From barchan to domic shape: evolution of a coastal sand dune in northeastern Brazil based on GPR survey



Document title: From barchan to domic shape: evolution of a coastal sand dune in northeastern Brazil based on GPR survey
Journal: Revista brasileira de geofisica
Database: PERIÓDICA
System number: 000340306
ISSN: 0102-261X
Authors: 1
1
1
1
Institutions: 1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Ciencias Exatas e da Terra, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. Brasil
Year:
Season: Ene-Mar
Volumen: 26
Number: 1
Pages: 5-20
Country: Brasil
Language: Inglés
Document type: Artículo
Approach: Analítico, descriptivo
English abstract A sand dune located near Sao Bento do Norte and Caic¸ara do Norte towns (northern coastal region of Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeastern Brazil) is rapidly migrating toward urban areas. To understand the depositional processes (evolution of the dune), a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey was carried out. The survey is composed by sixteen profiles in E-W direction, which is parallel to the dominant wind direction, and five profiles in N-S direction. In both directions, it was used antennas of 200 MHz and 80 MHz. Additionally, a topographic survey, excavations of two trenches, and grain size analysis were also carried out. The GPR imaged the internal sedimentary structures of the coastal deposits so that it was possible to reconstruct the depositional history of the area. Initially, marine sediments were deposited during the final period of a marine regression of Holocene age. After the exposure of the area, a first phase of aeolian deposition occurred over the marine sediments. Later, a depositional hiatus took place, probably associated with partial erosion of the dune. Finally, a second phase of aeolian deposition occurred, covering all previous strata. Based on the geometry of foresets and bounding surfaces, it was interpreted that, in the second phase of aeolian deposition, the dune changed its morphology from barchan to dome. The morphology change appears to have occurred when the migration front of the dune faced the obstacle constituted by a ramp along in the depositional surface dipping against the wind direction. According to the similarities of the foreset dips in the first and second phases of aeolian deposition, the prevailing dominant winds were very similar to present day dominant winds. So, it is likely that the rapidly migration process of the dune toward urban areas is an entirely natural process
Portuguese abstract Uma duna localizada proxima as cidades de Sao Bento do Norte e Caicara do Norte (litoral nordeste do Rio Grande do Norte, nordeste brasileiro) esta migrando rapidamente sobre areas urbanas. Para entender o processo deposicional (evolucao da duna), um levantamento com Radar Penetrante no Solo (GPR) foi realizado. O levantamento e composto por dezesseis perfis na direcao E-W, paralelos a direcao dos ventos dominantes, e cinco perfis na direcao N-S (utilizando antenas de 200 MHz e 80 MHz). Adicionalmente, foram efetuados escavacoes de duas trincheiras, um levantamento topografico e analises granulometricas. O GPR imageou as estruturas sedimentares dos depositos costeiros de modo que foi possıvel reconstruir a historia deposicional da area. Inicialmente, sedimentos marinhos foram depositados durante o perıodo final de uma regressao marinha ocorrida no Holoceno. Apos a exposicao da area, uma primeira fase de deposicao eolica ocorreu sobre os sedimentos marinhos. Mais tarde, ocorreu um hiato deposicional, provavelmente associado com a erosao parcial da duna. Finalmente, ocorreu uma segunda fase de deposicao eolica, cobrindo todos os estratos anteriores. Com base na geometria dos foresets e nas superfıcies limitantes, foi interpretado que, dentro da segunda fase de deposicao eolica, a duna mudou sua morfologia de barcana para dˆomica. A mudanca na morfologia parece ter ocorrido quando a frente de migracao da duna encontrou um obst´aculo constituıdo por uma rampa ao longo da superf´ıcie deposicional. Devido as semelhancas entre os mergulhos dos foresets dentro da primeira e da segunda fase de deposicao eolica, os antigos ventos dominantes foram muito similares aos atuais. Portanto,e provavel que o rapido processo de migracao da duna em direcao a areas urbanas seja um processo totalmente natural
Disciplines: Geociencias
Keyword: Geofísica,
Geología,
Dunas,
Depósitos,
Costas,
Radar de penetración terrestre,
Brasil
Keyword: Earth sciences,
Geology,
Geophysics,
Dunes,
Deposits,
Coasts,
Ground penetrating radar,
Brazil
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