Morphology and Dynamics of the Baltic Sea Shore within Kaliningrad Oblast (Overview)

Abstract

Abstract A review of morphological and morphodynamic studies of the coast of the Kaliningrad oblast has been carried out for half a century. The studies include monitoring measurements by the Atlantic Branch of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (AB IO RAS) with the participation of the state institute Baltberegozashchita (BBZ), as well as pre-war studies and cartographic analyses of long-term coastline migration carried out by the private company Baltic Aerogeodetic Enterprise (BaltAGE). It shows the spatial alternation of abrasive and accumulative areas, as well as frequent changes in beach width and height within the same morphological coast type. A change in the development trend of particular coast sections from year to year was noted. The significant influence of anthropogenic factors on the coastal development was emphasized, including changes in the direction of coastal retreat/advance along an extensive coastal stretch. Comparison of the interannual and nearly century-old dynamics of the coast revealed noticeable differences between them, with opposite trends in several large-scale coast sections.