Andrade, H.A.A.; Rodrigues, F.C.G.; Fletcher, C.H.; Casey, G., and Giannini, P.C.F., 2024. Winter sedimentology and morphology of the Maçambaba beach–foredune system, SE Brazil.

The Maçambaba Holocene coastal barrier and dune system in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, is located immediately west of an abrupt orientation change from SW-NE to W-E on the SE Brazilian coastline. The eolian deposits are formed by winds from the SW, associated with polar air masses advancing in austral winter, and winds from the NE, associated with summer monsoon and upwelling intensification. The active beach–foredune system consists of intermediate reflective beaches and ramp incipient foredunes in the western (km 0–km 14) and central (km 15–km 35) sectors of the barrier and intermediate to dissipative beaches with more common ridge incipient foredunes in the eastern sector (km 36–km 48). This pattern from W to E indicates a change in the beach–foredune system from a more erosional regime with lower sand supply in the west to a more depositional setting in the east. Measured at the swash line, winter mean grain size fines and granulometric sorting increases from W to E, evidence of a net longshore drift in this direction. The increase in eolian sand supply toward the east favors sand reworking by SW (onshore) winds in the winter; consequently, coastal dunes are well developed in this sector. Overwash processes frequently develop where eolian deflation favors marine inundation during winter swell events. After their formation, washover fans are typically reworked by reverse winds from the NE (offshore) in austral summer. Throughout the entire barrier system, seasonal shifts in both swell orientation and wind direction are dominant climatic factors determining the development of washover fans, blowouts, and parabolic dunes with opposing migration directions. Investigating the effect of this climatic seasonality on the beach–foredune system is critical to understanding coastal response to storm events and climatic variations on longer timescales.

You do not currently have access to this content.