for supplemental groundwater flow to the swales. Conversely, shallow water-table slopes maintained standing water in swales, leading to obligate wetland plant communities. This study provides a clearer representation of hydrogeologic and ecohydrologic interactions to help inform our understanding of the relationship between groundwater hydrology and plant communities in wetlands.

EARLY GROWTH RESPONSE AND NUTRIENTS QUALITY OF FIG (Ficus carica L.) PLANTED ON BRIS SOIL EFFECTED BY CHICKEN MANURE AMENDMENTS

Allah S.W.T swears by the fig tree (Sura’ 95, al-Tin) in the holy Quran, for its values and practices. Recently, the fig tree (Ficus carica L.) has been introduced in Malaysia’s tropical weather as it grows well with maximum activity. Its root favors a well-drained type of soil, and since BRIS (Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales) are dominated by sandy texture with proper water percolation, it has a high potential for fig planting. However, BRIS is known to have low nutrient holding capacity but can be improved with organic amendments. This study was carried out to determine the effects of various rates of chicken manure as amendments in improving the BRIS soil health for the growth of fig trees. The BRIS soil was amended with different rates of 10% (T2), 20% (T3), 30% (T4), and 50% (T5) of chicken manure and 0% (T1) as control. Three months old saplings were propagated through hardwood cuttings of variety BTM6 with five replications in each treatment. The growth response and nutrients quality of the fig trees were observed biweekly for three months after the transplant, and the nutrient contents of amended and non-amended showed significant differences at p<0.05. The survivability of the trees was 100%, and a significant difference was found between the treatments. BRIS soil with 40% chicken manure amendments (T4) showed superlative growth response with the highest number of branches, leaves, and fruits, thus provide higher yield production as compared to other treatments. From this study, BRIS soil that is known to be problematic can be improved with correct rates of organic amendments and can be used for fig cultivation.

Shallow geophysical methods for recognition of holocene sedimentary sequences in the southern coastal plain of the Río de la Plata (Argentina)

New information about the distribution, geometry, structure, extension and facies variations of the uppermost stratigraphic sequences (particularly the Holocene) of the southern coastal plain of the Río de la Plata was obtained by using geophysical methods. This is the first study performed in the region to investigate the shallow stratigraphic characteristics through continuous geophysical surveys. Methods used were georadar (GPR), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and seismic surface waves (SSW), complemented with short drillings. Two transects perpendicular to the coastline were selected on the basis of the previous geological knowledge of the region and accessibility. GPR was used in order to obtain a dense sampling of the near subsoil, whereas ERT and SSW were used in parts of the transects for resolving ambiguous trajectories of the detected GPR horizons. The geophysical results were jointly interpreted, and validated and complemented by the information from the drillings. Two major geophysical horizons were identified; the lower one is located between 5 and 2 m below surface and progressively shallows inland, which represents the late Pleistocene-Holocene boundary; the upper one, located at variable depths of 2 m–0.70 m below surface, represents the base of the Holocene beach ridges system in the region. They delimit three units, the lower one corresponding to the top of the Pampean deposits, the middle one representing the basal Holocene sandy layer, and the upper one corresponding to the beach ridges systems and related inter-ridge, tidal deposits. In this way, the applied methodology allowed to determine the extension of the Holocene sedimentary sequences, the relation between the Holocene sequences and its substratum, and the spatial distribution and geometrical characteristics of partially buried beach ridges and associated inter-ridges deposits. The applied methodology and the obtained geophysical-response patterns can be useful for future investigations of other regions with similar ground characteristics.

Holocene evolution of the Chan May coastal embayment, central Vietnam: Changing coastal dynamics associated with decreasing rates of progradation possibly forced by mid- to late-Holocene sea-level changes

Southeast Asian coastal environments are undergoing massive transformations with unprecedented population and infrastructure development. These transformations are occurring on a backdrop of intense natural and anthropogenic environmental change, which are increasing the risk to the burgeoning coastal population. Little is known about how central Vietnamese coastal environments have changed naturally since the mid-Holocene sea-level highstand and how recent anthropogenic change and sea-level variation have affected the coastal system. The Chan May embayment in central Vietnam allows us to examine how recent changes in both anthropogenic development and sea-level change have affected the coastline. The embayment preserves a series of prograding beach ridges and is subject to intense human pressures with the construction of a large economic and industrial park, and expansion of tourist facilities. Using ground penetrating radar and quartz optical dating we identify a switch from 6000 years of prograding beach ridges to transgressive dunes within the past century resulting in a decreasing rate of beach ridge progradation possibly in the last 100 years. The recent modes of sediment deposition through washovers and a transgressive dune indicates that coastal progradation has slowed and might have stopped.

Long-term Temporal and Spatial Morphological Variability of a Nourished Beach Using the EOF Analysis

Choi, T.J.; Choi, J.Y.; Park, J.Y., and Yang, Y.J., 2020. Long-term temporal and spatial morphological variability of a nourished beach using the EOF analysis. In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 428–432. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Byeonsan Beach located at the west coast of Korea has been eroded seriously since 2006 after the construction of the Saemangeum dike. For this reason beach nourishment has been conducted from 2011 until 2017, and the result was successful by turning the beach in erosional phase of -4.1 cm/yr (2006 to 2010) into depositional condition of +2.0 cm/yr (2011 to 2017). Based on the EOF analysis of sixty-nine beach surveys during 13-year period from 2006 to 2019, the first four modes accounted for nearly 83% of total variability, leading to the interpretations of beach-nourishment effect, artificial construction, the influence of beach ridges migration, and irrigation-channel effect, respectively.

Evolution from estuary to delta: Alluvial plain morphology and sedimentary characteristics of the Shoalhaven River mouth, southeastern Australia

The Shoalhaven River in southern New South Wales (NSW) drains a catchment of ~7000 km2, forming a barrier estuary at its mouth with a prograded strandplain to its north. Previous coring and dating across the floodplain and adjacent strandplain indicate progressive infill of the estuarine basin over the past 7000 years. Over this time the system transitioned from a wave-dominated estuary to a wave-dominated delta. The Shoalhaven River appears to have initially discharged to the sea at Crookhaven Heads, until it adopted a more direct route through an intermittently open mouth at Shoalhaven Heads; construction of Berrys Canal in 1822 now permanently links the Shoalhaven River to the adjacent smaller Crookhaven River. Airborne LiDAR reveals details of topography of prominent levees and meander scroll bars that flank the lower reaches of the river and beach/foredune ridges to the north. Sedimentological and mineralogical characteristics of modern sediment samples collected from the river channel, the beach, and the barrier reveal that the Shoalhaven River is dominated by quartz sand along its predominantly straight course through the infilled estuarine plains. This is in contrast to the tripartite classification of sedimentary depositional environments, comprising sandy fluvial delta, central mud basin, and sandy marine barrier, that characterised the initial wave-dominated estuary 7000 years ago, and is typical of most barrier estuaries in NSW. Grain size decreases downstream and sands have a higher feldspar content, and angularity, than is typical of marine sand that has been reworked in the nearshore. This fluvially-derived component is delivered to the coast intermittently by floods that re-open Shoalhaven Heads, as shown by retrospective analysis of aerial photography and satellite imagery. Grain size decreases with distance alongshore from the river mouth indicating that these sands are transported north by longshore drift to augment a gradual onshore delivery of sand within this coastal compartment. Scanning electron microscopy of selected grains implies that this fluvial sand has been contributing to incremental formation of beach ridges for much of the past 3000 years since the estuarine basin has been largely infilled, with a slight detectable acceleration in the rate of progradation.

Interpretation of lineaments and faults near Summerville, South Carolina, USA, using LiDAR data: implications for the cause of the 1886 Charleston, South Carolina, earthquake

LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data acquired near Summerville, South Carolina, reveal numerous lineaments trending in various directions across the Middleton Place-Summerville seismic zone (MPSSZ) and surrounding area. These lineaments are defined by linear depressions and stream valleys that are developed within late Eocene to Holocene marine, marginal marine, and fluvial sediments of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The 40-kmlong, ENE-WSW-oriented Deer Park lineament coincides with the Woodstock epicenter of the 1886 Charleston earthquake, suggesting that the main shock may have occurred along a fault associated with this lineament. The proximity of the 17-km-long, ENE-WSW-oriented Middleton Place lineament to the Middleton Place epicenter suggests that it too may have ruptured in 1886. Several E-W-oriented topographic scarps are also located near the area of modern seismicity, including the 3- to 5-km-long, south-facing McChune and Summerwood scarps. The McChune scarp is aligned with the E-W-trending portion of the Summerville scarp to the west, suggesting that both scarps may be from uplift to the north along the same fault. The McChune scarp and the Otranto and Middleton Place lineaments coincide with faults interpreted from previously acquired seismic-reflection profiles, suggesting that these features are surface expressions of Quaternary faults. Other lineaments east of the MPSSZ are associated with Neogene structural domes, indicating that the interpreted faults along these lineaments have been active during the late Cenozoic. The LiDAR data also revealed a ~350-m dextral offset of a middle Pleistocene beach ridge along the Woodstock fault and a ~20-km-long, NW-SE-oriented lineament to the east (Canterhilllineament) that appears to be the surface expression of the Charleston fault.

Using multiple environmental proxies and hydrodynamic modeling to investigate Late Holocene climate and coastal change within a large Gulf of Mexico estuarine system (Mobile Bay, Alabama, USA)

A high degree of uncertainty exists for understanding and predicting coastal estuarine response to changing climate, land-use, and sea-level conditions, leaving geologic records as a best-proxy for constraining potential outcomes. With the majority of the world's population focused in coastal regions, understanding how local systems respond to global, regional, and even local pressures is key in developing mitigation, adaptation, and management plans. The geomorphology of Mobile Bay in southeast Alabama (USA) has evolved considerably (e.g., bayhead delta back-stepping) over the late Holocene in response to global and regional sea-level and climate change. Smaller-scale geomorphic changes (e.g., spit and beach ridge development) have also had a significant influence on the evolution of the estuary. Organic matter characteristics, inorganic sediment geochemistry, benthic microfossils, and pollen in a ~ 3500 cal yr BP sediment sequence recovered in a gravity core (20GC) from Bon Secour Bay, a small sub-bay in the southeast corner of Mobile Bay, record time-varying marine influence. Increases in marine influence during ~3500 to 2300 cal yr BP and 1930 to 1160 cal yr BP are defined as zones with high-density and pre-dominantly calcareous foraminiferal species, abundant sand (>10%) and more marine-like geochemical signatures, which contrast the low-density and pre-dominantly agglutinated foraminiferal and more terrestrially influenced estuarine muds observed in other intervals of the sedimentary record (2300–1930 and 1160–400 cal yr BP) and the modern bay. Hydrodynamic models constrained by geomorphic boundary conditions for the time ~ 3500 cal yr BP, consistent with the most prominent marine-influenced sediment, provide insight to potential coastal configuration that might have permitted such marine water intrusion into the bay. Of several scenarios evaluated, a breach in Morgan Peninsula produces tidal circulation within the basin supportive of persistent marine incursions in the bay between ~3500 to 2300 cal yr BP. The findings show that slight variations in coastal configuration can have broad-scale effects on bays and estuaries with consequences that may relate to water quality, vertebrate and invertebrate habitat, and coastal vulnerability to episodic events like (extra)tropical storms.

A 50,000-year record of lake-level variations and overflow from Owens Lake, eastern California, USA

A continuous lake-level curve was constructed for Owens Lake, eastern California by integrating lake-core data and shoreline geomorphology with new wind-wave and sediment entrainment modeling of lake-core sedimentology. This effort enabled refinement of the overflow history and development of a better understanding of the effects of regional and global climate variability on lake levels of the paleo-Owens River system during the last 50,000 years. The elevations of stratigraphic sites, plus lake bottom and spillway positions were corrected for vertical tectonic deformation using a differential fault-block model to estimate the absolute hydrologic change of the watershed-lake system. New results include 14C dating of mollusk shells in shoreline deposits, plus post-IR-IRSL dating of a suite of five beach ridges and OSL dating of spillway alluvial and deltaic deposits in deep boreholes. Geotechnical data show the overflow area is an entrenched channel that had erodible sills composed of unconsolidated fluvial-deltaic and alluvial sediment at elevations of ∼1113–1165 m above mean sea level. Owens Lake spilled most of the time at or near minimum sill levels, controlled by a bedrock sill at ∼1113 m. Nine major transgressions at ∼40.0, 38.7, 23.3, 19.3, 15.6, 13.8, 12.8, 11.6, and 10.6 ka reached levels ∼10–45 m above the bedrock sill. Several major regressions at or below the bedrock sill from 36.9 to 28.5 ka, and at ∼17.8, 12.9, and 10.4–8.8 ka indicate little to no overflow during these times. The latest period of overflow occurred ∼10–20 m above the bedrock sill from ∼8.4 to 6.4 ka that was followed by closed basin conditions after ∼6.4 ka. Previous lake core age-depth models were revised by accounting for sediment compaction and using no reservoir correction for open basin conditions, thereby reducing discrepancies between Owens Lake shoreline and lake-core proxy records. The integrated analysis provides a continuous 50 ka lake-level record of hydroclimate variability along the south-central Sierra Nevada that is consistent with other shoreline and speleothem records in the southwestern U.S.

A Complicated Groundwater Flow System Supporting Ridge-and-Swale Wetlands in a Lake Michigan Strandplain

Beach ridges and wetland swales formed in embayments along Great Lakes shorelines during Holocene lake-level changes. Vegetation differences among swales suggested influence from differing groundwater flow systems. We characterized the hydrology across 79 ridge/swale wetlands in the Manistique/Thompson embayments of Lake Michigan using chemical and physical methods. Cross-sections were built from geologic data, and nested piezometers were installed across three ridges/swales where upwelling was noted. Stainless steel piezometers driven in 30 swales were sampled and water analyzed for specific conductance, alkalinity, and major ions. Surface water from 11 swales was analyzed. Water dominated by Ca-Mg-HCO3 was prevalent across the strandplain, with specific conductance generally less than 100 μS/cm. Conductivity, Ca, Mg, and HCO3 in groundwater were greater at identified groundwater discharges; where an amalgamated beach ridge forms a surficial groundwater divide; and swales nearer Lake Michigan that likely receive greatly mineralized water from a deeper aquifer. Repositioning of the shoreline as the embayments filled over the past 4700 years, coupled with isostatic rebound and changes in lake water levels, altered head differentials and changed the sources of discharge from local, intermediate, and deep flow systems over time. Extant plant communities are consistent with the groundwater dependence of these wetlands.

Utilization of LiDAR DTM for Systematic Improvement in Mapping and Classification of Coastal Micro-Geomorphology

The dynamicity of the coastal landforms necessitates monitoring from space-borne or aerial remote sensing platforms. Precise elevation information is an important requirement to delineate the subtle topographic variations along and across the coastal axes, indicative of coastal geomorphology at large scale. The study was carried out for a coastal stretch of 25 km, located between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada districts of Andhra Pradesh state, where the depositional activity is dominated. In the present study, we aim to demonstrate the utility of high resolution digital terrain model derived from the advanced Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology, in identification and delineation of the micro-geomorphic units along this coastline. The four level classifications of the landforms were also proposed based on genesis of landforms, geological sub-provinces, landform shape and morphological attributes as level 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The higher-order landforms of level 4, such as beach berms, beach ridge crest, dune crest and toe, interdunal depression, etc. are delineated using the cross-shore elevation profile, slope and signed curvature information derived from LiDAR DTM with the subtle contrasts of elevation (1–2 m). The beach ridge–swale complex, dune and beach berms were chosen as the key depositional elements to define the morphological attributes in terms of shape and curvature values. This has enabled creation of micro-geomorphology map at 1:5000 scales over the study area as well as classification of the landforms into 4 levels, thus providing significant input for coastal resource mapping and management.

Basement Characteristics of Jakarta Groundwater Basin Based on Satellite Gravimetry Data

Jakarta groundwater basin is one of the most developed basins in Indonesia as Jakarta city is located within the basin, with an elevation ranging from 0 to 1000 m above sea level. The study of the basement characteristics of groundwater basins still needs further study in the Jakarta Groundwater Basin. The objective of this study is to examine the basement characteristics of Jakarta Groundwater Basin by satellite gravimetry. Gravity forward models were constructed using Oasis Montaj and 2-D GM-SYS software for two north-south sections, A and B, and west-east section C-D. Regional anomalies in the study area with a value range of 36.7 to 53.2 mGal, while the residual anomaly values in the study area were in the range of -7.0 - 10.0 mGal. There are four rock formations based on forwarding modeling. Holocene Beach Ridge Deposit formation has a density of 2.0 gr/cc. The thickness of this formation is estimated to be around 10-20 meters. Late Pleistocene Alluvial fan has a density of about 2.2 gr/cc. The depth of this layer ranges from 10-50 meters. Early Pleistocene Formation, has a density of 2.35 gr/cc. The thickness of this formation is at a depth of 50-200 meters in the cross-section. The Tertiary Marine Sediment Formation is a basement of the Jakarta Groundwater Basin. This formation has a rock density of 2.45 gr/cc.

A Top-to-Bottom Luminescence-Based Chronology for the Post-LGM Regression of a Great Basin Pluvial Lake

We applied luminescence dating to a suite of shorelines constructed by pluvial Lake Clover in northeastern Nevada, USA during the last glacial cycle. At its maximum extent, the lake covered 740 km2 with a mean depth of 16 m and a water volume of 13 km3. In the north-central sector of the lake basin, 10 obvious beach ridges extend from the highstand to the lowest shoreline over a horizontal distance of ~1.5 km, representing a lake area decrease of 35%. These ridges are primarily composed of sandy gravel and rise ~1.0 m above the alluvial fan surface on which they are superposed. Single grain luminescence dating of K-feldspar using the pIRIR SAR (post-infrared infrared single-aliquot regenerative dose) protocol, corroborated by SAR dating of quartz, indicates that the highstand shoreline was constructed ca. 16–17 ka during Heinrich Stadial I (Greenland Stadial 2, GS-2), matching 14C age control for this shoreline elsewhere in the basin. The lake regressed rapidly during the Bølling/Allerød (GI-1), before the rate of regression slowed during the Younger Dryas interval (GS-1). The lowest shoreline was constructed ca. 10 ka. Persistence of Lake Clover into the early Holocene may reflect enhanced monsoonal precipitation driven by the summer insolation maximum.

River avulsions and sedimentary evolution of the Luanhe fan-delta system (North China) since the late Pleistocene

The Luanhe Fan-Delta (LFD) is one of the most important coastal deltas in North China. Numerous investigations on the late Quaternary evolution of this fan-delta system have been implemented during the 1980s. However, few detailed sedimentologic studies have been undertaken. Based on comprehensive analysis of sedimentary facies, grain size, microfossils, radiocarbon dates (AMS14C) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from three ~30 m-long cores, along with recent reports from a series of cores and seismic profiles from the coastal areas, we reconstructed the detailed late Quaternary sedimentary evolution of the northern Bohai coast, which evolved from a coastal barrier-lagoon system during MIS5 to an alluvial plain, with river channels and floodplains between MIS4 and the Early Holocene. A variety of transgressive coastal depositional environments (freshwater marshes, beach ridges, sandy barriers, shallow seas) developed during the early Holocene. These environments were followed by delta progradation. The delta system then gradually turned into a coastal barrier-lagoon system under the combined impact of prevailing wave-driven currents and local subsidence. Two dramatic 90-degree diversions of the lower Luanhe River course likely influenced the sedimentary evolution of the LFD in its inner portion. The first avulsion took place in Qianxi, probably at the end of the Late Pleistocene (~15,000 cal a BP). It led to the abandonment of the Luanhe alluvial fan in the western part of the northern Bohai coastal plain (NBCP), and to the formation of a new alluvial fan in the eastern NBCP. This alluvial fan evolved into a fan-delta system (7000–3500 cal a BP) during the Holocene transgression. The second avulsion occurred at Zhuacun during the Late Holocene, probably at 3600 ± 100 cal a BP. Following this latter avulsion, the Luanhe River shifted toward the east and formed a new fan-delta system (~3700 cal a BP–present), with its apex in Luanzhou. Abrupt tectonic uplift in this highly seismic region likely controlled the two avulsions and the dramatic shift of the alluvial-fan complexes. Climate and sea-level changes may also have partly influenced the development of the LFD.

Multifractal characteristics of soil particle distribution under different vegetation types in the Yellow River Delta chenier of China

Vegetation restoration on degenerated cheniers in the Yellow River Delta of China is important to maintain the ecosystem stability in the muddy coastal zone. This study mainly investigates the multifractal characteristics of the soil particle distributions under different vegetation types on a Yellow River Delta chenier, reveals the fractal mechanism of soil improvement by vegetation, and identifies the types of vegetation that provide the best remediation effects on the texture of degenerated chenier soils. Three vegetation types, including two shrub-grass communities, Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa-Artemisia mongolica (ZA) and Periploca sepium Bunge-Messerschmidia sibirica (PM), and one mixed herbaceous community, Artemisia mongolica-Phragmites australis (AP) at the beach ridge of the Yellow River Delta were used as the study subjects, and bare land was used as the control (CK). The results showed that (1) the shell sand under the different vegetation types had the highest sand contents, with low silt and clay contents, and exhibited a nonuniform soil particle distribution with obvious heterogeneity. Restoration of shrub-grass communities can reduce the heterogeneity of the particle size distribution (PSD) of shell sand by increasing the range of the PSD and its degree of concentration in dense areas. (2) The shrub-grass communities can increase the clay and silt contents and decrease the sand content of shell sand. The shrub-grass communities were more effective than the mixed herbaceous community in refining the soil texture, and the ZA exhibited the strongest shell sand particle refinement capability. (3) The shell sand in the different soil layers under the different vegetation types had significantly different capacity dimensions (D0), information dimensions (D1), correlation dimensions (D2), and D1/D0 and D0-D1 ratios (P < 0.05). The multifractal parameters of the shell sand were correlated to the soil depth. With increasing soil depth, the correlations of D1, D2, and D1/D0 with the clay, silt, and sand contents weaken. (4) The coarseness and nonuniformity of the texture of the shell sand under the shrub-grass communities were significantly lower than those on bare land. Shrub-grass communities can control wind erosion of the soil surface, preventing the coarsening of topsoil and promoting the accumulation of fine particles. The shrub-grass communities were more effective than the mixed herbaceous community in improving the soil structure; furthermore, the ZA was better than the other communities in improving the soil structure. Additionally, the degree of soil improvement in the 10–30 cm layer was better than that in the 0–10 cm layer.

Ground Penetrating Radar Investigation of Late Pleistocene Shorelines of Pluvial Lake Clover, Elko County, Nevada, USA

Beach ridges constructed by pluvial Lake Clover in Elko County, Nevada during the Late Pleistocene were investigated with ground-penetrating radar (GPR). The primary objective was to document the internal architecture of these shorelines and to evaluate whether they were constructed during lake rise or fall. GPR data were collected with a ground-coupled 400-Mhz antenna and SIR-3000 controller. To constrain the morphology of the ridges, detailed topographic surveys were collected with a Topcon GTS-235W total station referenced to a second class 0 vertical survey point. GPR transects crossed the beach ridge built by Lake Clover at its highstand of 1725 m, along with seven other ridges down to the lowest beach at 1712 m. An average dielectric permittivity of 5.0, typical for dry sand and gravel, was calculated from GPR surveys in the vicinity of hand-excavations that encountered prominent stratigraphic discontinuities at known depths. Assuming this value, consistent radar signals were returned to a depth of ~3 m. Beach ridges are resolvable as ~90 to 150-cm thick stratified packages of gravelly sand overlying a prominent lakeward-dipping reflector, interpreted as the pre-lake land surface. Many ridges contain a package of sediment resembling a buried berm at their core, typically offset in a landward direction from the geomorphic crest of the beach ridge. Sequences of lakeward-dipping reflectors are resolvable beneath the beach face of all ridges. No evidence was observed to indicate that beach ridges were submerged by higher water levels after their formation. Instead, the GPR data are consistent with a model of sequential ridge formation during a monotonic lake regression.

Beach ridges of Dali Lake in Inner Mongolia reveal precipitation variation during the Holocene

ABSTRACTVariability in East Asian summer monsoon precipitation during the Holocene remains of debate. In this study, we use a closed lake with well‐dated lake beach ridges located on the margin of the East Asian summer monsoon, a region highly sensitive to monsoon precipitation changes, to obtain a temporal sequence of water volume in North China. The elevation of each beach ridge calibrated to the modern lake level was surveyed. Optically stimulated luminescence dating of undisturbed sediments of beach ridges was performed. The lake area and water volume corresponding to each beach ridge were calculated using a digital elevation model. This study reveals relatively reduced monsoon precipitation from ~12 to 7 ka interrupted by strengthening of the monsoon circulation to a maximum from ~7 to ~5 ka and followed by greatly reduced monsoon intensity until the present day. These results demonstrate that changes in the East Asian summer monsoon precipitation may not be directly driven by global temperature or atmospheric CO2content. Rather, we suggest that variation in the the monsoon margin precipitation is probably mainly driven by ice volume and subordinately by the summer solar insolation difference between mid‐latitude land and low‐latitude ocean.

Testing glacial isostatic adjustment models of last-interglacial sea level history in the Bahamas and Bermuda

Part of the spatial variation in the apparent sea-level record of the last interglacial (LIG) period is due to the diverse response of coastlines to glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) processes, particularly where coastlines were close to the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the past two glacial periods. We tested modeled LIG paleo-sea levels on New Providence Island (NPI), Bahamas and Bermuda by investigating emergent coral patch reefs and oolitic/peloidal beach deposits. Corals with closed-system histories collected from patch reefs on NPI have ages of 128-118 ka and ooids/peloids from beach ridges have closed-system ages of 128-116 ka. Elevations of patch reefs indicate a LIG paleo-sea level of at least ∼7 m to ∼9 m above present. Beach ridge sediments indicate paleo-sea levels of ∼5 m to ∼14 m (assuming subsidence, ∼7 m to ∼16 m) above present during the LIG. Some, though not all of these measurements are in good agreement with GIA models of paleo-sea level that have been simulated for the Bahamas. On Bermuda, corals with closed-system histories collected from marine deposits have ages of 126-114 ka. Although coral-bearing marine deposits on Bermuda lack the precise indication of paleo-sea level provided by patch reefs and oolitic beach ridges, these sediments nevertheless provide at least a first-order estimate of paleo-sea level. Paleo-sea level records on Bermuda are consistently lower (∼2 m to ∼7 m) than what GIA models simulate for the LIG. The reason for the reasonable agreement with models for the Bahamas and poor agreement for Bermuda is not understood, but needs further investigation in light of the probability of a higher sea level in the near future.

Landform analysis to arrangement “Land Utilization Type” in Galur Sub-District, Kulonprogo

Galur is one of the sub-district in KulonProgo Regency. Its land usage is dominated in intensive agricultural usage. The various type of the agricultural activities in study area has different type of land productivities depends on its land capabilities. Land capability analysis with landform approach become the base in this study to identify the sustainable “land utilization type” (LUT) and the land productivity optimal value in Galur sub- district. Observation, measurement, and interview was done by using the Land Classification and Land use Planning (LCLP) tool. Landforms that has productive value identified in this study are: alluvial plain (IId-3), beach ridge (IIIP-2), and beach (VIIIP). The usage of alluvial plain could be rice-(corn/nuts)-rice or could be replaced with rice-chili-rice. The usage of beach ridge could be the planting of plantation crops such as melon, onion, and chili, and could be the farming of goat and chicken. Land usage type in beach is left naturally because it has land capability type VIII (low capability).

Coseismic coastal subsidence associated with unusually wide rupture of prehistoric earthquakes on the Kamchatka subduction zone: A record in buried erosional scarps and tsunami deposits

The prograding strand plain of Avachinsky Bay, Kamchatka, Russia, along the highly active Kamchatka subduction zone, exhibits geological evidence--buried erosional scarps--for coseismic subsidence only three times in the last four millennia, the last event about 1200 years ago. This same coast has a historical record (since A.D. 1737) of five subduction-zone earthquakes with large tsunami runup (>5 m), the last of which was the 1952 Mw 9 Kamchatka earthquake, and a geological record of more than 30 large tsunamis in the last 4000 years. This rarity of buried scarps relative to large earthquakes contrasts with the Cascadia strand plain in SW Washington State, where most or all large events are represented by buried scarps. A strong factor in the amplitude and sign of coseismic deformation is distance from the seaward edge of a subduction zone (the trench); the Avachinsky Bay coastline is 180–200 km from the trench, with ∼25° slab dip, requiring unusually wide ruptures to generate significant coseismic subsidence. This coastal zone is undergoing net subsidence approximately equivalent to the total of the three coseismic subsidence events, generating a sequence of beach ridges that increase in elevation seaward.Each of the three unusual (coseismic subsidence) events comprises a) an earthquake whose deformation field caused b) onshore coseismic subsidence, thus local sea-level rise and c) sufficient deformation offshore to produce a large tsunami; a,b,c followed by d) a period of coastal erosion and shoreline retreat, leaving e) an erosional beach scarp that was f) subsequently buried once progradation resumed. We identified, dated and correlated the scarps and tsunami deposits from these events with several field methods, including trenching, tephrostratigraphy and ground penetrating radar. The scarps were correlated over an alongshore distance of 50–70 km. The most recent event (event 1) occurred ∼800 cal AD (1100–1250 14С years BP), event 2–600 cal BC (2400–2450 14С years BP), and event 3–1700 cal BC (3300–3500 14С years BP). We developed methods for quantifying subsidence, coastal erosion and tsunami size for each of these events. All three retain evidence of ∼0.4–1.2 m of coseismic subsidence; coastal erosion in the case of event 1 averaged more than 100 m; all three “event” tsunamis were amongst the largest in the last 4000 years.