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Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes

A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Ocean Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 22647

Special Issue Editors

Instituto Dom Luiz, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: coastal processes; coastal monitoring; geographic information systems (GIS); modelling; remote sensing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Instituto Dom Luiz, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: coastal processes; coastal monitoring systems; remote sensing; GIS and image processing and analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The coastal zone is characterized by exceptional environmental, social, and economic importance while, at the same time, being particularly vulnerable to climate-related changes. Remote sensing applications have enormous potential to monitor this intrinsically dynamic environment through remote observations and measurements that can provide important insights on coastal condition and coastal evolution, at different geomorphologic settings and timescales.

This Special Issue invites you to submit high-quality research that makes the most of remote sensing applications (from optical, radar and others) at the coastal zone, addressing issues that include, but are not limited to:

  • Sediment dynamic processes on deltas, beaches, dunes, and barrier islands
  • Coastal processes in erosional landscapes as rocky cliffs
  • Forcing mechanisms of the coastal processes as waves, tides, and currents
  • Coastal geomorphology
  • Coastal evolution
  • Close-range remote sensing applications as plane or UAVs, and onsite cameras or webcams
  • Contributions of remote sensing to coastal management    

Dr. Ana Nobre Silva
Dr. Cristina Ponte Lira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Geomorphology of the coastal zone
  • Coastal hydrodynamics and morphodynamics
  • Beach and dune processes
  • Oceanographic forcing
  • Coastal processes and management
  • Remote sensing applications on the coastal zone

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 191 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial on Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes
by Ana Nobre Silva and Cristina Ponte Lira
Remote Sens. 2023, 15(9), 2396; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs15092396 - 04 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 979
Abstract
Coastal zones are characterized by exceptional environmental, social, and economic importance, while, at the same time, being particularly vulnerable to climate-related changes [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

23 pages, 8957 KiB  
Article
Detailed Processes of Tidal Flat Geomorphology Evolution Based on Time-Series Satellite Images
by Lihua Wang, Ziheng Yang, Weiwei Sun, Li Fan, Benhua Tan and Yunxuan Zhou
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(17), 4341; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs14174341 - 01 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1330
Abstract
In-depth understanding of long-term evolution of mega deltas with a large population is of great significance for national sustainability development programs. However, due to insufficient satellite images and its low temporal resolution, previous studies have only roughly explored the long-term evolution. To reveal [...] Read more.
In-depth understanding of long-term evolution of mega deltas with a large population is of great significance for national sustainability development programs. However, due to insufficient satellite images and its low temporal resolution, previous studies have only roughly explored the long-term evolution. To reveal the detailed delta evolution processes, Jiuduansha (JDS) upon the Yangtze estuary, which is one of the world’s mega deltas, was taken as an example. Based on the continuous time series of 792 satellite images between 1965 and 2021, this study combined the K-means classification, probability statistics, and GIS spatial analysis to generate the annual probability waterlines. Furthermore, the continuous time series of geomorphological features, position of waterlines and centroid change were determined. The results showed that the JDS exposed area presented a rapid growth trend. Specifically, in the early period (1965–1998), it presented a natural evolution state of “the head erosion, the tail deposition, and extending to the southeast”. In the recent period (1999–2021), the evolution state changed into the engineering-dominated evolution state of “erosion in the south, deposition in the north, continuous extension to the southeast, and overall northward movement”. The accelerated deposition of JDS over the recent 20 years has been mainly attributed to human activities, including the construction of Deep-water Navigation Channels and the vegetation promoting silting, followed by the upstream and downstream sediment sources. Current results suggest the JDS is likely to be more elongated in the SE-NW direction, with erosion in the southern region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)
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25 pages, 7436 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Interannual and Seasonal Nearshore Bar Behaviour Observed from Decadal Optical Satellite Data in the Curonian Spit, Baltic Sea
by Rasa Janušaitė, Darius Jarmalavičius, Laurynas Jukna, Gintautas Žilinskas and Donatas Pupienis
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(14), 3423; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs14143423 - 16 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1432
Abstract
Long-term observations of nearshore bar behaviour are a vital component of coastal monitoring, management, and prediction. Optical satellite remote sensing enables the possibility of such observations over large spatial areas, but its full potential remains unexploited. This study assessed alongshore variability in cross-shore [...] Read more.
Long-term observations of nearshore bar behaviour are a vital component of coastal monitoring, management, and prediction. Optical satellite remote sensing enables the possibility of such observations over large spatial areas, but its full potential remains unexploited. This study assessed alongshore variability in cross-shore nearshore bar behaviour on a wave-dominated multi-bar coast of the Curonian Spit (south-eastern Baltic Sea) between 2011 and 2021, using satellite-derived bar data. Nearshore bars were extracted from a time series of PlanetScope and RapidEye satellite images with an automated GIS-based algorithm, previously proposed by the study authors. The cross-shore behaviour of a multiple bar system was analysed by adapting traditional bathymetry-based analysis techniques to satellite-derived data that included bar crestlines and images of multi-scale Relative Bathymetric Position Index (RBPI). The analysis was performed on 1071 shore-perpendicular transects. Multi-bar onshore and offshore migration rates were quantified on interannual and seasonal timescales. The results show that, on an interannual timescale, bars migrated offshore at rates up to 9.7 m/month, while the rates of onshore migration reached up to 11 m/month. During the months of low wave energy, bars moved offshore at rates up to 6.2 m/month, and during the months of high wave energy, up to 12.9 m/month. However onshore migration rates, during the months of low and high wave energy, reached up to 7.0 and 13.4 m/month, respectively. A complex empirical orthogonal function (CEOF) analysis was performed on RBPI-derived cross-shore profiles, and cyclic offshore directed bar behaviour was examined. For the first time, the net offshore migration (NOM) cycle with bar cycle return periods of 1.8 to 13.5 years was investigated on the south-eastern Baltic Sea coast. Bar cycle return periods increased and rates of bar cross-shore migration decreased from north to south along the Curonian Spit. Similar nearshore bar behaviour regions were identified using clustering analysis based on quantified temporal and morphological characteristics of the bars. Factors controlling alongshore variability in bar cross-shore behaviour were determined. The study results suggest that small alongshore variations in nearshore hydrodynamics, caused by the local wave climate and its interplay with the shoreline orientation, determine the morphological and temporal variability of the multi-bar system in the Curonian Spit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)
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25 pages, 9574 KiB  
Article
Simplified Marsh Response Model (SMRM): A Methodological Approach to Quantify the Evolution of Salt Marshes in a Sea-Level Rise Context
by Miguel Inácio, M. Conceição Freitas, Ana Graça Cunha, Carlos Antunes, Manel Leira, Vera Lopes, César Andrade and Tiago Adrião Silva
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(14), 3400; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs14143400 - 15 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1891
Abstract
Salt marshes are highly valued coastal environments for different services: coastline protection, biodiversity, and blue carbon. They are vulnerable to climate changes, particularly to sea-level rise. For this reason, it is essential to project the evolution of marsh areas until the end of [...] Read more.
Salt marshes are highly valued coastal environments for different services: coastline protection, biodiversity, and blue carbon. They are vulnerable to climate changes, particularly to sea-level rise. For this reason, it is essential to project the evolution of marsh areas until the end of the century. This work presents a reduced complexity model to quantify salt marshes’ evolution in a sea-level rise (SLR) context through combining field and remote sensing data: SMRM (Simplified Marsh Response Model). SMRM is a two-dimensional rule-based model that requires four parameters: a digital terrain model (DTM), local tidal levels, a sea-level rise projection, and accretion rates. A MATLAB script completes the process, and the output is a GeoTIFF file. Two test areas were selected in Tróia sandspit (Setúbal, Portugal). Additionally, a sensitivity analysis for each parameter’s influence and a comparison with SLAMM (another rule-based model) were undertaken. The sensitivity analysis indicates that SLR is the most relevant parameter, followed by accretion rates. The comparison of SMRM with SLAMM shows quite similar results for both models. This new model application indicates that the studied salt marshes could be resilient to conservative sea-level rise scenarios but not to more severe sea-level rise projections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)
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27 pages, 15330 KiB  
Article
Convolutional Neural Network and Optical Flow for the Assessment of Wave and Tide Parameters from Video Analysis (LEUCOTEA): An Innovative Tool for Coastal Monitoring
by Giovanni Scardino, Giovanni Scicchitano, Marco Chirivì, Pedro J. M. Costa, Antonio Luparelli and Giuseppe Mastronuzzi
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(13), 2994; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs14132994 - 22 Jun 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2842
Abstract
Coastal monitoring is a topic continuously developing, which has been applied using different approaches to assess the meteo-marine features, for example, to contribute to the development of improved management strategies. Among these different approaches, coastal video monitoring coupled with recent machine learning and [...] Read more.
Coastal monitoring is a topic continuously developing, which has been applied using different approaches to assess the meteo-marine features, for example, to contribute to the development of improved management strategies. Among these different approaches, coastal video monitoring coupled with recent machine learning and computer vision techniques has spread widely to assess the meteo-marine features. Video monitoring allows to obtain large spatially and temporally datasets well-distributed along the coasts. The video records can compile a series of continuous frames where tide phases, wave parameters, and storm features are clearly observable. In this work, we present LEUCOTEA, an innovative system composed of a combined approach between Geophysical surveys, Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Optical Flow techniques to assess tide and storm parameters by a video record. Tide phases and storm surge were obtained through CNN classification techniques, while Optical Flow techniques were used to assess the wave flow and wave height impacting the coasts. Neural network predictions were compared with tide gauge records. Furthermore, water levels and wave heights were validated through spatial reference points obtained from pre-event topographic surveys in the proximity of surveillance cameras. This approach improved the calibration between network results and field data. Results were evaluated through a Root Mean Square Error analysis and analyses of the correlation coefficient between results and field data. LEUCOTEA system has been developed in the Mediterranean Sea through the use of video records acquired by surveillance cameras located in the proximity of south-eastern Sicily (Italy) and subsequently applied on the Atlantic coasts of Portugal to test the use of action cameras with the CNN and show the difference in terms of wave settings when compared with the Mediterranean coasts. The application of CNN and Optical Flow techniques could represent an improvement in the application of monitoring techniques in coastal environments, permitting to automatically collect a continuous record of data that are usually not densely distributed or available. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)
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28 pages, 14286 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Trends and Interannual Variability of Wind Forcing, Surface Circulation, and Temperature around the Sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands
by Tesha Toolsee and Tarron Lamont
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(6), 1318; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs14061318 - 09 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3252
Abstract
In the Southern Ocean, the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (PEIs) play a significant ecological role by hosting large populations of seasonally breeding marine mammals and seabirds, which are particularly sensitive to changes in the surrounding ocean environment. In order to better understand climate [...] Read more.
In the Southern Ocean, the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (PEIs) play a significant ecological role by hosting large populations of seasonally breeding marine mammals and seabirds, which are particularly sensitive to changes in the surrounding ocean environment. In order to better understand climate variability at the PEIs, this study used satellite and reanalysis data to examine the interannual variability and longer-term trends of Sea Surface Temperature (SST), wind forcing, and surface circulation. Long-term trends were mostly weak and statistically insignificant, possibly due to the restricted length of the data products. While seasonal fluctuations accounted for a substantial portion (50–70%) of SST variability, the strongest variance in wind speed, wind stress curl (WSC), and currents occurred at intra-annual time scales. At a period of about 1 year, SST and geostrophic current variability suggested some influence of the Southern Annular Mode, but correlations were weak and insignificant. Similarly, correlations with El Niño Southern Oscillation variability were also weak and mostly insignificant, probably due to strong local and regional modification of SST, wind, and current anomalies. Significant interannual and decadal-scale variability in SST, WSC, and geostrophic currents, strongest at periods of 3–4 and 7–8 years, corresponded with the variability of the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave. At decadal time scales, there was a strong inverse relationship between SST and geostrophic currents and between SST and wind speed. Warmer-than-usual SST between 1990–2001 and 2009–2020 was related to weaker currents and wind, while cooler-than-usual periods during 1982–1990 and 2001–2009 were associated with relatively stronger winds and currents. Positioned directly in the path of passing atmospheric low-pressure systems and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the PEIs experience substantial local and regional atmospheric and oceanic variability at shorter temporal scales, which likely mutes longer-term variations that have been observed elsewhere in the Southern Ocean. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)
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20 pages, 12944 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Classification Algorithms for Detecting Typical Coastal Reclamation in Guangdong Province with Landsat 8 and Sentinel 2 Images
by Bin Ai, Ke Huang, Jun Zhao, Shaojie Sun, Zhuokai Jian and Xiaoding Liu
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(2), 385; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs14020385 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1715
Abstract
Coastal reclamation in Guangdong Province is highly concentrated and is growing rapidly. However, intensive reclamation use has resulted in serious influence on the coastal ecosystem, directly and indirectly. The current conditions and spatial distribution of reclamations must be detected for coastal preservation and [...] Read more.
Coastal reclamation in Guangdong Province is highly concentrated and is growing rapidly. However, intensive reclamation use has resulted in serious influence on the coastal ecosystem, directly and indirectly. The current conditions and spatial distribution of reclamations must be detected for coastal preservation and management using efficient technology. This study aims to find a suitable method and data to map reclamations accurately at a large scale. Pixel-based and object-oriented classification methods were applied in extracting the three typical types of coastal reclamation, namely, ports, aquaculture ponds, and salt pans, in Guangdong Province from Landsat 8 and Sentinel 2 images. The algorithms of a support vector machine, random forest, decision tree, and rule-based algorithm were performed. Classification results were compared with statistical measures to assess the performance of different algorithms. The results indicated that all of the algorithms could obtain classification results with high accuracy, whereas the object-oriented algorithm showed less efficiency than other algorithms in classifying ports with complicated features. High-resolution data were not always superior to lower-resolution data in the reclamation classification. Generally speaking, applying the rule-based object-oriented algorithm in Sentinel 2A MSI images is relatively efficient at detecting the reclamation use in coastal Guangdong considering its actual situation. The mapping of reclamations in the whole of coastal Guangdong shows that they present obvious agglomeration characteristics in the space. The aquaculture ponds are mainly distributed in the coastal zones of western Guangdong and eastern Guangdong, with the largest area of 77,963 ha. The other types of ports are mainly distributed in the coastal zones of the Pearl River Delta, with an area of 8146 ha, while salt pans are mainly distributed in the coastal zones of Jiangmen, Zhuhai, and Zhongshan, with a total area of 4072 ha. The results can provide key supporting data for decision making in coastal management and preservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)
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20 pages, 71035 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Analysis on Coastline Changes of Yangtze River Delta Based on High Spatial Resolution Remote Sensing Images
by Qi Wu, Shiqi Miao, Haili Huang, Mao Guo, Lei Zhang, Lin Yang and Chenghu Zhou
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(2), 310; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs14020310 - 11 Jan 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2270
Abstract
The coastline situation reflects socioeconomic development and ecological environment in coastal zones. Analyzing coastline changes clarifies the current coastline situation and provides a scientific basis for making environmental protection policies, especially for coastlines with significant human interference. As human activities become more intense, [...] Read more.
The coastline situation reflects socioeconomic development and ecological environment in coastal zones. Analyzing coastline changes clarifies the current coastline situation and provides a scientific basis for making environmental protection policies, especially for coastlines with significant human interference. As human activities become more intense, coastline types and their dynamic changes become more complicated, which needs more detailed identification of coastlines. High spatial resolution images can help provide detailed large spatial coverage at high resolution information on coastal zones. This study aims to map the position and status of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) coastline using an NDWI threshold method based on 2 m Gaofen-1/Ziyuan-3 imagery and analyze coastline change and coastline type distribution characteristics. The results showed that natural and artificial coastlines in the YRD region accounted for 42.73% and 57.27% in 2013 and 41.56% and 58.44% in 2018, respectively. The coastline generally advanced towards the sea, causing a land area increase of 475.62 km2. The changes in the YRD coastline mainly resulted from a combination of large-scale artificial construction and natural factors such as silt deposition. This study provides a reference source for large spatial coverage at high resolution remote sensing coastline monitoring and a better understanding of land use in coastal zone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)
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18 pages, 5347 KiB  
Article
Geomorphic Evolution of Radial Sand Ridges in the South Yellow Sea Observed from Satellites
by Yanyan Kang, Jinyan He, Bin Wang, Jun Lei, Zihe Wang and Xianrong Ding
Remote Sens. 2022, 14(2), 287; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs14020287 - 09 Jan 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2087
Abstract
The radial sand ridges consist of more than 70 sand ridges that are spread out radially on the continental shelf of the South Yellow Sea. As a unique geomorphological feature in the world, its evolution process and characteristics are crucial to marine resource [...] Read more.
The radial sand ridges consist of more than 70 sand ridges that are spread out radially on the continental shelf of the South Yellow Sea. As a unique geomorphological feature in the world, its evolution process and characteristics are crucial to marine resource management and ecological protection. Based on the multi-source remote sensing image data from 1979 to 2019, three types of geomorphic feature lines, artificial coastlines, waterlines, and sand ridge lines were extracted. Using the GIS sequence analysis method (Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), spatial overlay analysis, standard deviational ellipse method), the evolution characteristics of the shoreline, exposed tidal flats, and underwater sand ridges from land to sea were interpreted. The results demonstrate that: (1) The coastline has been advancing towards the sea with a maximum advance rate of 348.76 m/a from Wanggang estuary to Xiaoyangkou Port. (2) The exposed tidal flats have decreased by 1484 km2 including the reclaimed area of 1414 km2 and showed a trend of erosion in the north around Xiyang channel and deposition in the southeast around the Gaoni and Jiangjiasha areas. (3) The overall sand ridge lines showed a trend of gradually moving southeast (135°), and the moving distance is nearly 4 km in the past 40 years. In particular, the sand ridge of Tiaozini has moved 11 km southward, while distances of 8 km for Liangyuesha and 5 km for Lengjiasha were also observed. For the first time, this study quantified the overall migration trend of the RSRs. The imbalance of the regional tidal wave system may be one of the main factors leading to the overall southeastward shift of the radiation sandbanks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)
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17 pages, 10241 KiB  
Article
Identifying Geomorphological Changes of Coastal Cliffs through Point Cloud Registration from UAV Images
by Xiangxiong Kong
Remote Sens. 2021, 13(16), 3152; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/rs13163152 - 09 Aug 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2907
Abstract
Cliff monitoring is essential to stakeholders for their decision-making in maintaining a healthy coastal environment. Recently, photogrammetry-based technology has shown great successes in cliff monitoring. However, many methods to date require georeferencing efforts by either measuring geographic coordinates of the ground control points [...] Read more.
Cliff monitoring is essential to stakeholders for their decision-making in maintaining a healthy coastal environment. Recently, photogrammetry-based technology has shown great successes in cliff monitoring. However, many methods to date require georeferencing efforts by either measuring geographic coordinates of the ground control points (GCPs) or using global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), significantly increasing the implementation costs. In this study, we proposed an alternative cliff monitoring methodology that does not rely on any georeferencing efforts but can still yield reliable monitoring results. To this end, we treated 3D point clouds of the cliff from different periods as geometric datasets and further aligned them into the same coordinate system using a rigid registration protocol. We examined the performance of our approach through a few small-scale experiments on a rock sample as well as a full-scale field validation on a coastal cliff. The findings of this study would be particularly valuable for underserved coastal communities, where high-end GPS devices and GIS specialists may not be easily accessible resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Application in Coastal Geomorphology and Processes)
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