GROUND PENETRATING RADAR INVESTIGATION OF THE CURONIAN SPIT, LITHUANIA

Barrier island geomorphology is a complex subject due to the various coastal environments where barriers form, variations in sediment supply and changes in sea level. The Curonian Spit, located in western Lithuania along the Baltic coast, is one the worlds largest spits totaling 98km with up to 18m aeolian dunes. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) data collected on the Curonian Spit used a pulseEKKO 100 GPR system with a 100MHz antennae and 0.5m step size. The depth of penetration of the system was 8-10m. GPR systems record the return of electromagnetic energy reflected from the subsurface lithology and structure. These returns are stored as raw data and then processed using EKKO Project software to display the stratigraphy as 2-D diagrams. This study presents the interpretation of the geomorphic history of formation of a portion of the Curonian Spit through processing and analyzing GPR data. Interpreting the stratigraphy to develop a history of formation is collated with a literature review of geomorphic and ground penetrating radar studies of the spit. The results of the study reveal an understanding of the geomorphic processes occurring in the modern system.