Short-Term Assessment of Retreating vs. Advancing Microtidal Beaches Based on the Backshore/Foreshore Length Ratio: Examples from the Basilicata Coasts (Southern Italy)
Read full paper at: http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=53507#.VMcmcizQrzE Author(s) Sergio G. Longhitano Affiliation(s) Department of Sciences, Basilicata University, Potenza, Italy . ABSTRACT A straightforward conceptual method is proposed to quantitatively assess the seasonal-scale tendency of retreatment or advancement on microtidal beaches by using the backshore/foreshore length ratio. This method is based on measuring the cross-shore profile of a beach when it passes through the “transitional state” that separates the high-from the low-energy season, period during which the morphological characteristics of the beach tend to its equilibrium profile. In order to obtain real measurements of backshore ( B ) and foreshore ( F ), the definition of the limits bounding these two important components in subaerial beaches is reviewed and discussed. The approach based on the measurement of the B/F ...