On the use of linear stability model to characterize the morphological behaviour of a double bar system. Application to Truc Vert Beach (France).

Olivier Brivois (1) , Déborah Idier (1) , Jérôme Thiebot (1) , Bruno Castelle (2) , Gonéri Le Cozannet (1) , Daniel Calvete (3)

1 BRGM - Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM)
2 EPOC - Environnements et Paléoenvironnements OCéaniques
3 UPC - Departament de Fisica Aplicada

Sandy barred beaches are often characterized by the presence of rhythmic patterns such as crescentic bars. In this paper, a linear stability analysis (LSA) model is used to characterize the morphological behaviour of the double bar system of Truc Vert beach. Using a limited number of combination of representative bathymetries, wave classes and water levels, the morphodynamic response of the system is analysed, focussing on the geometrical characteristics of 3D patterns generated with the model. These characteristics are described and then compared with available observations. The shapes and the wavelengths of the instabilities predicted by the model compare well with field observations. Thus, the use of linear stability model, with representative hydrodynamic conditions and bathymetries of the considered site, allows a characterization of the global morphodynamic behaviour of a double-barred system.

Keywords: Aquitania; Modelling; linear stability model; morphodynamic; crescentic bar; Truc Vert Beach; Aquitania.

Domains: Modeling and Simulation; Geomorphology; Oceanography

Olivier Brivois, Déborah Idier, Jérôme Thiebot, Bruno Castelle, Gonéri Le Cozannet, et al.. On the use of linear stability model to characterize the morphological behaviour of a double bar system. Application to Truc Vert Beach (France).. Comptes Rendus Géoscience, 2012, 344 (5), pp.277-287. ⟨10.1016/j.crte.2012.02.004⟩. ⟨hal-00715885⟩