Advances in Geosciences www.adv-geosci.net 1680-7340 1680-7359 26 11th EGU Plinius Conference on Mediterranean Storms (2009) 2010 10.5194/adgeo-26-99-2010 http://www.adv-geosci.net/26/99/2010/ http://www.adv-geosci.net/26/99/2010/adgeo-26-99-2010.html http://www.adv-geosci.net/26/99/2010/adgeo-26-99-2010.pdf 99 103 2010-09-02 The morphodynamic responses of artificial embayed beaches to storm events E. Ojeda J. Guillén jorge@icm.csic.es F. Ribas Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37–49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain current address: Department of Applied Physics, Escola Politècnica Superior de Castelldefels, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Esteve Terradas 5, 08860 Castelldefels, Spain The morphological changes caused by storm events in two Barcelona beaches were recorded using video monitoring techniques during the period 2001–2006. Changes in shoreline position and configuration and submerged bar position and shape were analyzed during the 25 major storm events that occurred during the study period. Beach responses to storms were grouped into three categories: shoreline advance or retreat (including rotation), sandbar migration and/or configuration change (linear or crescentic shape) and formation of megacusps. This work provides examples of the differential adaptation of both beaches to the same storm and of some unexpected morphological responses of both beaches. The response of the beach to storm events is not straightforward because wave conditions are not the only relevant parameter to be considered. In particular, in such embayed beaches it is crucial to take into account their specific morphodynamic configuration prior to the storm. Holman, R. A. and Stanley, J.: The history and technical capabilities of Argus, Coast. Eng. 54, 447–491, 2007. Ojeda, E. and Guillén, J.: Monitoring beach nourishment based on detailed observations with video measurements, J. Coast. Res. SI, 48, 100–106, 2006. Ojeda, E. and Guillén, J.: Shoreline dynamics and beach rotation of artificial embayed beaches, Mar. Geol. 253, 51–62, 2008. Ribas, F., Ojeda, E., Price, T., and Guillén, J.: Assessing the suitability of video imaging for studying the dynamics of nearshore sandbars in tideless beaches, IEEE Trans. Geosci, Remote Sens,, 48(6), 2482–2497, doi:10.1109/TGRS.2009.2039576, 2010. Short, A. D. and Masselink, G.: Embayed and structurally controlled beaches, edited by: Short, A. D., in: Handbook of beach and shoreface morphodynamics, John Wiley & Son, Chichester, 230–250, 1999. Van Enckevort, I. M. J. and Ruessink, B. G.: Effect of hydrodynamics and bathymetry on video estimates of nearshore sandbar position, J. Geophys. Res., 106, 16969–16979, 2001. Wright, L. D. and Short, A. D.: Morphodynamic variability of surf zones and beaches: a synthesis. Mar. Geol. 56, 93–118, 1984.