Potential Usage of Remote Sensing Data in Studying the Behaviour of Shore Drift Along Kerala Coast, India

Landsat images were analysed to examine direction, amount and behaviour of long-shore drift and its contribution towards deciding areas vulnerable to coastal erosion and accretion along the coast of Kerala. Two approaches are adopted while utilizing the remote sensing data. Net shore-drift direction is determined firstly by studying various coastal landform indicators and secondly by studying offshore turbidity distribution patterns. Landform indicators study suggest that during the south-west monsoon period, strong southerly currents are eroding protruded sectors and depositing eroded material, though partially, along varying sectors. Whereas during the rest of the year, under the influence of a northerly current, accretion is taking place along retreating sectors which has been reflected in the development of beach ridges. Turbidity pattern distribution exhibited by satellite image suggests that for January and February, long-shore drift is from south to north. The results of the two studies were found to be comparable. It may be concluded that shore-drift direction, which can be determined effectively by remote sensing, is season-dependent and plays a significant role in deciding the areas of coastal erosion and accretion.