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Dynamics of beaches of the Lithuanian coast (the Baltic Sea) for the period 1993–2008 based on morphometric indicators

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Abstract

The investigations were carried out in order to evaluate change of the beaches profile during the period 1993–2008 and to elucidate main trends of the coastal dynamics. Morphometric indicators (beach width, height and inclination) were measured every year during the period 1993–2008 in 70 measuring stations located along the coastline. It was determined that the dynamic shoreline of the mainland during 1993–2008 receded by 10.2 m and the dynamic shoreline of the Curonian Spit advanced into the sea by 8.3 m. The different morphometric beach indicators changed to varying extents over the period 1993–2008, but comparison of values for 1993 and 2008 showed that those changes were small. The average beach width increased by 1.2 m on the mainland coast and by 0.5 m on the Curonian Spit coast. The average beach height also increased negligibly: by 0.5 m on the mainland coast and by 0.1 m on the Curonian Spit coast. The average beach slope inclination increased by 0.012 (from 0.065 to 0.077) on the mainland coast and by 0.005 (from 0.073 to 0.078) on the Curonian Spit coast. The measurements show that, despite being the most dynamic elements in the coastal system, these beaches managed to retain their morphometric indicators almost unchanged during the period of observation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Ms. Ada Jurkonytė for translation this manuscript into English and Dr. Brain Marker (UK) for kind checking of English translation. Thanks are extended to reviewers for valuable comments and remarks that served for improvement of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geology and Geography, Ševčenkos 13, LT-03223, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Darius Jarmalavičius, Gintautas Žilinskas & Donatas Pupienis

  2. Vilnius University, Čiurlionio 21, LT-03123, Vilnius, Lithuanian

    Jonas Satkūnas

  3. Geological Survey, Konarskio 35, LT-03123, Vilnius, Lithuanian

    Jonas Satkūnas

  4. Institute of Maritime and Cultural Landscapes, Klaipėda University, H. Manto 84, LT-92294, Klaipėda, Lithuania

    Gintautas Žilinskas

Authors
  1. Darius Jarmalavičius
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  2. Jonas Satkūnas
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  3. Gintautas Žilinskas
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  4. Donatas Pupienis
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Correspondence to Jonas Satkūnas.

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Jarmalavičius, D., Satkūnas, J., Žilinskas, G. et al. Dynamics of beaches of the Lithuanian coast (the Baltic Sea) for the period 1993–2008 based on morphometric indicators. Environ Earth Sci 65, 1727–1736 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1152-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1152-3

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