Sediment Characteristics, Processes and Stability of the Beaches in the Northern Kerala Coast, India

Abstract The cyclicity in the erosional and accretional pattern is monsoon controlled. The erosion during monsoon (May-August) and accretion during pre-monsoon (January-April) and post-monsoon (September-December) are well defined. The transport trends derived from the progressive changes in the grain-size characteristics show relatively better correlation with the measured trends where they are not influenced by the input of sediments from multiple sources. The obliquely approaching swell waves which generate intense northerly longshore currents during non-monsoon season favour accretion of the beaches. The foreshore in the accreted zones are gentler and are characterized by finer and negatively skewed sediments. This zone exhibits a higher period for the breaking waves. The converse is true in the beaches where erosion is prevalent during the monsoon season.