Freezing Effects on Arctic Beaches.

• Main Authors: Short,Andrew D., Wiseman,William J. , Jr
• Other Authors: LOUISIANA STATE UNIV BATON ROUGE COASTAL STUDIES INST
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1973
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; (*BEACHES; *TRAFFICABILITY); (*ARCTIC REGIONS; BEACHES); FREEZING; SEDIMENTATION; ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE; SEA ICE; SEA WATER; PRESSURE; TERRAIN; Arctic; Swash; Ice; permafrost; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0755153; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0755153

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) Reprint from Coastal Studies Bull-7.