Sandy deposits study offshore Lithuania, SE Baltic Sea

The growing demand of sand needed for beach nourishment works and limitations concerning land-won aggregates has initiated the offshore exploration of the sand deposits in Lithuania. The first attempt to extract the sandy aggregates in Lithuanian marine zone was performed in 2008. Taking into account the several stages of the Baltic Sea development, the former coastal formations are the potential sand sources. Using the complex of modem geophysical-geological methods such as side scan sonar, multi-beam echo sounder, sub-bottom profiler; supported by the results of geological investigations such as vibro-coring and Van Veen sampling, the exploration of the offshore marine aggregates became the auspicious research priority in the Lithuania. Two offshore sites-Butinge in the northern part and Juodkrante-Preila in the southern part of Lithuanian marine zone have been investigated for the potential sand sources. According to the preliminary paleogeographic interpretation based on the relevant literature and occasional direct findings the relicts of the former shore line formation (Butinge area) and sandy bars (Juodkrante-Preila area) of Litorina Sea transgression-regression stage have been identified and seems to be promising sand resources for the future beach nourishment works.