Crossshore Sand Patterns In The Intertidal Zone: A Case Study With Permanent Laser Scanning At Kijkduin Beach

The intertidal zone is an important coastal zone linking the shore with the sea and it acts as an interface between the marine and aeolian zone facilitating the transfer of sand underwater and the beach. It is an extreme environment where water, sediment, wind and ecology constantly interact with each other under continuously changing conditions which impede the acquirement of reliable measurements. The utilization of a permanent laser scanner within the CoastScan project has provided the opportunity to monitor the beach hourly for a six month period resulting in a detailed image of the height variations of the intertidal zone. The analysis of the data shows the development of multiple bars in the intertidal area which can partly be coupled to external meteorological and hydrodynamic conditions.