Daily changes in beach profile and sand texture on Del Monte Beach, California.

Abstract

Beach-elevation measurements were made and sand samples were collected along a single profile daily at low tide during the period from February 1 through March 31, 1967. Wave and tide data were recorded continuously. The beach, composed of medium- to- fine quartz and feldspar sand, is well sheltered from wave action. Wave steepness exerts a great influence on the beach profile. An equilibrium profile was found to exist for a given wave steepness. As wave conditions change, the beach profile tends to change toward the equilibrium profile associated with the new wave steepness. Given an initial beach profile, the amounts of cut and fill that will occur with a given change in wave steepness can be predicted. Textural parameters do not appear to be related to changing wave conditions in a simple way. Equilibrium values of mean grain size, sorting, skewness, and kurtosis exist for any given location on the beach profile. The equilibrium values are apparently independent of wave conditions.