Abstract
A 2-year investigation into shoreface morphodynamic behaviour off a high-energy headland-embayment coast in Northern Ireland reveals important process-response mechanisms that cannot be explained solely by existing conceptual models. A comparison of 14 sequential bathymetric surveys, from 1 to 24 m water depth, shows that the Portstewart shoreface is in equilibrium with modal to high-energy conditions; significant morphologic change is generally associated with summer and/or fair-weather conditions. Additionally, antecedent morphology appears to be a primary control on subsequent behaviour; shoreface areas that had accreted in the previous survey period were more likely to erode. Also, the high-energy shoreface and beach appears to be in a state of accretion over the survey period, which is consistent with a falling late Holocene relative sea-level, a linear and dissipative shoreface profile and an abundance of sand in the coastal system. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1361-1372 |
Journal | Continental Shelf Research |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 11-12 |
Early online date | 27 Feb 2009 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published online - 27 Feb 2009 |
Keywords
- Inner shelf
- Sediment transport
- GIS
- Northern Ireland
- shoreface morphodynamics