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Mud Banks, Sand Flux and Beach Morphodynamics: Montjoly Lagoon Beach, French Guiana

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Sediment Fluxes in Coastal Areas

Part of the book series: Coastal Research Library ((COASTALRL,volume 10))

Abstract

Sandy beaches affected by mud in an open-coast, wave-dominated setting are rare. Such beaches can also show rapid response patterns where large mud banks affect the nearshore wave regime, as on the Amazon-influenced coast of French Guiana. The sand flux patterns and morphodynamic changes affecting Montjoly beach, in Cayenne, have been analysed from interpretation of beach plan-view patterns deduced from four satellite images (1986, 1996, 2003, 2011) and from topographic monitoring at a shorter timescale. The data show the prevalence of beach rotation induced by the gradual approach and alongshore migration of mud banks. An irregular rotation pattern is highlighted, commanded in part by regional-scale and global climatic and hydrodynamic influences on mud bank dynamics. This irregularity denotes the difficulties of elaborating a predictive temporal scheme of beach change.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge various French research grants involving work on the Amazon-influenced coast of South America. These include funding by the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), by the Institut National des Sciences de l’Univers (INSU), and by the Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale (ULCO). Edward Anthony acknowledges a grant from the Institut Universitaire de France. Denis Marin and Patrick Pentsch are thanked for preparing the illustrations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aix Marseille Université, Institut Universitaire de France, CEREGE, UM 34, Europôle Méditerranéen de l’Arbois, B.P. 80, 13545, Aix en Provence Cedex, France

    Edward J. Anthony

  2. Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences, CNRS UMR 8187 LOG, Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale, 32, Avenue Foch, 62930, Wimereux, France

    Antoine Gardel & Christina Péron

  3. CNRS Guyane, USR3456, 2, Avenue Gustave Charlery, Immeuble Le Relais, 97300, Cayenne, France

    Antoine Gardel & Christina Péron

  4. Univ. Antilles-Guyane, Martinique, 97275, Schoelcher, France

    Franck Dolique

  5. CEREGE, Université Aix Marseille, UMR 34, Europôle Méditerranéen de l’Arbois, B.P. 80, 13545, Aix en Provence Cedex, France

    Guillaume Brunier

Authors
  1. Edward J. Anthony
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  2. Antoine Gardel
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  3. Franck Dolique
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  4. Guillaume Brunier
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  5. Christina Péron
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edward J. Anthony .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Géographie et d'Aménagement Régional de l'Université de Nantes, Géolittomer, LETG UMR 6554-CNRS, Nantes Cedex 3, France

    Mohamed Maanan

  2. Institut de Géographie et d'Aménagement Régional de l'Université de Nantes, Géolittomer, LETG UMR 6554-CNRS, Nantes Cedex 3, France

    Marc Robin

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Anthony, E.J., Gardel, A., Dolique, F., Brunier, G., Péron, C. (2015). Mud Banks, Sand Flux and Beach Morphodynamics: Montjoly Lagoon Beach, French Guiana. In: Maanan, M., Robin, M. (eds) Sediment Fluxes in Coastal Areas. Coastal Research Library, vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9260-8_4

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