
Donatas PupienisVilnius University · Department of Hydrology and Climatology
Donatas Pupienis
dr.
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80
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Introduction
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September 2005 - October 2008
September 2008 - present
November 2002 - present
Publications
Publications (80)
Varying tendencies of coastal development are observed in the Lithuanian part of the Curonian Spit. Since the
past research were unable to assess the spatial variance of the factors shaping the coast, the reasons for varying
tendencies are still hard to explain. Therefore this study aims to determine the dominant controlling factors
leading to s...
Effective coastal management requires an understanding of sediment dynamics. This study examines the distribution of heavy minerals (HMs) in two distinct coastal regions: the mainland and spit, each with unique sediment deposition patterns. The spit accumulates sediment through alongshore sediment transport (AST), while the mainland experiences ero...
The Curonian Spit is 98 km long, while Lithuania has a 50 km stretch of coastline. The evolution of the Curonian Spit is linked to the alongshore northward sediment transport. However, varying tendencies of coastal dynamics have been observed between the different sections. Hydrodynamic and aeolian processes, generated by the prevailing westerly wi...
Fish remains (ichthyo-fossil assemblages) offer important information about past ecosystems and serve as taphonomic indicators of sedimentation and burial history. In recent years, several sets of fish remains have been collected from lagoonal mark outcrops exposed along the shores of the Curonian Lagoon, Lithuania. Unfortunately, due to ongoing er...
Most barrier coasts of the world are characterized by tidal processes, which are especially important in maintaining tidal inlets and backbarrier wetlands. However, in many semi-enclosed or isolated sea basins (Baltic et al.), tidal component has minimal or no influence and are functionally non-tidal.
In recent decades, the use of ground-penetratin...
The longshore sediment transport (LST) along the southeastern Baltic Sea basin extends from the Sambian Peninsula to Kolka Cape. However, many aspects of the LST are based on modeling results rather than field measurements. The aim of this study was to assess the sediment transport trends and potential provenance (regional sources) of heavy mineral...
A diverse suite of erosional features along the shoreline of Lehtma (Hiiumaa Island, Estonia) is used to assess their morphodynamic context and preservation potential. The Holocene strandplain along the eastfacing (leeward) shoreline has experienced rapid retreat due to the anthropogenically induced sediment deficit. The study site is located just...
Coastal strandplains on Saaremaa Island, Estonia, contain a rich archive of past events, which are recorded as geomorphic and lithological indicators of reworking (erosional) and depositional (accretionary) phases. This study presents a new dataset of low-field bulk magnetic susceptibility (MS) values from coastal sands as a rapid means of characte...
The longshore realignment of nearshore sandbars is a morphodynamic phenomenon of multiple sandbar systems that has been known about for several decades. However, it is unknown how switching-related nearshore changes influence the evolution of subaerial beaches. This study aims to define the relationship between sandbar switching episodes and the dy...
Long-term observations of nearshore bar behaviour are a vital component of coastal monitoring, management, and prediction. Optical satellite remote sensing enables the possibility of such observations over large spatial areas, but its full potential remains unexploited. This study assessed alongshore variability in cross-shore nearshore bar behavio...
The surface sediments were sampled in 2018, from a beach covering two coastal areas with different geological and geomorphological frameworks. The aim of this preliminary analysis is to (i) determine the main factors influencing the formation of the geochemical anomalies in beaches of Lithuania and (ii) evaluate the compositional differences of two...
3 405 geographical terms and definitions in Lithuanian, all terms translated into English, German and Russian.
Satellite remote sensing is a valuable tool for coastal management, enabling the possibility to repeatedly observe nearshore sandbars. However, a lack of methodological approaches for sandbar detection prevents the wider use of satellite data in sandbar studies. In this paper, a novel fully automated approach to extract nearshore sandbars in high–m...
More than 100 m-long core sections from Western Lithuania (Baltic Basin), presenting an almost continuous lower Silurian fine-grained siliciclastic organic matter-rich sedimentary record from Aeronian to Homerian, were investigated to evaluate the main forces governing the organic matter enrichment. The methods applied include organic and inorganic...
Sea coast - a geomorphic system that maintains its stability through the exchange of sand between its individual elements. As environmental conditions change, the shore system changes by adapting to maintain its stability. Natural processes such as sea level fluctuation and extreme storms cause continuous shoreline change. Feedback effects create n...
This study aims to analyse the spatial lithological and geochemical composition of beach sediments from two sites representing coastal areas with different geological and geomorphological frameworks, sediment availability and sediment transport pathways. The sandy beach surface sediments were sampled in spring 2018, the magnetic susceptibility was...
Sandy coasts are one of the most dynamic spheres; continuously changing due to natural processes (severe weather and rising water levels) and human activities (coastal protection or port construction). Coastal geodynamic processes lead to beach sediment erosion or accumulation. The coast’s dynamic tendencies determine the changes in the volume of b...
Dredging entrance channels to ports on open littoral drift seashores often causes major morphological changes to the shoreline. This study aims to assess the impact of dredging the Port of Klaipėda's entrance channel and the construction of the jetties on the coastal zone. Based on an analysis of cartographic material collected between 1835 and 201...
Karaliūnas, V.; Jarmalavičius, D.; Pupienis, D.; Janušaitė, R.; Žilinskas, G., and Karlonienė, D., 2020. Shore nourishment impact on coastal landscape transformation: An example of the Lithuanian Baltic Sea coast. In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 840–844. Co...
Beach-foredune sediment exchange maintains a coastal system’s stability. Sea level fluctuation is one of the most important factors that modifies the beach and foredune sediment budget. This study aims to assess beach and foredune sand budget changes depending on sea level fluctuations. On the basis of annual measurements of cross-shore profiles on...
In recent decades, identification, mapping, and 3D visualization of coastal archaeological sites have been revolutionized by the application of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) imaging. One of the key aspects of site characterization is the ability to both detect and resolve in situ cultural features related to sediment removal (graves, hearths, post...
The complexity of the foredune system is responsible for its morphological diversity and different development scenarios. On wave-dominated coasts, wave activity that permanently changes foredune and beach morphometry is the main limiting factor of foredune development. Based on a field data collected on the Curonian Spit in 2002–2017, the dynamic...
The reconstruction of the development of the northern Curonian Lagoon, Lithuania, during the Holocene is based on a wide suite of studies: pollen, diatom and carbonate analyses, measurements of magnetic susceptibility, as well as geochemical data. Recently published data from the Nida-VI borehole show that the age of lacustrine and lagoonal sand sp...
Sand dunes are the most prominent subjects of geological and geomorphological interest along the Curonian Spit – a mega-barrier that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. To date, an assessment of various parameters of migrating dunes along the spit has been based on comparative analysis of old maps or aerial and sat el lite images, as...
The influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on the distribution of sand grain size along sandy beaches is assessed,
based on study of three spits of the southeastern Baltic Sea: the Curonian, Vistula and the Hel. 330 sand samples were collected from the beach and foredune at 1 km intervals. Our findings show that although the three spits hav...
The reconstruction of the development of the northern Curonian Lagoon, Lithuania, during the Holocene is based on a wide suite of studies: pollen, diatom and carbonate analyses, measurements of magnetic susceptibility, as well as geochemical data. Recently published data from the Nida-VI borehole show that the age of lacustrine and lagoonal sand sp...
One of the most important problems in predicting future coastal evolution is determining the potential impacts of sea level rise on coastal systems. The influence of sea level and wind regime fluctuations on tideless coastal systems with different geomorphology and sand availability was assessed for the period of 2002-2013 along the Lithuanian Balt...
The geologic framework is an important factor worth consideration when analyzing the development of seacoasts. The different coastal responses to hydrometeorological and anthropogenic factors depend on the composition and amount of original coast-forming sediments. The impact of sediment composition on morphometric parameters is best observed in ar...
Interaction of windblown sand with maritime vegetation, either as dune migration or episodic grain transport is a common phenomenon along many sandy coasts. Vegetation introduces antecedent surface roughness, especially when scaled to the landform height, but its role may be concealed if overwhelmed by aeolian incursion and burial. Where field obse...
Sediment samples have been collected along the sea coast of the Curonian Spit in summer season of 2011, 2014 and 2015-years. According to grain size analysis the shoreline and the berm consist of well and very well-sorted sand, medium-sized on the southern (Russian) part of the spit, medium and fine on the northern (Lithuanian) part. ‘McLaren’ meth...
Dune massifs are the most important landforms and most prominent objects of geological and geomorphological interest along the Curonian Spit – a mega-barrier along the southeastern Baltic that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. To date, an assessment of various parameters of migrating dunes along the spit was based on comparative an...
A unique geological process of extrusion of lagoon marl from beneath massive migrating sand dunes is characteristic for large segments of the Curonian Spit – a ~100-km-long sandy barrier that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. Exposures of a composite set of Holocene organic sediments such as gyttja, clayey gyttja and gyttja clay, c...
Jarmalaviius, D.; matas, V.; Stanknaviius, G.; Pupienis, D., and ilinskas, G., 2016. Factors controlling coastal erosion during storm events. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp....
Ryškiausi kranto morfologijos pokyčiai fiksuojami prasiautus stipriems štormams bei uraganams, kai per trumpą laiką (keletą ar keliolika valandų) iš kranto išplaunami dideli smėlio kiekiai, paplūdimiai tampa siauri ir lėkšti, kopagūbrio jūriniame šlaite susiformuoja skardžiai. 2015 m. sausio 11 d. siautėjęs stiprus štormas „Feliksas“, nors savo gal...
Kuršių nerijos formavimasis pasižymi nepertraukiama morfolitologinių rodiklių kaita išilgai jūros kranto. Tačiau tam tikrose vietose ši tolydumo sąlyga erdvėje sutrinka. Šiose vietose pastebimas stiprus morfolitologinių rodiklių reikšmių nukrypimas nuo tolydžios kaitos, sąlygotas paleogeografinių, geologinių, hidrodinaminių, meteorologinių bei antr...
Aeolian landforms may occupy large portions of coastal spits and often consist of multiple generations defined by periods of stability and reactivation. Where earlier phases of aeolian activity are masked by subsequent deposition, continuous high-resolution (200 MHz) ground-penetrating radar (GPR) images are used to reconstruct their dynamic histor...
Sparti pastarųjų dešimtmečių mokslo ir technikos pažanga ne mažina, o stiprina žmogaus veiklos priklausomybę nuo meteorologinių ir klimato sąlygų. Pavyzdžiui, kai kurios naujausios ir produktyviausios žemės ūkio augalų veislės yra pritaikytos ypač siauram agroklimatinių sąlygų diapazonui, todėl bet koks jų nukrypimas nuo optimumo sumenkina derlingu...
Palanga is one of the most popular Lithuanian seaside resorts, which has previously been valued for its wide beaches composed of light yellow fine-grained quartz sand. At the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, intensified erosion processes in recreation zones led to shoreline retreat and the volume of beach sand reduced. Increased coastal erosion...
Fluctuations in sea level are reflected in shoreline dynamics. Depending on the nature of the change, the coast is dominated by either erosion or accumulation processes. However, despite considerable attention to this subject, few works have been dedicated to the direct research of coastal development dependence on these determining factors. The ob...
Long-term sea level rise is commonly considered to enhance coastal erosion, the rate of which is often evaluated using the Bruun Rule. We make an attempt to assess the recent coastal dynamics of the Curonian Spit in terms of the shoreline displacement rate on the basis of a comparison of maps from different years and coastal monitoring data. The ob...
As the safe depth for navigation is no longer ensured due to intense accumulation of sediments in the avanport of the old port, which was constructed in 1923–1940, reconstruction of Šventoji port jetties was planned, which should commence in 2013. The assessment of impact of Šventoji port jetties was done on the nearby coasts, based on analysis of...
Heavy-mineral concentrations (HMCs) in coastal sands serve as important indicators of hydrometeorological and sedimentological conditions. Along the southeast Baltic Sea coast, quartz- and feldspar-rich sands contain variable amounts (1-8%) of heavy minerals, such as garnet, rutile, zircon, magnetite, ilmenite, hornblende, and other accessory miner...
Port of Klaipeda is Lithuanian Baltic Sea harbour, which construction began in 1835. From 1835 to 2002, Klaipeda port gate (jetties and Klaipeda port entrance channel) saw several stages of reconstruction. Within the last reconstruction works of Klaipeda port gate in 2002, the southern and northern port jetties were extended reaching 1300 m and 140...
During the reconstruction of 2001–2002, the Klaipėda port jetties were lengthened (the northern jetty by 205 m and the southern by 278 m). These works produced an impact on dynamic coastal processes in the neighbourhood of the port. The evaluation of the impact of jetties reconstruction was based on the data obtained in 1995–2010 during the monitor...
Using a NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis dataset and the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis approach we studied interannual to decadal variabilities of the sea-level air pressure (SLP) and the surface air temperature (SAT) felds over Eurasiaduring the 2nd part of the 20th century. Our results agree with those of the previous studies, which conclude t...
An analysis of changes in the coastline of the Nemunas River delta front was undertaken with GIS based on cartographic material representing a 95 year period. Delta development was analysed comparing two time periods: 1910-1958 and 1958-2005. Quantitative indicators of land area determined during the study indicate that land in the northern part of...
An analysis of the dynamics of wind velocity along the Baltic coast of Lithuania is presented, based on data collected during field experiments in the summer, fall and winter of 1999–2001 and 2007–2009 at several sites (Būtingė, Šaipiai, Smiltynė, Juodkrantė, Pervalka and Nida). The locations were chosen in order to encompass a wide spectrum of bea...
Naujausių tyrimų duomenimis, Baltijos jūra, nors ir yra pusiau uždara Siaurės Atlanto baseino jūra, taciau pasižymi įvairių hidrofizinių bei hidrocheminių parametrų kintamumu. Jau daugiau kaip 100 metų stebint vandens temperatūros ir druskingumo pokycius, nustatyta, kad termohalinis rėžimas pradėjo keistis: nustatyti vandens temperatūros augimo ir...
Globalaus klimato modeliavimų rezultatai rodo, kad nuo XX a. vid. prasidėjo akivaizdūs atmosferos ir vandenyno sąveikos pokyciai, dėl kurių prognozuojama, kad vidutinė metinė oro temperatūra visame Baltijos regione iki 2100 m. gali pakilti 3–5 °C. Tikėtina, kad atsilimas gali daryti didesne įtaką tolimesnei Baltijos jūros hidrologinio režimo kaitai...
The investigations were carried out in order to evaluate change of the beaches profile during the period 1993–2008 and to
elucidate main trends of the coastal dynamics. Morphometric indicators (beach width, height and inclination) were measured
every year during the period 1993–2008 in 70 measuring stations located along the coastline. It was deter...
Over the recent years, scientific research has shown that various
parameters such as water temperature, salinity, river runoff, sea
level, etc, have been changing. The main two reasons for the changes
are the Baltic Sea natural variability and human impact on climate
change which affect the climate of the Baltic Sea; also, this is one
of the fundam...
Paplūdimių morfodinamikos ir kranto linijos dinamikos tendencijos tyrimai Lietuvos jūros krante buvo atliekami 1993–2008 m. Morfometriniai paplūdimio rodikliai (paplūdimio plotis, aukstis ir nuolydis) buvo matuojami kasmet septyniasdesimtyje kranto profilių.
Nustatyta, kad žemyno kranto linija per 1993–2008 m. atsitraukė vidutiniskai 10,2 m, o Kurs...
This study presents the first sets of optical dates that constrain dunefield evolution along a temperate, forested, microtidal barrier (Curonian Spit, southeast Baltic Sea, Lithuania) and a macrotidal equatorial mangrove coast (Pará State, northern Brazil). In both areas, high-resolution geophysical (georadar) images were used to map the subsurface...
Heavy mineral concentrations (HMCs) in coastal sands are important from both scientific and practical standpoints. On one hand, they may serve as local sources of iron and other economically important metals, and on the other they are good indicators of hydro-meteorological and sedimentological conditions along the coast. A variety of HMC types hav...
An intensive abrasion of the coast of the most popular Lithuanian Palanga health‐resort necessitates consideration of the most effective ways of its stabilization. Based on the data of field investigations and literary sources, the possibilities of Palanga coastal zone regeneration using the sand dredged from the entrance channel of Klaipeda port a...
Throughout Earth's history, tectonic forces, often violent and unpredictable, have been responsible for exposing geological formations to scientific scrutiny. But forces of uplift are not restricted to plate boundaries. For example, when looking at forested coastal dunes bordering placid Curonian Lagoon along the Lithuanian coast of the Baltic Sea,...