Introduction to coastal systems (4 h):
Coastal forms and processes The main types of coastline and their classification criteria.
Long term coastal evolution (16 h):
Quaternary climatic oscillations and glacio-eustatic sea level changes.
Coasts subject to vertical movements and the relative sea level changes.
Geomorphological indicators of sea level changes.
Short term coastal evolution:
Coastal hydrodynamics (6h):
The waves generation their propagation in coastal shallow waters. The longshore currents. The long coast sediments transport.
Tides (4 h):
Tides: causes and distribution. Estuaries and tidal flats.
Low and high coasts (16 h):
Beaches characters and classification. Coastal lagoons and ponds.
Coastal dunes. Spits and barrier systems.
Delta definition and classification.
The coasts dominated by the ice.
The high coasts and their evolution.
Coasts of the intertropical area.
Coastal Risks (2 h):
Coastal risk assessment. Present-day climate changes and their impacts on the coasts.