Characteristics of morphodynamic conditions in the shallows of Puck Bay (southern Baltic Sea)

Abstract

Abstract Puck Bay is an unusual and thus interesting coastal water region, as it combines two different environments – a lagoon and the sea. They differ from each other in their seabed morphology, salinity, dynamics and water exchange. Their common elements are the extensive shallows and the vicinity of the Hel Peninsula. The shallows of Puck Bay have developed at various stages of its evolution, which began several thousand years ago and continues to this day. They have been shaped by varying morphogenetic factors resulting from changes in sea level and accompanying evolution phases of sand barriers, e.g. washover fans, as well as the intensity and directions of sediment transport. At present, the shallows cover more than 35% of the seabed area and are influenced by hydrodynamic factors and availability of sediments. The study area was divided into five fields, taking into account morphological and genetic criteria as well as recent hydrodynamic conditions. This study provides an updated map with classification and distribution of surface sediments and describes grain size parameters for sediment samples collected in the selected fields. Based on a comprehensive assessment of grain size parameters, lithodynamic equilibrium zones were determined and areas of sediment deposition and redeposition were identified.