Subaerial beach volume change on a decadal time scale: the Lithuanian Baltic Sea coast

Abstract

One of the most important problems in predicting future coastal evolution is determining the potential impacts of sea level rise on coastal systems. The influence of sea level and wind regime fluctuations on tideless coastal systems with different geomorphology and sand availability was assessed for the period of 2002–2013 along the Lithuanian Baltic Sea coast. The investigation showed no significant dependence between subaerial beach volume change and relative sea level rise on a decadal time scale. However, a minor relative sea level rise (up to 2 mm/yr) may determine even accretion processes in coastal zones with ample sediment supply and a gentle nearshore slope. Therefore we suppose, that extreme events, sand supply, coastal geomorphology, wind and wave climate, are among the most crucial factors affecting subaerial beach volume change. Our findings have implication to other wave-dominated barrier coasts faced with a variety of environmental forcing factors.