Conditions and rate of extreme dunes abrasion at the Pomeranian Bay

This paper presents the temporal and spatial variability of the abrasion dynamics of the dunes located on the coast of the Southern Baltic Sea within the Polish section of the Pomeranian Bay between 1986 and 2008. The study presents long-term tendencies and daily dynamics of coastal dunes abrasion, being the consequence of intensive storm surges. Systematic, quantitative measurements of the abrasion of dunes were performed by the Maritime Offices in Szczecin, Słupsk and Gdynia within the sections of the dune coast most severely affected by abrasion. To determine the origin of the abrasion of dunes, the key hydro-meteorological conditions that determine the geomorphological changes of coastal sea areas, such as types of atmospheric circulation and the maximal sea levels during storm surges, were reviewed. The study also shows the maximal sea level thresholds that can determine the potential dynamics of coastal dunes abrasion at the Pomeranian Bay.