Geomorphology of high-latitude coastal dunes

• Published in: Geological Society, London, Special Publications
• Main Authors: Ruz, Marie Hélène, Hesp, Patrick
• Other Authors: Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences (LOG) - UMR 8187 (LOG), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale (ULCO)-Université de Lille-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD France-Nord ), I. P. Martini and H. R. Wanless
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2014
• Subjects: [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography; Arctic; Hudson; Hudson Bay; Subarctic
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01061711; https://doi.org/10.1144/SP388.17

The purpose of this review is to assess if there are any specific processes and morphologies distinguishing coastal dunes developed in cold-climate conditions, in order to illustrate how climate can exert a control on coastal dune morphologies. In the Arctic, availability of sand supply and the duration of winter conditions are limiting factors for the development of large coastal dunes. They are small in size, and embryo dunes including nebkha are the dominant and often only coastal dune type. In milder subarctic settings, characterized by a longer surficial ice-free season, a greater variety of coastal dunes are found, mainly foredunes, blowouts and parabolic dunes. In subarctic areas, as along the SE coast of Hudson Bay, niveo-aeolian processes actively affect coastal dune development. These processes do not generally imprint permanent morphologies, although some distinctive sedimentary structures owing to the melting of snow are observed. The coastal dunes of the arctic regions differ from the dunes of subarctic and temperate regions mainly because of their limited spatial and morphological development. Extreme climatic conditions (low precipitation, extreme cold), and very limited vegetation growing season, combined with low sediment supply, explain the fact that only embryo dunes develop in arctic environments.