Publication Date:
2024-01-09
Description:
This study employs a multimethod approach to investigate the sediment distribution in
two pocket beaches, Ramla Beach and Mellieha S Beach, in Malta. Both study sites were digitally
reconstructed using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry. For each case, an ERT and a
dense network of ambient seismic noise measurements processed through a horizontal-to-vertical
spectral ratio (HVSR) technique were acquired. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) analysis
enables the estimation of sediment thickness in each beach. HVSR analysis revealed peaks related to
beach sediments overlying limestone rocks in both sites and also indicated a deeper stratigraphic
contact in Mellieha S Beach. Based on ERT measurements, sediment thickness is calculated for
each HVSR measurement. Interpolation of results allows for bedrock surface modelling in each
case study, and when combined with digital terrain models (DTMs) derived from photogrammetric
models, sediment volumes are estimated for each site. The geometry of this surface is analyzed
from a geological perspective, showing structural control of sediment distribution due to a normal
fault in Mellieha S Beach and stratigraphic control facilitated by a highly erodible surface in Ramla
Beach. The results emphasize the importance of adopting a three-dimensional perspective in coastal
studies for precise sediment volume characterization and a deeper understanding of pocket beach
dynamics. This practical multimethod approach presented here offers valuable tools for future coastal
research and effective coastal management, facilitating informed decision making amidst the growing
vulnerability of coastal zones to climate change impacts.
Description:
This work was partially supported by the project Satellite Investigation to study POcket
BEach Dynamics (SIPOBED, SRF-2021-2S1, PI: Sebastiano D’Amico),the project Multi-disciplinary
monitoring system for a resilient management of coastal areas (REMACO) funded by the INTERREG
V A–Italy-Malta Capitalization Programme, the INGV Project “Ricerca 703 Libera” BR2019.23
(“Unveiling silent faults in low strain-rates regions through the integration 704 of high-resolution geophysical
and seismological analyses” P.I. Fabio Villani), and by the Internationalisation Partnership &
Awards Scheme Plus (IPAS+) supported by the Malta Council for Science and Technology through
the project “Near-surface geophysics and geomatic applied to coastal systems” (IPAS-2022-020).
Description:
Published
Description:
40
Description:
OSA4: Ambiente marino, fascia costiera ed Oceanografia operativa
Description:
JCR Journal
Keywords:
horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio; seismic ambient noise; pocket beach; Malta; near-surface geophysics; electrical resistivity tomography; photogrammetry
;
05.04. Instrumentation and techniques of general interest
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
article
