Geophysical imaging of carbonate beach ridges in Punta Rodriguez, San Antonio Bay, Argentina.
Beach ridges; GPR; Radarfacies
This study aims to demonstrate the efficiency of the GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) method for imaging beach ridges and, based on the acquired data, to identify geophysical signatures, generate digital models of the deposits, and propose a depositional architecture for these beach deposits. To achieve this, seven GPR lines were acquired in the Punta Rodriguez region, Bahia San Antonio, Argentine Patagonia, using a 400 MHz antenna. After processing the GPR data, eight radar facies were identified in the profiles based on reflector terminations and patterns. These radar facies are divided into three groups: horizontal, inclined, and irregular. The radar facies comprise aeolian deposits, beach ridges, and washover deposits. These deposits represent a progradational pattern of relic ridges preserved on the back of the youngest ridge, which are arranged as spit barriers connected to Punta Villarino at the southeastern end of the study area and, from there, forming elongated progradational landforms oriented toward the northwest.