The results of this study have allowed to verify that longshore sediments transport along the coast of Napoli Gulf (southern Italy) takes place from Northwest to Southeast. The current analysis describes the results of an integrated sedimentological and geomorphological study of the neapolitan coastal area.
A sedimentological and morphosedimentary study was carried out by bathymetric survey and sampling of bottom sediments. The analysis of modal isodensity curves shows that all the sediments are moved by longshore currents parallel to the coastline from NW to SE.
The morphological evolution of Castellammare di Stabia Gulf coastal area, based on historical coastline changes, starts from 1865, when the sandy littoral was wide and in its natural state. Since the construction of the Torre Annunziata harbour in 1871, sediments carried by a NW-SE longshore drift have become trapped, inducing the genesis of a new wide triangular-shaped beach on the updrift side (NW) of the harbour breakwall.
Author(s) Details:
Giuseppe Pecoraro
Giunta Regione Lombardia, Milano, Italy.
Micla Pennetta
Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Napoli, Italy.
Recent global research developments in Longshore Sediment Transport in Napoli Gulf: A Geomorphological Study
1. Direction of Sediment Transport:
- Sediment transport occurs from Northwest (NW) to Southeast (SE) along the coast of the Napoli Gulf.
- This movement is driven by longshore currents parallel to the coastline.
2. Study Details:
- The study combined sedimentological and geomorphological approaches.
- Researchers conducted a bathymetric survey and sampled bottom sediments to understand sediment dynamics.
3. Morphological Evolution:
- Historical data revealed that the coastal area of Castellammare di Stabia Gulf (within the Napoli Gulf) had a wide, natural sandy littoral in 1865.
- The construction of the Torre Annunziata harbor in 1871 led to sediment trapping.
- Sediments transported by the NW-SE longshore drift became trapped, resulting in the formation of a new wide, triangular-shaped beach on the updrift side (NW) of the harbor breakwall.
- However, this process also induced significant shoreline retreat in the southeast sector of the littoral.
4. Beach Erosion:
- Widespread beach erosion occurred in the coastal physiographic unit of Castellammare di Stabia Gulf (bounded by two ports), particularly in the southern portion.
- The shoreline showed a slight rotation toward the East and a general trend of regression.
- Triangular-shaped beaches at the end of the falcate widened significantly due to reduced sediment input.
- The Sarno River and its tributaries provided limited sediment load, affecting the sedimentary budget.
5. Human Interventions:
- Besides sediment trapping, other human interventions further modified the morphological characteristics of both emerged and submerged beaches.
- Intense land use impacted the fluvial course and river mouth, indirectly affecting the shoreline and drainage network of the Sarno River.
References
1. Pennetta, Micla. 2018. “Beach Erosion in the Gulf of Castellammare di Stabia in Response to the Trapping of Longshore Drifting Sediments of the Gulf of Napoli (Southern Italy)” Geosciences 8, no. 7: 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8070235
2. Moran, Kelli, “Sediment Transport and Geomorphological Evolution in the Northern Gulf of Mexico” (2023). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 6047. https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/6047
To Read the Complete Chapter See Here