Circulation during Storms and Dynamics of Suspended Matter in a Sheltered Coastal Area

The Gulf of Gaeta, in the western margin of central Italy, is characterized by a coastal morphology that creates a natural sheltered area in which fine sediment settles. The new port regulatory plan provides for dock expansions and dredging works that could alter the suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration. The present study investigates the dynamics of the Gulf of Gaeta with a focus on the dynamic processes that affect the fine particle concentration. The study was conducted through a multidisciplinary approach that involves remote sensing acquisitions (satellite imagery and X-band radar), measurements in situ (water sampling, wave buoy, weather station, turbidity station, CTD profiles), and numerical modelling (SWAN and Delft3D FLOW). The X-band radar system supports the analysis of the dynamic processes of the SPM concentration providing a large dataset useful for the hydrodynamic model’s validation. The analysis reveals a strong influence of nearby rivers in modulating the SPM at the regional scale. Short-term high and low fluctuations in SPM concentration within the gulf are triggered by the local effect of the main physical forces. In particular, the direction of events and bottom sediment resuspension play a key role in modulating the SPM concentration while micro-tidal regime does not appear to influence turbidity in the study area. This approach represents an important tool in improving the long-term coastal management strategy from the perspective of sustainable human activities in marine coastal ecosystems.