Sedimentology and Coastal Morphodynamics

We carried out research on the morphodynamics and sedimentology of the lagoons, beaches and shelf in relation to anthropogenic pressure and climate change taking place at short time scale (interannual variations) and in the recent past (paleo-environmental reconstructions during Holocene).

The research topics include:

    • Geomorphology and coastal morphodynamics: geomorphological analysis of coastal lagoons, sandy beaches and the seabed through the study of morpho-bathymetric surveys at high resolution. Evaluation of the morphological variability by means of the statistical analysis of measurements repeated over time.

Rilievo morfobatimetrico Paleo ambienti
Morpho-mathymetric
survey of the
Western Sardinian shelf
Paleo dunes and river
seismic profile of the continental shelf 
    • Sedimentology: textural and compositional analysis of the distribution of sediments aimed at evaluating the processes of erosion, transport and deposition in a lagoons, sandy coasts and shelf. Detection of sedimentary bodies with high-resolution seismic surveys.
spiaggia_sommersa

Morpho-mathymetric survey of the upper shoreface mutiple bar migration

 

  • Evaluation of the relationships between the distribution and sediment quality and benthic habitats in lagoonal and shelf environments, with particular reference to the production of biogenic sediments associated with the coastal ecosystems (seagrass beds) and with circalittoral ecosystems.

  • Mapping of habitats: study of the relationship between acoustic response, distribution of habitats and texture of the sediment along the shelf.

  • Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of coastal systems (sandy beaches, barrier-lagoon systems) during Holocene.

  • Seismic stratigraphy and marine geological mapping: Processing of single or dual channel high and very jigh resolution seismic (Spark array Profiler; Subbottom Chirp Profiler, Boomer).