Coastal changes in Kamari beach (Santorini Island, Cyclades Greece)

Postgraduate Thesis uoadl:2781142 538 Read counter

Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Γεωγραφία και Περιβάλλον
Library of the School of Science
Deposit date:
2018-09-07
Year:
2018
Author:
Chondraki Vasilia
Supervisors info:
Σ. Ε. Πούλος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Γεωλογίας και Γεωπεριβάλλοντος, Εθνικόν και Καποδιστριακόν Πανεπιστήμιον Αθηνών
Original Title:
Αποτύπωση των φυσιογραφικών χαρακτηριστικών και διερεύνηση της πρόσφατης εξέλιξης της παραλίας Καμάρι (Νήσος Σαντορίνη)
Languages:
Greek
Translated title:
Coastal changes in Kamari beach (Santorini Island, Cyclades Greece)
Summary:
Kamari is located at the southeastern part of Thira and is an area of high touristic activity, adding up to the local and national economy. However, the area is at risk of coastal erosion due to extensive residential development, as well as extreme wind and weather regime. Four groins and two detached parallel breakwaters were constructed in 1991, for the protection, stabillization and exploitation of the coastal area. The aim of the present study is to illustrate the physiographic features and the displacement of the shoreline during the last seventy years, contributing additionally in a better understanding of current and future coastal evolution of the Kamari beach, southeastern Santorini Island. The study focuses on seabed morphology the subaqueous coastal area and the evolution of beach zone with respect to its vulnerability to erosional processes. Sea bed texture was achieved by processing the Side-Scan Sonar and bathymetric data. Coastline displacement during the past 70 years, was examined on the basis of coastlines extracted from aerial photographs of the years: 1945, 1960, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988 and 2003 and satellite
images of 2010, 2015 and 2016; aerial photographs were georeferenced, digitized and
compared. Also, seabed sediment samples were collected and granulometric analysis was carried out, to understand the sedimentary processes that take place in the area. Kamari beach was found to have generally retreated by an average of 18.5 m during the last 7 decades. Specifically, during the period 1945-1960, an enormous rate of erosion has been observed, which at some areas exceeds the 52 m. Over the next thirteen years (19601973), sediment is deposited and in some coastal sectors the coastline was advanced by >38 m. Then, from 1978 to 2003, the Kamari beach has been subjected to a continuous coastline retreat. In the year 1991, the groins and breakwaters were constructed within the nearshore zone, aiming to control erosion. In the years 2010-2015 the beach has stabilized against erosion, although in 2012 the area was hit by a catastrophic storm. In 2015-2016 the beach presents an average retreat of approximately 4 m when maximum retreat accounts as much as 26.8 m and a maximum accretion of 15.4 m. The coastal zone of Kamari has been heavily influenced by human activities, as the island is a global tourist attraction. The construction of the breakwaters was undoubtedly a catalyst and contributed to the reduction of erosion rate. However, recently, an increased rate of erosion has been observed, whilst the ability of each to hold back seems to be restricted (if not non-existent).
Main subject category:
Science
Other subject categories:
Geography - Anthropology - Folklore
Keywords:
Kamari, Santorini, erosion, shoreline vulnerability, physiographic features, coastal area, underwater area
Index:
Yes
Number of index pages:
4
Contains images:
Yes
Number of references:
69
Number of pages:
163
File:
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Διπλωματική_Χονδράκη_7.9.18.pdf
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