Introduction to beach morphodynamics

Abstract To understand physical form and process in coastal environments requires acknowledgement that both are interlinked and are part of a temporally and spatially variable system. ‘Morphodynamic’ was the catch-all phrase to describe this approach which evolved from early pioneers in the 1970s in the United States and Australia. Since then it has become a ubiquitous term used in modern studies of beach systems and continues to evolve in line with technological advances and methods. This chapter introduces the evolution of the term and outlines the various chapters in the book that cover the basic principles as well as the more advanced modern approaches used to understanding this complex domain. It finishes with some emerging developments in the study of sandy beaches.