Grain size distribution and annual variation along the beaches from Poompuhar to Nagoor, Tamilnadu, India
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Date
2005Author
Chandrasekaran, R.
Angusamy, N.
Manickaraj, D.S.
Loveson, V.J.
Gujar, A.R.
Chandrasekar, N.
Rajamanickam, G.V.
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Systematic sedimentological investigations have been carried out along the central coast of Tamil nadu (India) for a stretch of 35 km from Poompuhar to Nagoore. Sediment samples had been collected in Dec. 2003, 2004 and Jan 7th, 2005. Sedimentological analysis reveals that Silt+clay, carbonate content of the beach sediments of the present study region remain the same in Dec. 2003 and Dec. 2004. However, an upshoot in the percentage of carbonate content from 3.12% to 6.90% in the post-tsunami samples is highlighting the fresh deposition of detritus, molluscan shells from the offshore. Grain size studies reveal a polymodal nature of the sediments in pre and post tsunami samples. However, peakedness is found to be changed from coarse to fine or fine to coarse, depending upon the energy conditions prevailed in the region. Mean size of the sediments is also found to be drastically changing in post-tsunami from that of medium or fine to vice-versa. Sorting characteristics also remain constant in the pre-tsunami samples whereas in the post-tsunami, it is drastically changed. At Poompuhar, it has changed from moderately well sorted in pre-tsunami to well sorted nature. Skewness of the samples also show a significant changes from station to station. CM pattern shows a graded deposition of sediments for Kuttiyandiyur and Chinnnkudi samples whereas Poompuhar samples show a distribution in PQ segment indicting their deposition by bottom suspension and rolling. From this study, it is brought out that shelf topography has controlled the changes on the sedimentology of the beach sediments and this is revealed from medium sediments in narrow shelf region of Poompuhar and fine sediments in Kuttiyandiyur where the shelf is wider.
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