Rock shore platform denudation measurements along the Maltese coastline

Abstract

This dissertation revisits a baseline study which had been conducted by Micallef (2002) and it provides an assessment of an updated and longer-term study of mean surface lowering rates exhibited by rock shore platforms found on the Maltese coast. This study was conducted through the application of a specifically designed ‘Rock Profiler’ which is adapted to local karstic rock shores. Overall, 14 baseline profiles established by Micallef (2002) were re-profiled and 4 newlyestablished profiles were installed at 11 rock shores around the Maltese coastline in order to analyse the surface-denudation characteristics of shore platforms. Throughout the field investigations, three rock divisions including their sub-divisions were analysed and associated with potential weathering and erosion properties for each rock formation under study. The results obtained from this study have provided updated surface-denudation rates for the main geological divisions exposed on the Maltese coastline, these being; Upper Coralline Limestone (Tal-Pitkal) with a mean surface lowering rate of - 0.87mm/year, Lower Coralline Limestone (Xlendi) with a mean surface lowering rate of -0.75mm/year, Middle Globigerina Limestone with a mean surface lowering rate of -0.62mm/year and the Lower Globigerina Limestone with a mean surface lowering rate of -0.41mm/year.