Deformations of the marinve coastline of the Curonian spit (South-Eastern Baltic Sea) during autumn-winter season of 2018—2019
- Pages
- 73-83
Abstract
A northern storm with a wind speed of up to 23 m/s, lasting 10 hours, with a wave height of 7—8 m, accompanied by a rise in sea level by 0.7 m, hit the coast of the Southeastern Baltic Sea in January 2019. The coast of the Russian part of the Curonian Spit was selectively eroded. The most significant erosion was recorded in the near border part of the coast (the foredune retreated from 1 to 4.7 m), as well as in the root section, where the foredune broke through and the adjacent territory was flooded. The zone between these parts of the spit proved to be relatively stable for 20 km. The values of the storm deformation of the coast and the morphometric characteristics of the beach were found to correlate. The largest erosion is seen with areas with the minimum height and width of the beach: 0.3—1 m in height and 3—17 m in width at the root site and 1.6 m and 15—19 m, respectively, at the border with Lithuania. The beach is the highest (2—2.5 m) and widest (up to 60 m) on stable coastal areas in the middle of the surveyed section of the spit. The storm of 2019 and its aftermath are very similar to the storm in January 2012.