Viška, M., Soomere, T.
Simulated and observed reversals of wave-driven alongshore
sediment transport at the eastern Baltic Sea coast
This paper aims to analyse the sensitivity of patterns of
numerically simulated potential sediment transport along the eastern Baltic Sea
coast. The study area extends from the Sambian (Samland) Peninsula to Pärnu Bay
in the Gulf of Riga. The magnitudes of net and bulk transport depend largely on
how the shoaling and refraction of the waves are resolved. The qualitative patterns
of net and bulk sediment transport are almost insensitive with respect to the
details of wave transformation in the nearshore and with respect to grain size.
The overall counter-clockwise transport along the study area contains two
persistent reversals along the coast of the Baltic Sea proper and two
frequently recurring reversals along the eastern margin of the Gulf of Riga.
Individual years with normal levels of wind speed may host completely different
patterns of sediment transport. The location of the most persistent convergence
and divergence areas of the net transport acceptably matches the granulometric
composition of the nearshore seabed up to a few km from the shoreline.