3D evolution of l’Auir Beach foredune (2008-2022)
Submitted: 2024-12-20
|Accepted: 2025-04-11
|Published: 2025-05-22
Copyright (c) 2025 Carlos Cabezas-Rabadán, Javier Estornell, Manon Navarro-Leblond, Jaime Almonacid-Caballer , Josep E. Pardo-Pascual
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Keywords:
3D coastal monitoring, foredune erosion, coastal morphology, digital elevation models, LiDAR, photogrammetry
Supporting agencies:
MCIN
Generalitat Valenciana
Universitat Politècnica de València
Abstract:
Dunes and beaches are highly dynamic and interrelated spaces of great environmental and social interest. Their study at large spatial and temporal scales is limited by the difficulty of obtaining accurate altimetric data efficiently. Their three-dimensional characterisation using remote sensing techniques is of great interest for quantifying sedimentary changes and analysing the beach-dune system. LiDAR flights together with the recent development of photogrammetric methods for the reuse of aerial photographs make it possible to obtain highly accurate historical series of three-dimensional data of the coastline. The evolution of the dune front of l'Ahuir beach in Gandia (Valencia) has been characterised from 9 digital surface models between 2008 and 2022 based on volumetric changes and morphometry of cross-shore profiles. The results show a phase of significant sedimentary gains during 2009-2015 (more than 12000 m3), which appears to be associated with a period of relatively low intensity in coastal storms. Subsequently, and despite the alternation of slight gains and losses of sediment on the emerged beach between the annual SDMs, the dune front is in a phase of stability and slight gains, presenting a net gain of about 26000 m3 during 2008-2022. In contrast to other dune ridges along the coast, it is worth noting that the dune front is in a phase of stability and slight gains, and it has not been eroded associated with Storm Gloria. The analysis provides morphological information of great interest for characterising the sedimentary state of l’Ahuir Beach and monitoring its changes, demonstrating its potential to provide highly accurate data with large spatial and temporal coverage.
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