Freezing Effects on Arctic Beaches.

Abstract

Beaches in arctic regions differ substantially from those in temperate and tropical areas in that subzero air and water temperatures during the largest part of the year cause freezing of the beach sediments and inactivity of normal transporting agents. During ice-free conditions, wave action and nearshore circulation cells modify and change the beach topography in a manner similar to that of nonarctic beaches. Once the temperature falls persistently below 0C freezing of the land and water is initiated, and swash runup on the beach face freezes in place and is contiguous with deposition of sediment. During this period of time the beach face is quite smooth and firm, offering excellent trafficability conditions. The paper attempts to document the processes responsible for the changing topography associated with arctic beaches. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1973
Accession Number
AD0755153

Entities

People

  • Andrew D. Short
  • William J. Wiseman Jr.

Organizations

  • Louisiana State University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arctic Regions
  • Critical Temperature
  • Diagrams
  • Freezing
  • Geographic Regions
  • Geography
  • Glass Transition Temperature
  • Phase
  • Phase Diagrams
  • Regions
  • Sediments
  • Topography
  • Trafficability
  • Transition Temperature

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Coastal Oceanography
  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Polar and Arctic Studies