Influence of Seasonal Changes on the Texture of Beach Sands, Southwest Coast of India

Abstract

The variation in textural parameters and beach processes in relation to different seasons of southwest coast of India were studied on a 12 km stretch of the Mattul-Payangadi coast. On the basis of these sediment characteristics and beach morphologic: changes, four distinct seasons relating to climatic conditions are identified: premonsoon, transitional, monsoon and postmonsoon. Seasonal wave energy differences are reflected in mean size distribution of sands. Corresponding to an increase in wave energy grain size increases from premonsoon to monsoon, through the transitional season. The kurtosis varies gradually from mesokurtic to platykurtic. On comparison, the sediments of the transitional and monsoonal season are moderately well sorted and tend towards platykurtic nature than the premonsoon and postmonsoon sediments. The sediments are negatively skewed to nearly symmetrical in all the seasons.