Lake Waves and Gravel Beach Variation, Loch Lomond Scotland
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UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW LAKE WAVES AND GRAVEL BEACH VARIATION, LOCH LOMOND SCOTLAND LYDIA R. PIERCE Department of Geography and Topographic Science Faculty of Science Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy July 1997 ProQuest Number: 13832872 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 13832872 Published by ProQuest LLC(2019). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 lii,.v V- •• s Lll.iv Frontispiece: Waves and high water levels at Milarrochy Bay January 1994. CONTENTS Abstract Acknowledgements List of Figures List of Tables List of Plates List of Appendices 1. Introduction 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Lake environments ............................................................................................................ 2 1.1.2 Aims of the research .................................................................................................. 2 1.3 The research area ............................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Outline of thesis............................................................................................................... 5 1.4.1 Approach to the research ............................................................................................ 5 1.4.2 Thesis structure ............................................................................................................ 5 2. Literature Review 2.0 Introduction and rationale ............................................................................................ 6 2.1 The lake coastal environment ........................................................................................ 7 2.2 Coastal classification and scale ..................................................................................... 9 2.3 Coastal processes ........................................................................................................... 11 2.3.1 Waves and wave theory ................................................................................................ 11 2.3.2 Wave recording methods ............................................................................................ 18 2.3.3 Water level changes ................................................................................................... 21 2.3.4 Beach variability and shore erosion ............................................................................ 24 2.3.5 Coarse clastic beaches ................................................................................................ 29 23.6 Sediment transport ................................................................................................... 32 2.4 The concept of a sediment budget................................................................................... 34 2.5 Shore zone variability at Loch Lomond .......................................................................... 38 2.5.1 Geological controls on shoreline morphology............................................................ 38 2.5.2 Short-term shore zone change..................................................................................... 38 2.5.3 Long-term shore zone change...................................................................................... 40 2.6 Summary........................................................................................................................ 42 2.7 The approach of this research ......................................................................................... 43 3. Methods 3.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 44 3.1 The approach .................................................................................................................... 44 3.1.1 Methodology................................................................................................................ 46 3.1.2 Research programme .................................................................................................. 46 3.1.3 Selection o f fieldsites................................................................................................... 46 3.2 Investigating the nearshore zone ....................................................................................... 47 3.2.2 Bathymetric characteristics .......................................................................................... 47 3.2.3 Wind and wave recording ........................................................................................... 51 3.2.3.1 Wind recording (for wave direction) ........................................................................ 51 3.2.3.2 Wave recording ......................................................................................................... 52 3.2.3.3 Wave analysis ............................................................................................................ 56 3.2.3.4 Wave refraction ......................................................................................................... 58 3.2.4 Water level recording .................................................................................................. 61 3.2.5 Currents and lake circulation ..................................................................................... 61 3.2.6 Nearshore sedimentology ............................................................................................ 62 3.3 Investigating the shore zone ............................................................................................ 64 3.3.1 Historical evidence for shore zone change .................................................................. 64 3.3.2 The contemporary shore zone...................................................................................... 65 3.3 Investigating the shore zone .......................................................................................... 64 3.3.1 Historical evidence for shore zone change .................................................................. 64 3.3.2 The contemporary shore zone...................................................................................... 65 3.3.2.1 Geology.................................................................................................................... 65 3.3.2.2 Beach morphology.................................................................................................... 65 3.3.3. Sediment supply ............................................................................................................ 69 3.3.3.1 Fluvial sediment supply ............................................................................................ 74 3.3.3.2 cliff sediment supply .................................................................................................. 74 3.4.4 Beach Sedimentology ................................................................................................. 75 3.4.4.1 Particle size analysis .............................................................................................. 75 3.4.4.2 Temporal and spatial sedimentologcial analysis ..................................................... 78 3.4.4.3 Particle shape analysis ............................................................................................. 81 3.5 Sediment budget calculation ........................................................................................... 82 3.6 Summary .......................................................................................................................... 84 4. Results: The Nearshore zone 4.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 85 4.1 Characteristics of the nearshore zone .............................................................................. 85 4.1.1 Exposure o f the shore.................................................................................................. 85 4.1.2 Nearshore bathymetry ................................................................................................ 88 4.2 Water levels.................................................................................................................... 93 4.3 Wave climate.................................................................................................................. 96 4.3.1 Wave train analysis ...................................................................................................... 96 4.3.2 Spectral analysis ......................................................................................................... 113 4.3.3 Wave direction and storminess ................................................................................... 120 4.4 Wave refraction and modification of incident waves .....................................................