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A continuous cliffy coast built up by a carbonate platform developed in a reef environment during the Upper Miocene characterizes the southern region –Migjorn– of Menorca. This structural platform is dissected by a set of canyon-like creeks that when reach the coast result in narrow and cliffy bays known as “cala". The cala morphology, as well as the fluvial network with a preferential N-S orientation–, is controlled mainly by fractures but also by the karstic processes that are dominant in the area. These processes are related with the mixing zone water interference in coastal aquifers. The marine action is also quite important, since sea-level oscillation during Quaternary, the shape and attributes of calas were modified, and the sedimentary infilling related with the Holocene inundation, resulted in a flat floor that contrasts with the cliffy sides of the calas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the recent contributions on rocky coast research at the Balearic Islands is the study of cliff top Boulder deposits. This fieldtrip deals with the visit and characterization of different boulder deposits that are related with tsunamis that accounted during the last centuries. Along different coastal stations it is possible to observe boulders larger than 1 m in maximum length (i.e. isolated boulders, imbricated, chain aligned, etc.) that could be deposited by tsunami waves and/or storm waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleven aeolian sand sheets have been studied on the island of Menorca (Balearic Islands). Their principal feature is that they are all located on the north coast of the island. They can be grouped into three main types: those related to vertical cliffs, those related to stream channels, and a third intermediate type with characteristics of both previous groups, which corresponds to hanging channels in the mouths. The genesis and evolution can be related to mechanical erosion and/or vertical movements associated with eustatic sea levels in the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the morphometric study of blocks deposited in three sectors of the island of Menorca, E, SE and N. The coastal terraces associated to Menorca cliffs show accumulations of metric-sized blocks that have been transported inland by tsunamis. These blocks, deposited individually or forming ridges parallel to the coast, are at heights ranging from 0 to 30 m above sea level and up to 75 m inland. Most of the blocks are rectangular, showing edges, which weight ranges from 0.25 to 27 T. Transport equations have been applied to discern between accumulations derived from storm or tsunami events. The results indicate that all the analysed areas present blocks of tsunamis which orientations are coincident with the model of tsunami wave trajectories coming from the N of Algeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern region of Menorca –Migjorn– is built up by a carbonate platform developed in a reef environment during the Upper Miocene. This structural platform is dissected by a set of canyon-like creeks that when reach the coast result in narrow and cliffy bays known as “cala". Joints and penetrative fractures that affect the Upper Miocene calcarenites and calcilutites rock outcroups exert the main control of the streams pathway and direction. Karst processes also play a critical contribution related to the preferential circulation and void formation. The interaction at the coast between marine and endokarstic processes –where mixing zone waters enhance rock solution–, between the fluvial processes and sea level (including sea level fluctuations during Quaternary times– enhance the dynamics and the development of karst (i.e. cave collapse, dolines formation, etc.) and this, finally, results in the configuration of a very representative rock coast macroform such as the “cala". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]