Changes in coastal sedimentary environments and remote sensing data in French Guiana

Resumo

Present-day morphological shoreline changes in French Guiana are very dynamic, striking and specific, directly linked to the huge Amazon discharge. One pan of this supply moves in suspension offshore: the other part (some 110 million m³/year) moves in the form of vast migrating shoreface-attached mudbanks, separated one from the other by erosilonal Interbank zones. On account of this dynamics, shoreline is continually changing and a specific sedimentation pattern (with alternating deposition and erosion sectors) characterizes the coastal area. Remote Sensing Data processing (LANDSAT MSS and SPOT) is being widely used (ORSTOM-Cayenne) as an essenciai research strategy and methodology that also helps to an approach of some significant questions on coastal palaeoenvironments.