Microtextures on quartz grains in the beach sediments of a high energy regime, Kerala, Southwest coast of India

Abstract

Micro textures of the quartz grains in the beach sediments of Poovar-Varkala coastal stretch have been studied to decipher the variations in the morphology and the processes responsible. Open beaches and the seawall dominated region indicate the influence of both chemical and mechanical processes. The quartz grains from tidal inlets show the dominance of chemical features than mechanical features whereas the dominance of mechanical features is observed in pocket beaches. Chemical factory (Travancore Titanium Limited) at Veli forms a major reason for the occurrence of abundant chemical features. Sediments in open beaches and seawall dominated region undergoes either longshore or crosshore transportation. Besides the longshore drift, the sediments in the tidal inlets were transported to the area by fluvial and aeolian processes and subsequently deposited in the marine environment. Sediments in the pocket beaches divulge the winnowing action existing in the high energy regime.