The application of multibeam and sediment transport measurement technologies and the adoption of multi-faceted research methodologies have greatly advanced our understanding of the sedimentary processes on continental shelves in the last decade. This book uniquely blends cutting-edge research and state-of-the art review articles that take stock of new advances in multibeam mapping and sediment transport technologies, spatial analysis and modelling, and the applications of these advances to the understanding of shelf sediments, morphodynamics, and sedimentary processes. Case studies are also presented to illustrate the utilization of seabed property and process knowledge in habitat mapping and ocean management With its mix of papers focusing on technological advances, integration of shelf morphology and processes, and the application of these advances to coastal and ocean management, this Special Publication volume will serve as a milestone reference for professional marine scientists and as advanced text for students in marine geology, sedimentology and oceanography. This book is part of the International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS) Special Publications. The Special Publications from the IAS are a set of thematic volumes edited by specialists on subjects of central interest to sedimentologists. Papers are reviewed and printed to the same high standards as those published in the journal Sedimentology and several of these volumes have become standard works of reference.

Libro de abstracts del congreso celebrado en Santander en junio de 2013.

A distinguished team of Western European scholars has written an advanced, full-length physical geography designed to be a state-of -the-art evaluation of the physical environment of Western Europe, being both retrospective and prospective in its perception of environmental change. The unique natural and regional environments of Western Europe are discussed, as well as the physical geographic framework of the region. Particular emphasis is placed on the impact and responses of human society on the physical environment of the region which is characterized by a very high population density. As an enhanced reference work it will be of enduring value.

Dynamics of Coastal Systems is about the dynamic interaction between water motion and seabed topography, which affects the natural response of coastal systems to change in external conditions and to human interventions — from the scale of seabed ripples up to the scale of entire barrier and delta systems. The book highlights major concepts developed during the past 50 years for the description of current-topography, tide-topography and wave-topography interactions. It provides simple analytical tools and models for diagnosing and predicting coastal response to change, with references to a great variety of coastal systems around the world. These concepts and tools are crucial for sustainable management of beaches, deltas and coastal wetlands.The book is based on a master course on coastal morphodynamics given at the Universities of Utrecht and Delft in The Netherlands for graduate students who are familiar with the basic concepts of coastal hydrodynamics. It enables coastal engineers to complete their background knowledge and to facilitate access to cutting-edge scientific literature on specific topics. The book may also serve to familiarise consultants, practitioners and academics in related coastal disciplines with modern concepts of land-sea interaction.

Sidescan sonar is proving to be the preeminent technique for researchers and professionals seeking knowledge about the structure and behavior of the seafloor, but its data is often difficult to interpret due to the physics of acoustic remote sensing, and to the varied geological processes at play. This book covers the fundamentals of sidescan sonar, incorporates new understanding of marine structures, and explains how to interpret sidescan sonar imagery and bathymetry.

This Research Note aims to provide an insight into recent developments in the theory of pattern formation. In the last decade there has been considerable progress in this field, both from a theoretical and a practical point of view. Recent mathematical developments concern the study of the nonlinear stability of systems at near-critical conditions by an appropriate system of modulation equations. The complexity of the original problem can be reduced drastically by this approximation. Moreover, it provides unifying point of view for a wide range of problems. New applications of the theory arise in a multitude of scientific areas such as hydrodynamics, reaction-diffusion problems, oceanography, meteorology, combustion, geophysical and biological morphodynamics and semi-conductors.This book is intended to show the interactions between the mathematical theory of nonlinear dynamics and the study of pattern generating phenomena in the natural environment. There is an intimate relationship between new insights in the mathematical aspects of nonlinear pattern formation and the comprehension of such phenomena. Therefore there are two partly overlapping main themes: one in which the emphasis is on generally applicable mathematical theories and techniques and one in which the phenomenology of pattern evolution in various areas is discussed.The book comprises 19 contributions by experts in the field. Although the emphasis changes considerably from paper to paper, in each contribution the same two themes are present; all the authors have aimed to achieve a suitable balance between the mathematical theory and the physical phenomena.

This atlas illustrates the characteristics of present-day bedforms, from the shoreline to deep-sea environments, and it also includes short reviews of the main mechanisms that generate such bedforms. The atlas is aimed at the research community, in addition to students, the public at large and companies with interests in the marine environment. The book is divided into seven sections composed of a number of short chapters: 1) bedform analysis and the main physical processes, 2) bedforms in the coastal zone, 3) bedforms on prodeltas and sorted bedforms, 4) bedforms on the continental shelf, 5) bedforms and benthos, 6) bedforms in submarine canyons and 7) slope and deep-sea bedforms. This atlas offers a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, view of the diversity of bedforms and associated processes and of the morphological and temporal scales in the enclosed tideless western Mediterranean Sea.

Tidal deposits have been a specific research topic for about 40 years, and whilst this has resulted in a proliferation of papers in scientific journals, there have only been a few book-length syntheses. Over the years, tidal sedimentology has been reinforced by fluid mechanics and numerical modelling but has remained rooted in facies and stratigraphic studies. Recent developments in tidal sedimentology lean toward a more quantitative assessment of the imprint of tides in the facies record of intertidal and shallow subtidal areas. They highlight the increasing relevance of tidal deposits studies, from high resolution subsurface reservoir geology to climate change and sea-level rise. This volume gathers 17 contributions to the Tidalites 2012 congress held in Caen, France. It reflects current advances in the sedimentology and stratigraphy of tidal deposits, in both ancient and modern environments. It shows the current diversity of this field of research, through a wide spectrum of methods including remote sensing, in-situ hydrodynamical measurements, and ichnology, in addition to classic field studies and petrography.