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This study focusses on the processes that control the morphodynamics of the seabed in the shoaling wave domain, widely known as the shoreface. Shoreface morphodynamics is not only controlled by the local wave climate but also by associated wave- and wind-driven currents, the grain-size, and antecedent geomorphology. This paper provides basic information on sedimentological action of monochromatic waves at the seabed in the shoaling zone to the non-specialist without him-/herself having to solve the complex equations before arriving at workable solutions. It is emphasized that the traditional oceanographically defined wave base (0.5L0) is not relevant in a geological/sedimentological context and should be replaced by a grain-size dependent effective wave base (EWB). Furthermore, open ocean swell-dominated shorefaces have to be distinguished from those of marginal seas dominated by local wind-generated waves. For convenience, a collection of tables and diagrams are provided in the electronic supplementary material (ESM) attached to this paper. They highlight the depths of effective wave bases for a range of grain sizes, wave heights and wave periods between 2 and 16 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the deep-sea morphology and sedimentary processes within the Santa Catarina Plateau and the Vema Channel, prominent features crucial for influencing bottom circulation in the western South Atlantic and regulating the exchange of deep and bottom waters between the Argentine and Brazil basins. The study leverages a unique dataset comprising multibeam data for generating detailed digital terrain models and sub-bottom profiling records, alongside numerical modeling of bottom current velocities (GLORYS12V1 reanalysis). Numerous sediment waves, predominantly cresting mudwaves and mass-wasting deposits associated with steeper sea floor gradients, were identified in the region, aligning with findings from the Argentinian and South Brazilian slopes. The investigation of these features contributes not only to the identification of contourites but also to the enhancement of understanding regarding deep-water circulation within the 3,500-to-4,500-meter range. This depth range serves as a critical transition zone between the Argentine and Brazil basins and plays a pivotal role in elucidating the northward distribution of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), an integral component of the Atlantic meridional circulation. In contrast to prior studies that focused on specific regions of the plateau, this research offers a comprehensive overview of the region's morphology and sedimentary processes, thereby advancing comprehension of deep-water circulation dynamics between the Argentinian and Brazilian basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cusp formation and related processes are well-studied all over the world, but research along the Indian coast is scanty and fragmentary. This paper provides a detailed description of the geomorphology, characteristics, and development of a series of cusps after the cyclone “Vardah” crossed along the east coast of India on 12th December 2016. Observations of instantaneous shoreline, cusp dimension, and related processes such as wind, wave, littoral environmental observation (LEO), sediment texture, and total suspended sediment load in the surf zone were obtained for three discrete observations spanning 20 days, revealing a clear insight into the post cyclonic beach processes and the cusp development. The cusp development shows an accretionary environment (12 m in 20 days) and sediment characteristics show to coincide with cusp evolution as coarser sediment at horns than the bays. After the storms, the mean grain size decreases and the sorting value increases along the coast. The spacing of observed cusps ranged from 15 to 40 m with a dominant spacing of 20–30 m (80%) while cusp depths are mostly 4–6 m (55%) and range from 2 to 8 m. The cusps are formed under the influence of low wave energy, anticipated from numerical modeling study; wave height (Hs) is 0.6 m, wave period (Ts) is 6 s, and wave direction is 90 deg. The present study reveals that cusp formation along this region is a better fit with self-organization theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the historical evidence in archaeology and geology about climate changes in the past, cites the contemporaneous scientific evidence about these changes in different settings, and enumerates effects which would enhance the consequences of such changes. A few examples of vulnerabilities of the coastal zone are commented, chosen because they are not so often recalled. The specific case of Brazilian coastal zone is briefly introduced. Finally, as its main purpose, the paper stresses the urgent need for action related to the unavoidable time delay for building responses to climate changes, regardless of their causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bengal Fan covers the entire floor of the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and has accumulated erosional material from the Himalayas since the Early Eocene. The fan architecture is constructed by turbidity current deposits via channel levee systems during active fan progradation and hemipelagic sedimentation during periods of local fan inactivity. In the present study, we document the fan development, sedimentation history, and depositional processes in the lower Bengal Fan and present a site-to-site comparison of stratigraphy and channel migration since the Late Tortonian (ca. 7.5 Ma) from sedimentological and physical property records at Site U1451 of IODP Expedition 354 to 8°N in the lower Bengal Fan. Fine sediment (Sortable Silt, SS) textural and sorting records are used to reconstruct the current skinfriction shear stress in the Benthic Boundary Layer (BBL) of the BoB. Also, a distinction in shear stress environment between turbidity dominated active fan and background hemipelagic fan growth is presented. A criterion is set in the following paper to validate the use of SS records in hemipelagic deposits in the BoB to decipher the shear stress regimes of depositing flows on the basis of sand weight percentage and mean SS sizes (S͞S) variation. This study will enhance our understanding of the Bengal Fan deposition dynamics and fan development with the reconstructed shear stress regimes associated with various depositing flows (turbidity current and/or deep water circulation). It will provide a strong base to model fan internal processes and material flux to the BoB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When compared to tide-dominated shelves, shelves swept by geostrophic flows are relatively understudied, yet geostrophic currents have the potential to construct substantial current-generated shelf bedforms. This paper examines the evolution of a series of bedforms encountered along the narrow Agulhas Current-swept northern KwaZulu-Natal shelf. Their evolution is placed in the context of progressive current impingement and variation in flows associated with the postglacial transgression and culminating in the present-day highstand. Ultra-high resolution seismic reflection, multibeam, side-scan sonar and single beam data sets reveal several bedform scales and morphologies; wave ripples and shoreface-connected ridges are associated only with the inner shelf, and 2D and 3D very large dunes are more cosmopolitan and span the entire shelf sector. The inner shelf is marked by rock outcrop (aeolianite), surrounded by sandy sediment, grading seaward into sediment starved bedforms associated with bioclastic gravels. Where sufficient sediment exists in local depocenters, very large dunes form discontinuous fields along the outer shelf. The seismic stratigraphy of the outer shelf reflects the effects of postglacial flooding by rising sea levels and increasing current impingement by the Agulhas Current. The Holocene wave ravinement surface is overlain by flat-lying strata (early dune development and dune amalgamation with first current exposure), in turn covered by hummocky, sub-horizontal aggrading beds (amalgamation), overlain by inclined cross-bedded packages (lee faces of the bedforms formed during migration and full current interaction). Morphometric analyses show that for both the inner and outer shelf, no relationships exist between water depth, wavelength and spacing. Height to spacing (H/L) relationships are weak but nevertheless show a broadly positive trend. Bedform heights are lower on the inner shelf compared to the outer shelf, but bedform spacing is greater on the inner shelf, with a 40% overlap in H/L indices observed between the two areas. The departures in overlap can be linked to the competing offshore Agulhas Current and the inshore wave-dominated processes. Bedforms of the inner shelf plot below the global H/L mean and can be related to the more infrequent incursions of the Agulhas Current core. At the time of survey, the Agulhas Current was likely situated well offshore, resulting in reduced current activity in the survey area resulting in rounding of the dune crests, degradation of the dune crests and trough infilling. On the outer shelf, the H/L values plot above the mean global trend, suggesting vertical accretion due to the faster currents. Crest rounding and downlapping of the upstream lee faces onto the downstream stoss faces indicate dune degradation, which is related to a seaward location of the Agulhas Current at the time of survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the first International Conference on Gas in Marine Sediments in Edinburgh, UK (1990), another eight successful conferences have provided a continuous forum for scientists from a variety of disciplines, organisations and countries. The 9th meeting of the Shallow Gas Group was held in September 2008 in Bremen, a hanseatic city more than 1,200 years old in northern Germany. The Shallow Gas Group was joined for this conference by participants of the HERMES EU-funded project and by members of an industry-funded project. Volume 30 (3/4) of Geo-Marine Letters is a double issue containing 25 selected papers from the 9th conference in Bremen, guest edited by G. Bohrmann and B.B. Jørgensen. The papers represent the broad spectrum of oral and poster contributions from the conference, covering a wide range of aspects of gas in marine sediments from many parts of the world. The next conference of the Shallow Gas Group is planned to be held in Listvyanka at Lake Baikal, Russia, in September 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea-level rise represents a severe hazard for populations living within low-elevation coastal zones and is already largely affecting coastal communities worldwide. As sea level continues to rise following unabated greenhouse gas emissions, the exposure of coastal communities to inundation and erosion will increase exponentially. These impacts will be further magnified under extreme storm conditions. In this paper, we focus on one of the most valuable coastal real estate markets globally (Palm Beach, FL). We use XBeach, an open-source hydro and morphodynamic model, to assess the impact of a major tropical cyclone (Hurricane Matthew, 2016) under three different sea-level scenarios. The first scenario (modern sea level) serves as a baseline against which other model runs are evaluated. The other two runs use different 2100 sea-level projections, localized to the study site: (i) IPCC RCP 8.5 (0.83 m by 2100) and (ii) same as (i), but including enhanced Antarctic ice loss (1.62 m by 2100). Our results show that the effective doubling of future sea level under heightened Antarctic ice loss amplifies flow velocity and wave height, leading to a 46% increase in eroded beach volume and the overtopping of coastal protection structures. This further exacerbates the vulnerability of coastal properties on the island, leading to significant increases in parcel inundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed knowledge of shelf bathymetry is essential for understanding the long-term geological evolution of continental margins, the extent of the coastal plain as the shoreline moved in response to Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations, and for ecosystems management, resource exploration, and navigation. Although some areas have been mapped in detail, most South African shelf bathymetry is poorly resolved. This paper presents a bathymetric map of the South African continental shelf derived from digital single-beam echo-sounding data collected by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) that is at a significantly higher resolution than was previously available as presented by Dingle et al. (Annals of the South African Museum 98:1–27, 1987). The bathymetric dataset consists of approximately 7 million data sonar points collected by the Fisheries Division of DAFF over the last two decades, covering the entire South African continental shelf area of 541,000 km2 between the Orange River mouth on the West Coast and Kosi Bay on the East Coast. The new map not only resolves known shelf bathymetric features in greater detail but also reveals new features. The origin of some bathymetric features remains unknown, but many appear to relate to bedrock geology, sediment deposition (river drainage systems and ocean currents), and sea-level fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submarine pockmarks are residual negative geomorphologic features on the seafloor, which are generally considered to be related to fluid escape. In this paper, the geomorphological characteristics and genetic mechanism of pockmarks in the Makran accretionary prism are analyzed by using multi-beam bathymetric data and multichannel seismic data. Dozens of pockmarks have been found on the upper continental slope, middle continental slope, and lower continental slope of the Makran accretionary prism. Most of the pockmarks are characterized as giant and mega pockmarks. They display circular, semicircular, crescent, elongated, comet, and irregular shapes. Some show isolated distribution, while most show composite or chain-like distribution. Faults, gas chimneys, and mud diapirs act as main migration pathways through the fine-grained seabed surface sediments. Prevailing bottom currents clearly affect the morphology and development of the pockmarks. Fluid escape activities are the key factors for the development of pockmarks in the Makran accretionary prism. Due to the erosion and deposition of the submarine canyons, the pockmarks are mainly distributed on anticline ridges of the upper-middle slope on both sides of the canyons. During the development of pockmarks, their planar shapes may change, and the semicircular, elongated, and irregular pockmarks on the anticline ridges may cause seafloor collapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was found in a previous paper that strong acoustic backscattering from a soft sediment in Eckernförde Bay, Germany, is caused by scatterers buried beneath the sea floor. The scatterers are methane gas voids of nonspherical shape. This paper models backscattering due to such gas voids. Scattering cross sections of oblate spheroids are calculated to approximate those of gas voids. Proper statistical averages are taken to make model/data comparisons. It is found that this single scattering model compares favorably with measured acoustic backscattering data at 40 kHz. In the model, density and spatial distribution of gas voids are derived from limited core data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1983-84, a cooperative geological/geophysical program was carried out in the western Solomon Sea and northeastern Bismarck Sea on the Japanese vessel Natsushima. Scientists representing Japan, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the regional marine geoscience organization CCOP/SOPAC participated in the study. The first papers were published in Geo-Marine Letters, Volume 6, No. 4. This issue, containing six papers, is the second on the results of that work and the final of the special issues on the 'Western Solomon Sea and Region.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benthic habitats are primarily determined by the nature of the substrate (i.e., the type of sediment or rock) and by the bathymetry (e.g., light availability, current, or waves exposition) both determining the viability of infaunal organisms. In this sense multibeam (MB) echosounders provide more data about the sea bottom than any other acoustic technique. During the 2014 Argentine-Canadian survey of the RV Coriolis II in the Gulf of San Jorge, MB data were acquired in the area of Robredo, west of the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Parque Interjurisdiccional Marino Costero Patagonia Austral (PIMCPA, Patagonia, Argentine). Acoustic data were affected by acquisition artifacts, so an ad hoc algorithm was required to restore the data. Moreover, during the survey, dredge samples were also acquired where acoustic data suggested changes in substrate properties, and two later scientific surveys acquired video transects of the sea bottom that allowed also a basic classification. A non-supervised classification of the seabed was performed, using a subsampling and voting algorithm, with the acoustic and bathymetric data. The final classification is in agreement with groundtruthing (dredge samples and video transects), showing that bottom structure complexity leads to a meaningful picture of the sea bottom classes in the area. Our results reveal that Robredo has two subareas, one with a fine substrate (west) and another with a coarse substrate (east), the latter being also characterized by outcropping rock formations of marked relief. Despite the small spatial coverage of the survey, the resulting sea bottom classification presented in this paper has described, for the first time, some important features of the benthic geohabitats in the PIMCPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brazilian Continental Margin (BEM) deep-water regions contain important geological features, although the area is poorly explored beyond the continental shelf-break. The main objective of this study is to seismically characterize syn- and post-rift sequences and certain seamounts that are part of the Fernando de Noronha Ridge (FNR) in deep-water basins and are off of the shore of northeastern Brazil. We used 2D post-stack high-resolution seismic sections to distinguish syn-rift, post-rift, and drift tectono-depositional phases. Three seismic horizons (R1 to R3) could represent, respectively, the following: an acoustic basement top, a rift top, and a highstand system tract (drift). The syn-rift stage is marked by discontinuous parallel reflectors with low amplitude and low frequency, which are offset by normal faults in half-grabens. The post-rift and drift stages are characterized by continuous parallel reflectors with low to high amplitude and frequency. Chaotic seismic reflections within the seamounts indicate their volcanic origins. Volcanic intrusions affected syn-rift, post-rift, and drift sequences and partially confine the deep-water basin deposition. The magmatic event occurred once the preexistent material and the sediment deposited after the seamount rises were partially confined by the continental slope and the seamounts. Seismic stratigraphy interpretation and its correlation with volcanic activities indicate a relative chronological control relating the emplacement of the seamounts to the Early Eocene to Late Miocene. Volcanic episodes seem to have created volcanoclastic deposits marked by a disorganized/chaotic seismic pattern with few continuous reflectors, indicating interbedded magma flows with sedimentary material. This paper provides an initial observation regarding the deep-water basin deposits on syn- and post-rift stages in the NE portion of the BEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of the Brazilian Continental Margin and provides a description of the main morphologic undersea features with updated nomenclature. The improved Brazilian DTM was developed with an extensive and integrated bathymetric dataset, composed by various sources, which were verified and qualified. A cross-over error analysis between all bathymetric data was done and the final bathymetric grid was created from a minimum curvature interpolating surface with established 2500-m grid cell size. The new DTM supports the Brazilian Submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1983) and represents the official seabed morphology of the Brazilian Continental Margin and its undersea feature names. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study used shallow high-resolution seismic surveys to characterize the architecture and stratigraphic evolution of the last depositional sequence of the São Francisco Delta (SFDS). The sequence was accumulated within a bathymetric low (BL) on the shelf located in front of the São Francisco river. This antecedent topography provided additional accommodation of tens of meters in comparison with the rest of the shelf. The BL and its sediment-trapping effect allowed the accumulation of a complete stratigraphic record of the eustatic sea-level rise since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The SFDS comprises six stratigraphic units. Because cores and radiocarbon dates are not available for this study area, the depth of occurrence of the top and base of each unit and their lateral relationships with wave-cut terraces carved into the BL walls were used in an effort to tentatively tie the mapped units to known eustatic sea-level curves available in the literature. Results suggest that major episodes of accumulation occurred during intervals of reduced rates in sea-level rise. The lower five units mapped accumulated in a large bay-estuarine protected environment, which resulted from the inundation of the BL. Only the topmost unit (the present clinoform) accumulated in an open ocean environment when sea level reached approximately its present position after 8 ka and the whole shelf was flooded. The most important delta backstepping event was probably associated with Meltwater Pulse 1B, which followed the Younger Dryas and produced one of the most significant stratal surfaces of the SFDS. Among the existing wave-dominated deltas in the Brazilian coast only, the São Francisco was able to construct a well-developed sigmoidal muddy clinoform in an otherwise very shallow shelf subjected to high wave-energy levels. This was only possible because of the existence of a bathymetric low in front of the river mouth, which illustrates the role that antecedent topography might play in providing larger amount of available accommodation space called in this paper of additional accommodation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a reinterpretation of the older 14C ages of the Pleistocene substrate of the Holocene barrier-lagoon system of three coastal localities in southern Brazil is presented (Hermenegildo, Cassino, and Curumim). Sedimentological, geochronological, palynological, and diatom analyses of a sedimentary deposit formed in an estuarine/shallow marine environment are examined. This sedimentary deposit is presently found between 22 and 25 m depth below sea level in the Pinheira coastal plain. Results from all studied sites indicate that the deposit was formed under a former sea level of Marine Isotopic Stage 3 (MIS 3) that may have oscillated in the study region between 5 and 23 m depth below present sea level, from 36.2 to 47.7 ka. These results are reinforced by studies of nearby sites, including southeast Brazil. The Pleistocene substrate of the Holocene lagoonal-barrier system, at depths lower than 5 m below sea level, seems to correspond to sedimentary deposits of the Pleistocene barrier formed during MIS 5, while at depths greater than 5 m below sea level, they might correspond to sedimentary deposits that were formed during the relative high sea levels of MIS 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 10th International Conference on Gas in Marine Sediments (GIMS10) took place from 6 to 11 September 2010 in Listvyanka (Russia), on the shores of Lake Baikal. The conference was organized as a double jubilee, celebrating both the fact that it was the 10th event in this series and the 20th anniversary of the series. A total of 72 oral and 47 poster presentations were given in eight thematic sessions and the presentations were discussed by 126 participants from academic, governmental and commercial institutions from 19 countries, consisting of geologists, biologists, microbiologists, geophysicists, geochemists, oceanographers and limnologists. Volume 32(5/6) of Geo-Marine Letters is a double issue containing 16 selected papers from GIMS10, and has been guest edited by M. De Batist and O. Khlystov. The papers reflect the broad-spectrum disciplines represented at the conference and cover a wide range of aspects of gas in marine sediments from many parts of the world, but with a special emphasis on the gas seeps, gas hydrates and mud volcanoes of Lake Baikal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern Gulf of Mexico and its diverse natural resources are threatened by population and development pressure, and by the impacts of rising sea level and severe storms. In the wake of the devastating 2005 hurricane season, and in response to the complex management issues facing the region, the U.S. Geological Survey organized the multidisciplinary “Northern Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Change and Hazards Susceptibility” project. This special issue of Geo-Marine Letters hosts a few of the early results in the form of 11 papers covering three themes: (1) the control exerted by the underlying geologic framework on geomorphology and nearshore processes and features; (2) impact of human activities on nearshore water quality; and (3) hurricanes and associated effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have highlighted the difficulties inherent to the use of bimodal fluvial sediments in beach nourishment and the resulting unpredictable behaviour of the beach profile. In this paper, we monitored the temporal evolution of a nourishment project carried out on a northwestern Mediterranean beach and using fluvial mixed sand and gravel nourishment material. The main aim of the study was to examine the morpho-sedimentary evolution of the beach from the injection of the nourishment material to the attainment of a targeted equilibrium profile. The monitoring activity was conducted coupling multiple topo-bathymetric surveys and sediment sampling. The data show that the targeted equilibrium profile was attained less than 2 years after the nourishment, and, since that period, the shoreline has shown minimal mobility. Our results show that the positioning of the nourishment material is as important as the correct choice of grain size to attain rapid and successful nourishment of a beach. Further applications of this methodology in other coastal settings and/or with different nourishment sediments (e.g. medium or fine sands) are presently being considered. If confirmed at a broader scale, this nourishment design, employing bimodal fluvial sediments, should significantly contribute to the mitigation of beach erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2011, a yacht marina was built in Sopot (the largest holiday resort in Poland), which initiated the formation of a local shallowing of the bottom related to the tombolo effect. The building of the marina led to disturbances in the transmission of bottom deposits along the coast, which resulted from waves and the shift of the beach coastline by approx. 50 m towards the sea. Its effects include progressive morphological changes in the shore and the sea bottom, which will lead to the formation of a peninsula between the shore and the marina in the future. This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of the accuracy of 3D modelling of the tombolo phenomenon in the onshore part of the beach using both point clouds obtained by terrestrial laser scanning methods and photogrammetric methods based on unmanned aerial vehicle photographs. The methods subjected to assessment include both those for land modelling and for determining the coastline course and its changes. The analysis results prove the existence of sub-metre differences in the imaged relief and the coastline course, which were demonstrated using an analysis of land cross-sections. The possibilities and limitations of both methods are demonstrated as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a novel classification scheme for magma-induced subsurface vent complexes based on morphometric data and stacking patterns. The study area is the Naglfar Dome in the Vøring Basin where the interaction between magmatic intrusions and vent complexes is well known. Seismic interpretation, characterization and morphometric analyses of 35 vent complexes observed within the Palaeocene-Eocene strata were done from a high-quality, three-dimensional seismic reflection data. The vent complexes have dome-shaped, eye-shaped, fault-controlled and reactivated upper termini, and are linked to their root zones by columnar, downward-tapered and fault-related fluid conduits or pipes. Statistical analyses and cross plots of L-A and Dmax-Hmax allowed the discrimination of vents and pipes into their genetic types. A new classification scheme based on the morphometric sub-division and structures of subsurface vent complexes is introduced to include S-P-V, S-P-F, V-P-V and V-P-F types. These combinations freshly demonstrate the importance of morphometric data at deciphering the nature, timing, classification and activity of subsurface fluid vent complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal erosion under the context of global sea-level rise has threatened societies living along the coast. The processes related to decadal- to centennial-scale shoreline changes are much more complex than those suggested by the Bruun effect. This paper derives a one-dimensional model to explore the relationships between shoreline change, profile concavity, and sediment fluxes in wave-dominated coastal systems where alongshore sediment transport dominates the shoreline changes. The model incorporates an exponential approximation of shoreface profiles into the shoreline Exner equation. We found an equilibrium relationship in which a stable morphology profile is maintained during synchronous changes in sediment loss (gain) and shoreline retreat (advance) distances. Complex shoreline retreat behaviours can be classified into two dynamic equilibrium cases that are either above or below this equilibrium relationship. For a given negative net sediment flux, the shoreline retreat slows when the shoreface morphology steepens (i.e. increased profile concavity), and vice versa. Likewise, for a given positive net sediment flux, the shoreline advance slows when the shoreface morphology becomes gentle (i.e. decreased profile concavity), and vice versa. Interestingly, the higher the net sediment flux is, the greater the influence of shoreline changes on shoreface morphology. The short- and long-term processes governing the shoreface morphological changes are also discussed. This study demonstrates the importance of shoreface morphological concavity on the shoreline changes. Furthermore, the presented first-order model might have the potential to be used as a quick assessment for future decadal- to centennial-scale shoreline changes in coastal management and engineering activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byrnes et al. (Geo-Marine Letters 39:265–278, Byrnes et al. 2019) present subsidence data for Barataria Basin located south and west of New Orleans in coastal Louisiana to better inform wetland protection and restoration planning by the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. They measured subsidence using geodetic GPS elevation surveys of rod benchmarks, similar to the rod benchmarks of the surface elevation table–marker horizon (SET-MH) method used to measure surface biophysical processes influencing elevation dynamics and shallow subsidence (i.e., subsidence occurring above the base of the rod) in coastal wetlands. Byrnes et al. (Geo-Marine Letters 39:265–278, Byrnes et al. 2019) argue that (1) SET-MH measures should not be included in subsidence measures because subsidence is a purely geologic process, separate from biophysical processes occurring in the active marsh zone, (2) shallow subsidence measured by the SET-MH method in deep Holocene sediments are not valid because of downdrag on the rod, and (3) high spatial variability of wetland surface processes precludes the ability to make meaningful estimates of subsidence using the SET-MH method. This reply paper presents an extensive summary of the peer-reviewed literature that refutes all three of these claims and demonstrates that it is not only reasonable but also essential to apply the SET-MH method to obtain a complete as possible assessment of surface elevation dynamics to inform coastal wetland restoration and management planning in Barataria Basin and other coastal wetlands worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many sedimentary structures are the manifestation of fluid escape in sedimentary basins. This paper examines outcrop and seismic examples in upper Miocene deep-water sandstones and siltstones of north Taranaki, New Zealand. In outcrop examples of fluid escape features comprise discordant bodies within otherwise uniformly bedded surrounding stratigraphy, features characterized by steep sided, over-hanging, vertical or near-vertical margins, infilled with an assortment of poorly sorted or chaotically arranged sandstone and siltstone. Typically, these features are several metres wide and up to 20 m high in outcrop and always occur stratigraphically below a mass transport deposit (MTD). Examples of similar features from nearby 2D and 3D seismic reflection data consist of localized vertical to sub-vertical zones of disrupted reflectivity and are as much as 300 m in height and 10's–100's of metres in width. The structures occur in close association with the basal slide planes of seismic-scale MTDs. The close association of fluid escape structures with MTDs suggests that these features formed by the sudden loading of the sedimentary succession by the emplacement of several metre-thick overlying MTDs. We suggest recurring phases whereby the emplacement of MTDs triggered fluid escape within underlying strata and, in turn, the fluid escape contributed to further instability with potential for mobilization and transport of subsequent MTDs in a dynamic deep-water setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Croker Carbonate Slabs, in the UK sector of the Irish Sea, has shallow (70 to 100 m) water, strong (> 2 knot) tidal currents, coarse mobile surficial sediments and the most extensive methane-derived authigenic carbonate (MDAC) known in European waters. Multi-disciplinary studies (2004 to 2015) were commissioned specifically to document the benthic habitat, and have resulted in the designation of this site as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) under the European Commission's Habitats Directive as an example of "Submarine structures formed by leaking gases". However, this paper is focussed on the geoscience aspects of the site: the mineralogy and isotopic composition of the MDAC, its formation and age. It considers the implications of these findings with respect to the timing of the deglaciation of the area since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and the environmental implications of the seepage of methane from the site over a period of at least 17,000 years. Carbon isotope ratios (δ13 C − 34 to − 54‰) confirm that the carbonate minerals (high-Mg calcite and aragonite) result from the anaerobic oxidation of methane. Widespread shallow gas within post-glacial sediments is sourced from underlying coal-bearing Carboniferous strata. Geophysical (side-scan sonar and multi-beam echo sounder) and visual surveys show that the MDAC occurs as isolated lumps, continuous pavements, and cliffs < 6 m tall, which post-date the post-glacial sediments, but are in places covered by a veneer of coarse mobile surficial sediments. U-Th dates (17,000 ± 5500 to 4000 ± 200 BP) suggest continual MDAC formation since the last glacial maximum, and constrain the postglacial sea level rise in this part of the Irish Sea; the site must have been submarine before MDAC formation started, whether or not methane was escaping. Visual and acoustic evidence of gas seepage is limited, but methane concentrations in the water are high (< 21.4 nmol l−1) and suggest present-day export to the atmosphere. It is also implied that significant methane release to the atmosphere occurred immediately after the retreat of the ice that covered the site during the LGM until 21.9 to 20.7 ka BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beaches are characterized by high morphodynamic activity, and high-frequency measurements are needed to understand their states and rates of change. Ideally, beach survey methods should be at once accurate, rapid and low-cost. Recently, unmanned aerial systems (drones) have been increasingly utilized to measure beach topography. In this paper, we present a review of the state of art in drones and photogrammetry for beach surveys and the respective achieved measurement quality (where reported). We then show how drones with a minimal configuration and a low-cost setup can meet the high accuracy and rapidity required for beach surveys. To test a minimal drone and ground control point configuration, we used consumer-grade equipment to perform the same flight path with different cameras and at different altitudes. We then used photogrammetry to produce digital elevation models of the beach. Using a GNSS-RTK system, we collected 2950 independent control points to evaluate the accuracy of the digital elevation models. Results show that, once a few potential sources of uncertainties in the final digital elevation model are taken into account, the average RMSE(z) of the digital elevation models was ~5 cm, with a survey efficiency of ca. 3 m2 min−1. Digital elevation models taken at different times were used to calculate the before–after sediment budget following a storm that hit a sandy coast in Sylt Island at the German North Sea coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue of Geo-Marine Letters compiles papers on marine, estuarine and freshwater mollusc shells as recorders of environmental and climatic conditions. Considering that many past studies have differentiated geochemical investigations from sclerochronological investigations, we propose that the sub-discipline term “sclerochemistry” be used when geochemical investigations are undertaken. This issue starts with two review papers that discuss the importance of physiology or vital effects on both sclerochronology and sclerochemistry. Several sclerochemical calibration studies on modern specimens of both bivalves and gastropods are presented (including δ18O, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca), which illustrate the usefulness and difficulties associated with using these proxies. Studies on fossil mollusc shells are also provided, with one study that uses Pliocene scallop shells to understand past ocean circulation and another that addresses the problem of diagenesis. Finally, a sclerochronological study of crystal prism width across the shell is presented. This Special Issue demonstrates that many elemental and isotopic proxies contained in mollusc shells are complex. In spite of these complexities, environmental and climatic conditions can be extracted for use in palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through comprehensive seismic, stratigraphic, and sedimentological analysis, this paper describes the stratigraphic architecture of the late Quaternary sediments and depositional dynamics in a region ~ 3.5 km offshore of the current south-west Namibian coastline. The landscape evolution model of this area is based on 2D seismic reflection profiles calibrated to approximately 500 boreholes, which yielded sedimentary and seismic facies data of exceptionally high resolution. The data permitted the characterization of four sedimentary facies units and the reconstruction of the submerged landscape dominated by a barrier complex. We compare this barrier complex with the sediment bodies preserved along the adjacent coastline, and account for their geological evolution in response to late Quaternary relative sea-level fluctuations along the West Coast. The most noteworthy depositional units in the study area are the normal regressive coarse gravel beaches trending shore parallel, with the primary gravel barrier and its preserved coeval back-barrier deposits that exceed 7 km in length along the coast. Based on the radiocarbon dates from the rarely preserved early flooding facies (14.0 and 13.3 ka BP), the primary barrier complex formed during a stage of slowing rising relative sea-level subsequent to Meltwater Pulse 1A. Moreover, the barrier beach complex formed on a low-gradient palaeo-bathymetry slope that is punctuated by a break on its landward side (i.e., a regional knick point), which promoted the local accommodation of sediments. The preservation of the barrier beach complex and back-barrier deposits is attributed to rapid relative sea-level rise, linked to the early Holocene Meltwater Pulse 1B between ~ 11.5 and 11.2 ka BP, and an increase in back-barrier accommodation facilitated by the antecedent topography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note serves to introduce a group of papers centered around the theme of massive submarine gravity deposits, 'megaturbidites,' presented in a 1986 AAPG/SEPM Symposium organized by Larry J. Doyle and Robert Bourrouilh. Although 'megaturbidite' may be an unfortunate term, massive gravity deposits are significant as marker beds, time lines, and potential hydrocarbon reservoirs, as well as being manifestations of important geological phenomena. The papers which follow begin to explore the inter-relationships among the four principal variables: time, basin size and shape, tectonic setting, and sediment accumulation in the provenance areas, which govern the formation of these extraordinary units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of Geo-Marine Letters 'Benthic Boundary Layer Processes in Coastal Environments' includes 20 papers devoted to results of recent near-shore experiments supported by the Coastal Benthic Boundary Layer (CBBL) program. Experiments were conducted in gas-rich muddy sediments of Eckernförde Bay of the Baltic Sea and on relict sandy sediments of the West Florida Sand Sheet. In this introductory paper we present scientific justification for experiments and summarize preliminary results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral mud is a form of calcareous ooze composed of fine-grained coral debris distributed as interlayers due to particle sorting during the formation of reclamation reefs in the South China Sea. To analyze the effect of coral mud on the stability of reef foundations formed by dredger fill, in this paper, the effects of initial concentrations, initial settlement heights, and salinity levels on the sedimentary characteristics of coral mud are discussed based on laboratory simulation tests. Comparative tests of marine sedimentary soil with similar particle compositions and of terrestrial silty clay with similar plastic indexes were carried out, and the sedimentation velocity characteristics of coral mud were identified at the microscopic level. The experimental results show that reducing initial concentrations and initial settlement heights are conducive to the coral mud filling process and that a medium salt content has no significant effect. The sedimentation rate of coral mud is roughly 3–7 times that of common soil, and the time spent in the isokinetic sedimentation stage is only 1/3 that of common soil. Microscopic studies show that the settling velocity of clay in water is proportional to the sphericity of flocs. According to our experimental results, the relationship between the sedimentation velocity and initial concentrations of coral mud is obtained and can be used to guide the design of similar calcareous soil projects across the globe and of dredger filling projects in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expulsion of sedimentary, methane-rich fluids to bottom waters is a widespread process in Lake Baikal (eastern Siberia), resulting in deep water cold seep systems comparable in size and frequency to those of oceanic, high-productivity continental margins. Little is known, however, about how biogeochemical processes in Baikal cold seeps compare with those of oceanic cold seeps. In this paper, we present new pore water chemistry data from the Krasniy Yar seepage area located on the slope near the Selenga river delta. We compare biogeochemical processes deduced from these pore water chemical profiles with processes prevalent at oceanic cold seeps of highly productive continental margins. This comparison allows to draw the following conclusions: (1) in sediments not affected by seepage the fresh water mass of Lake Baikal results in a very low relative importance of the nitrogenous and sulfidic geochemical zones compared to the ocean; (2) diagenetic processes involving silicate minerals are, however, similar in Lake Baikal and the ocean; (3) fluid advection rates in cold seep sediments are similar in Lake Baikal and ocean systems but (4) the deep methane flux of Baikal seeps is mitigated by reaction with O2, and possibly Mn(IV) and Fe(III) oxides, whereas in oceanic sediments the main methane-consuming process is the anaerobic oxidation of methane with sulfate. Lake Baikal cold seep sediments are therefore nearly devoid of authigenic carbonate minerals and have a reduced capacity to decrease the deep methane flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper synthesizes, compares, and discusses acoustic data pertaining to the presence of gas in sediments within the Polish Exclusive Economic Zone in the southern Baltic Sea, which are scattered among different journals, some of which are difficult to access and therefore have limited availability to a wider group of readers. It includes data collected between the 1970s and the present day, collected using different acoustic measurement devices. A majority of reported acoustic manifestations of gas presence in sediments in the Polish EEZ take the form of acoustic blanking followed by layer enhancement, acoustic turbidity, and increased acoustic energy absorption. The observed morphological structures related to gas presence are pockmarks (shallow and buried—17 km2), gas-saturated sediments, gas pockets, and gas chimneys. The estimated total area of acoustic manifestation of shallow gas in the Polish EEZ is around 700 km2. Geochemical analyses of surface sediments demonstrated strong correlation with acoustic data and revealed that methane occurs at relatively shallow depths compared with other regions of the Baltic Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of Geo-Marine Letters presents selected contributions from the international conference Particles in Europe (PiE) 2010 organized by Sequoia Scientific, Inc., and the Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV) on 15-17 November 2010 in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, and guest-edited by Ole Mikkelsen, Malik Chami and David Doxaran. PiE was initiated in 2008, in order to promote and further our understanding of the importance of suspended particulate matter (SPM) for a very wide range of processes in the aquatic environment-from optics and acoustics, over sediment transport, to the global carbon balance. The papers in this special issue are in particular concerned with the interaction between SPM and water optical properties, as well as how to use optical proxy measurements to understand SPM processes. The next PiE conference is scheduled for 17-19 October 2012 in Barcelona, Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a preface to the October 2003 issue of the journal "Geo-Marine Letters."

Shear stiffness and damping ratio of two marine calcareous and siliceous sands were evaluated through an experimental program. Resonant column and cyclic triaxial experiments were conducted to measure the dynamic properties of the sands in small and large shear strain amplitudes. The tests were conducted under various initial stress-density conditions. The influence of effective confining pressure on the dynamic properties of the sands was assessed and compared in a preceding paper. It was shown that the calcareous sand has higher shear stiffness and lower damping ratio in comparison to the siliceous sand. In this note, the results are presented in more details and the dynamic behavior curves of the studied sands are compared with some available models, mostly developed based on the laboratory data of siliceous sands. This comparative study  reveals that the previous models predict the dynamic properties of the calcareous sand in less precision than those of the siliceous sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant Zn isotope fractionation occurs during seafloor hydrothermal activities. Therefore, exploring variations in Zn isotope composition affected by hydrothermal fluids and oxidative processes would help to better understand hydrothermal fluid cycling and sulfide deposition on mid-ocean ridges. In this paper, the Zn isotope compositions of different types of sulfides and their oxidation products obtained from hydrothermal fields on the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge (13-15°S) were analyzed using a Neptune plus MC-ICP-MS. The δ66Zn ratios range from -0.14‰ to +0.38‰, and the average δ66Zn ratio is +0.12±0.06‰ (n=21, 2 SD) for all the studied sulfides and oxidation products. The Cu-rich sulfides have a slightly heavier Zn isotope composition (average δ66Zn=+0.19±0.07‰, n=6) than the Zn-rich sulfides (average δ66Zn=-0.02±0.06‰, n=5). The Zn isotope compositions of the oxidation products are similar to those of the Cu-rich sulfides, with an average δ66Zn ratio of 0.14±0.06‰ (n=10, 2 SD). The Zn isotope compositions of all the samples are generally within the ranges of sulfides from hydrothermal fields on other mid-ocean ridges, such as the East Pacific Rise (9°N, 21°N) and the Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse. However, the average Zn isotope composition indicates the presence of significantly lighter Zn isotopes relative to those reported in the literature (average δ66Zn=+0.39‰). The significant enrichment of the Zn-rich sulfides with light Zn isotopes reveals that kinetic fractionation likely occurs during mineral deposition. Furthermore, the Zn isotope compositions of the sulfides and their oxidation products (average δ66Zn=+0.12‰) are significantly lighter than the average Zn isotope composition of the ocean (δ66Zn=+0.5‰), which could further constrain the modern Zn isotope cycle in the ocean by serving as a sink for light Zn isotopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of a continuously flowing Mozambique Current, i.e. a western geostrophic boundary current flowing southwards along the shelf break of Mozambique, was until recently accepted by oceanographers studying ocean circulation in the south-western Indian Ocean. This concept was then cast into doubt based on long-term current measurements obtained from current-meter moorings deployed across the northern Mozambique Channel, which suggested that southward flow through the Mozambique Channel took place in the form of successive, southward migrating and counter-clockwise rotating eddies. Indeed, numerical modelling found that, if at all, strong currents on the outer shelf occurred for not more than 9 days per year. In the present study, the negation of the existence of a Mozambique Current is challenged by the discovery of a large (50 km long, 12 km wide) subaqueous dune field (with up to 10 m high dunes) on the outer shelf east of the modern Zambezi River delta at water depths between 50 and 100 m. Being interpreted as representing the current-modified, early Holocene Zambezi palaeo-delta, the dune field would have migrated southwards by at least 50 km from its former location since sea level recovered to its present-day position some 7 ka ago and after the former delta had been remoulded into a migrating dune field. Because a large dune field composed of actively migrating bedforms cannot be generated and maintained by currents restricted to a period of only 9 days per year, the validity of those earlier modelling results is questioned for the western margin of the flow field. Indeed, satellite images extracted from the Perpetual Ocean display of NASA, which show monthly time-integrated surface currents in the Mozambique Channel for the 5 month period from June-October 2006, support the proposition that strong flow on the outer Mozambican shelf occurs much more frequently than postulated by those modelling results. This is consistent with more recent modelling studies comparing the application of slippage and non-slippage approaches-they suggest that, when applying partial slippage, a western boundary current can exist simultaneously with the southward migrating eddies. Considering the evidence presented in this paper, it is concluded that a quasi-persistent, though seasonally variable Mozambique Current does exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of Geo-Marine Letters presents selected contributions from the 6th Spanish Conference on Coastal Geomorphology held from 7-9 September 2011 in Tarragona, Spain. The guest editors are Isabel Montoya Montes, Maria J. Sánchez García and Inmaculada Rodríguez Santalla. These conferences on coastal geomorphology are held biannually and serve as a discussion forum focusing mainly on advances in knowledge about the dynamics of the Spanish littoral environment, although contributions from other coastal regions are encouraged. The papers presented in this Special Issue provide a selective view of the latest research results, the main topics dealing with recent coastal morphodynamics and longer-scale coastal evolution. The 7th Conference will be held in July 2013 in Oviedo, Spain, organized by the Department of Geology at the University of Oviedo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the sedimentation behaviour of suspensions, four states of different sediment-water mixtures are usually distinguished, these being (in increasing concentration) dilute suspensions, concentrated suspensions, fluid muds and mud deposits. As the concentration values delimiting these states vary considerably from one cohesive sediment to another, a procedure for their quantitative determination is proposed here. This paper deals mainly with the effects of hindered settling in interacting concentrated suspensions and of sedimentation in fluid muds. In contrast to the settling velocity of individual particles in a dilute suspension, which must be studied statistically as a stochastic variable denoted W, hindered settling and sedimentation velocities can be described by a scalar denoted V, as solids at any particular level of concentrated suspensions and fluid muds settle at the same velocity. On the basis of settlement tests carried out in this study and published data on organic-rich cohesive sediments, a concentration-dependent empirical law for a permeability coefficient ( k) has been generated for cohesive sediments, using data from ten estuarine and nine marine environments, based on the one-dimensional Kynch theory of sedimentation. Based on the median diameters of the dispersed mineral fraction, the main provenances of the sediments are: fine to very fine clay from tropical marine/estuarine environments, medium clay to very fine silt from estuaries in western France, and fine to coarse silt from marine (harbour) environments in the Normandy region of France. A general trend for the influence of the grain size of the mineral fraction on the permeability coefficient has been established. It is demonstrated that the concentrations delimiting the different states of sediment-water mixtures can also be related to the grain size of the mineral fraction. Thus, hindered settling and sedimentation processes of muds, similar to the marine and estuarine cohesive sediments considered in this paper, can be studied as generic problems parameterized through a defined median diameter of the dispersed mineral fraction. Results for Loire estuary sediments are presented separately, based on specific tests to analyse the influence of experimental conditions on settlement. Moreover, the concentration values delimiting the different sediment-water mixture states have been largely established for this estuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Correction to this paper has been published: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal estuaries feature spatially and temporally varying sediment dynamics and characteristics. Particularly, the variability of geotechnical sediment parameters is still poorly understood, limiting the prediction of long-term sediment stability and dynamics. This paper presents results from an in situ investigation of surficial sediments (≤50 cm) in a tidal estuary in New Hampshire (USA), using a portable free fall penetrometer. The aim is to investigate variations in sediment strength and pore pressure behavior with regard to sediment type and seabed morphology. The study also provides a detailed analysis of high velocity impact pore pressure data to derive information about sediment type and permeability. The penetrometer was deployed 227 times, and the findings are correlated to 78 sediment samples. Differences in sediment strength and type were found when transitioning from tidal flats to the deeper channels. Finer-grained sediments located predominantly on the tidal flats appeared well consolidated with noticeable and spatially consistent sediment strength (reflected in an estimate of quasi-static bearing capacity qsbc ~10 kPa). Sediments with higher sand content (>75%) showed more variations in strength relating to differences in gradation, and likely represent loose and poorly consolidated sands (qsbc ~10-55 kPa). The rate at which the recorded excess pore pressures approached equilibrium after penetration was classified and related to sediment type. The data indicate that the development of excess pore pressures upon impact and during penetration may provide additional insight into the nature and layering of bed material, such as identifying a desiccated or over-consolidated dilative surficial layer. In summary, with varying sediment grain size distributions, bulk densities and morphology, sediment strength and pore pressure behavior can vary significantly within a tidal estuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of Geo-Marine Letters presents selected contributions from the 9th International Conference on Tidal Sedimentology held on 17-19 November 2015 in Puerto Madryn, Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina. The guest editors are the conference organizers Roberto A. Scasso and José I. Cuitiño. Gerardo M. Perillo was the head of the Scientific Committee. The conferences on tidal sedimentology have been traditionally held every 4 years. However, only 3 years separated the last conference held in Caen (France, 2012) from this conference. Increasing numbers of contributions and the growing interest in tidal sedimentation have been the reasons for shortening the inter-conference period. The 2015 conference served as a discussion forum focusing on advances in modern and ancient tidal sedimentation at different locations worldwide. The papers presented in this Special Issue provide a selective view of the latest research results, the main topics dealing with tidal hydrodynamics and sediment transport, tidal coastal morphodynamics, modern and ancient tidal sedimentation, geotechnical processes in tidal environments, and tidal basins, facies and reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional variations in eutrophication levels of tidal basins in the Wadden Sea can be caused by external factors, like organic matter import, and internal factors like the morphology and hydrodynamics of the receiving tidal basin. For instance, benthic nutrients from remineralized organic matter may be more concentrated in shallow basins or diluted in basins with high exchange rates. In addition, the location of a monitoring station may determine which basin-specific water masses are actually observed. In the present paper a hydrodynamic intertidal imprint (IMP) is estimated for ten stations in various tidal basins of the Wadden Sea. The fraction of time water masses spent in intertidal areas prior to observation is calculated by linking the Lagrangian transport module PELETS to already existing hourly reconstructions of currents between 1959 and 2003. Irrespective of water depth, additional calculations of mean residence times (MRT) in the Wadden Sea indicate whether, in the case of low IMP values, water masses originate from coastal areas or tidal channels. Results show distinct regional differences, with highest values in the eastern part of the Dutch sector of the southern Wadden Sea (IMP=77%, MRT=99%) and lowest values in the German/Danish sector of the northern Wadden Sea (IMP=1.1%, MRT=21%). The IMP correlates positively with observed nutrient levels (R=0.83). Evidently, this residence time-based intertidal signal is pivotal in explaining regional variations in eutrophication levels revealed by long-term comparative data from different monitoring stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]