Modelling Coastline Change of the Darss-Zingst Peninsula with Sedsim

Coastlines do not change because of sea level variation alone. Instead, the changes are the result of a complex interaction between climate and geologically controlled processes. Especially on a local scale, sedimentary dynamics play an important role. Even with a rising sea level, concurrent sediment accumulation may prevent coastline retreat. On the other hand, erosion may accelerate marine transgressions remarkably. The southern coast of the Baltic Sea is an impressive example for the impact of erosion, transport, and accumulation of sediments to coastline change during the Holocene. Since the end of the Littorina transgression the coastline morphology has been shaped here mainly by longshore sediment transport controlled by the geological situation and glacioisostatic influence. The longshore sediment transport is driven by wind and consequently waves shaping young Holocene structures like the Darss-Zingst peninsula. In order to model these processes, Sedsim (SEDimentary Basin SIMulation), a stratigraphic forward modelling software, has been applied for the Darss-Zingst peninsula on a centennial time scale. In Sedsim, the sedimentary dynamics are modelled by an approximation to the Navier–Stokes equation. Using high-resolution digital elevation data, information about the local wave characteristics, geology, estimates of sea level rise, and experimental scenarios for the development of the Darss-Zingst peninsula through the coming 840 years are presented. The results of the experiments show possible implications to the area of investigation and may serve as a basis for decision makers in coastal zone management.