This book describes the entire coast and beaches and barrier systems of Australia. It covers the coastal processes and systems that form and impact Australia's 30.000 km coast, 12.000 beaches and 2750 barrier systems. These processes include geology, geomorphology, climate, waves, tides, currents, sediment supply, as well as coastal ecosystems. The coast is divided into tropical northern and southern temperate provinces, within which are seven divisions, 23 regions and 354 coastal sediment compartments each of which is described in detail in the 34 chapters. Within these systems are the full range of wave through tide-dominated beaches and barriers ranging from cheniers to massive transgressive dune systems together with a range of onshore and longshore sand transport systems. This is an up to date reference for the entire coast, its present condition and likely responses to the impacts of climate change.

Offers a complete guide to the nature dynamics and future of the Australian coast Written by the world's leading authority on beaches Provides a clear overview of Australian beach systems, illustrated with figures and photographs

Autorentext
Andrew Short is a marine scientist specializing in coastal processes and beach morphodynamics. He has degrees from the University of Sydney (BA Hons), University of Hawaii (MA), and Louisiana State University (PhD in Marine Science). He commenced his academic career as an assistant professor in the Coastal Studies Institute at Louisiana State University where he worked on the coasts of north Alaska and Brazil. He then moved to the School of Earth Sciences Macquarie University where he began his intensive study of beach systems around the Australian coast, which ultimately led to the development of the "Australian" beach models in collaboration with his colleague Don Wright. In 1977, he took up a position at the University of Sydney where he remained in the School of Geosciences until 2007.

He has also been visiting professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Utrecht University, the University of Auckland, the University of Ulster, the Universidade Federal Rio Grande (Brazil), and the Universidade Federal do Santa Catarina (Brazil).

He has conducted beach research on the coasts of North and South America, including north Alaska and Hawaii, and Brazil, Europe, New Zealand, Korea, South Africa, and the entire Australian coast. His main area of research and publication is in beach and surf zone morphodynamics, together with related interests in coastal dune and barrier systems, inner shelf morphodynamics, beach hazards and safety, coastal impacts of climate change, and coastal management.

He is presently Honorary Professor in the School of Geosciences at the University of Sydney, Honorary Professorial Fellow in the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences at the University of Wollongong, Senior Coastal Scientist (part-time) with CoastalCOMS.com, and Chair of National Surfing Reserves (Australia). His extensive contribution to both coastal science and beach safety was recognized on Australia Day 2010 with the award of an Order of Australia Medal.

Short has written 10 books, edited 4 books, and has over 200 scientific publications. His last book "Brazilian Beach Systems" covers the entire Brazilian coast and its seventeen coastal states. His most recent project, the "Australia Coastal Sediment Compartments" in collaboration with a small team of 'coastal experts' and funded by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, mapped and described all 354 coastal sediment compartments around the entire Australian coast as well as their likely response to climate change. These compartments form the basis for the present book "Australian Coastal Systems: beaches, barriers and sediment compartments" which is also based on his intimate knowledge of the entire Australian coast: its coastal processes, beaches and barrier systems.

Inhalt

Foreword.- Preface.- Chapter 1. The Australian coast: Introduction.- Chapter 2. Tropical Northern province.- Chapter 3. Northwest Division.- Chapter 4. Pilbara region. Chapter 5. Kimberley-Territory division.- Chapter 6. Kimberley region.- Chapter 7. West Northern Territory region.- Chapter 8. North Arnhem Land region.- Chapter 9. Gulf of Carpentaria division.- Chapter 10. East Arnhem Land region.- Chapter 11. Southern Gulf of Carpentaria region.- Chapter 12. Western Cape York Peninsula region.- Chapter 13. Northeast division.- Chapter 14. East Cape York Peninsula region.- Chapter 15. Central Queensland region.- Chapter 16. Southern temperate province.- Chapter 17. Southeast division.- Chapter 18. Central eastern region.- Chapter 19. Southern NSW region.- Chapter 20. Gippsland region.- Chapter 21. East Tasmania region.- Chapter 22. Great southern division.- Chapter 23. West Tasmania region.- Chapter 24. North Tasmania region.- Chapter 25. Centraland west Victoria region.- Chapter 26. Southern South Australian region.- Chapter 27. South Australian gulfs region.- Chapter 28. Western Eyre Peninsula region.- Chapter 29. Nullabor region.- Chapter 30. Southern Western Australia region.- Chapter 31. Southwest division.- Chapter 32. Southwest Western Australia region.- Chapter 33. Central west Western Australia region.- Chapter 34. The Australian coast: review and overview.- References.- Appendices.