Short-Term Morphodynamics of Buarcos Beach, NW Coast of Portugal

Abstract

The aim of the present study is the characterisation of the short-term morphological and sedimentary evolution of Buarcos beach, located in the central part of the Atlantic West coast of Portugal, based on field data analysis and mathematical modelling. A monitoring study was carried out since August 2001 in order to evaluate the short-term beach evolution, cross-shore profile and alongshore variability. The first results obtained by the comparison of the profiles of August 2001, November 2001 and January 2002 show important beach retreat in particular in the north sector of the studied coastline. In this sector, the lowering of about 2 meters of the beach backshore occurred leading to a general retreat of the entire profile. Numerical simulations of the wave action along the beach contribute to the understanding of the alongshore variability in the short-term morphologic evolution.