A joint study carried out by the Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) andKutchuniversity has revealed interesting insights into the formation of Kutchs sand dunes and beaches.
According to the study, the present day Kutchs shoreline and the sand dune deposition is the result of hundreds of years of rainless years around 5,000 years ago. Due to this severe Climate conditions, the sea levels fell, leading to the formation of dunes along the coastline.
Interestingly, this event also triggered Migration of Harrappan settlement here, scientists said.
The study states that couple with the lowering of sea level, strong gusts of winds continuously blowing during this dry period resulted in the huge mounds of sand. It is estimated that the sea level fell by anything between 04 m -5 m during this period and this has been derived from the current erosion of dune face and optical ages calculated from the samples from Kutch coastline.
The lessening of sea levels first
resulted into formation of beaches and subsequently the sand deposition.
The Mehgalyan age, which is also known as Holocene period, was the most severe climate event that lowered the sea level and led to the formation of the dunes on the Kutch coastal line.
According to study, the geochemical data generated from the samples of the coastal dune suggest a semi-arid to semi-humid climate with increasing chemical maturity and weakening monsoon during the time of deposition. The study further said that the sea must be at a lower level to attain a preferable condition for the deposition of dunal Landforms. The lowering of the sea exposed the beach
with sandy material. The study claims that these years became the most conducive
Environment of coastal dune formation.