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Investigating beach erosion and deposition patterns around Saldanha Bay by mapping naturally occurring radionuclides
Thesis (MMil)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613885300736000 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Sehone, Alfred Mogotsi |
| author2 | Bezuidenhout, J. |
| author_browse | Bezuidenhout, J. Sehone, Alfred Mogotsi |
| author_facet | Bezuidenhout, J. Sehone, Alfred Mogotsi |
| author_sort | Sehone, Alfred Mogotsi |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MMil)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132274 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:14.822Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132274 Investigating beach erosion and deposition patterns around Saldanha Bay by mapping naturally occurring radionuclides Sehone, Alfred Mogotsi Bezuidenhout, J. Le Roux, R. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Military Science. Dept. of Physics (Mil). Coast changes -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Sedimentation and deposition -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Radioisotopes -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Marine sediments -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Environmental geochemistry UCTD Thesis (MMil)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Sehone, A. M. 2025. Investigating Beach Erosion and Deposition Patterns around Saldanha Bay by Mapping Naturally Occurring Radionuclides. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/559a1305-9b5c-44fe-9d52-c06a4e346374 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to determine the erosion and deposition patterns of sediment on the beaches of Saldanha Bay by means of mapping natural radionuclide concentrations. Four beaches around Saldanha Bay were selected due to their relative locations within Saldanha harbour. These beaches are Danger Bay, North Bay, Saldanha beach and Leentjiesklip. Danger Bay is situated on the western side of Saldanha Bay and is exposed to high-energy waves. North Bay is located in the Outer Bay and is semi-protected from high-energy waves, while Saldanha beach and Leentjiesklip are located in the Inner Bay. These two beaches are exposed to high-energy waves entering the bay. To trace sediment deposition along the four beaches, natural radionuclides of potassium (40K), uranium (238U) and thorium (232Th) were used as tracers. The activity concentrations of these natural radionuclides present in the beach sediments were acquired by means of in-situ gamma-ray measurements on the four beaches. An in-house developed in-situ detector system called the Delta Atmospheric Gamma System (DAGS) was deployed for this purpose. The activity concentrations of the natural radionuclides were then extracted from the measured count rates spectra using the full spectrum analysis (FSA) method and were then plotted on a map using an inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation method in QGIS software. The results obtained showed that 40K was a good indicator of sediment deposition on all the measured beaches due to the abundance of potassium in nature. Concentrations of 238U and 232Th were found to be good indicators of sediments originating from anthropogenic sources, such as storm water drains and other pollutant debris from aquafarming activities within the bay. Using natural radionuclides as sediment tracers with the FSA method proved to be effective in determining sediment deposition along a beach profile. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar nie. Masters 2025-06-02T10:01:39Z 2025-06-02T10:01:39Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132274 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 60 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Coast changes -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Sedimentation and deposition -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Radioisotopes -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Marine sediments -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Environmental geochemistry UCTD Sehone, Alfred Mogotsi Investigating beach erosion and deposition patterns around Saldanha Bay by mapping naturally occurring radionuclides |
| title | Investigating beach erosion and deposition patterns around Saldanha Bay by mapping naturally occurring radionuclides |
| title_full | Investigating beach erosion and deposition patterns around Saldanha Bay by mapping naturally occurring radionuclides |
| title_fullStr | Investigating beach erosion and deposition patterns around Saldanha Bay by mapping naturally occurring radionuclides |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating beach erosion and deposition patterns around Saldanha Bay by mapping naturally occurring radionuclides |
| title_short | Investigating beach erosion and deposition patterns around Saldanha Bay by mapping naturally occurring radionuclides |
| title_sort | investigating beach erosion and deposition patterns around saldanha bay by mapping naturally occurring radionuclides |
| topic | Coast changes -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Sedimentation and deposition -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Radioisotopes -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Marine sediments -- South Africa -- Saldanha Bay Environmental geochemistry UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132274 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sehonealfredmogotsi investigatingbeacherosionanddepositionpatternsaroundsaldanhabaybymappingnaturallyoccurringradionuclides |