Seven first-order coastal cells delineate the entire Northern Ireland coastline for sediment budget analysis. Ulster University created this spatial tool for DAERA by analyzing historical Ordnance Survey maps and aerial photographs with expert geomorphological knowledge. The boundaries are defined by littoral drift divides and sediment sinks to aid coastal managers.
Use Cases
- Calculate sediment budgets for specific coastal sectors based on defined cell boundaries.
- Identify zones where coastal changes might affect adjacent areas based on cell delineation.
- Model sediment transport routes terminating at sinks like bays or estuaries.
- Support coastal management planning using a spatial tool derived from historical analysis.
Strengths
- Covers the entire Northern Ireland coastline.
- Boundaries are defined using two specific, expert-informed types: littoral drift divides and sediment sinks.
- Derived from historical Ordnance Survey maps and aerial photographs.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- Government Digital Service
- Collection Method
- Historical shoreline analysis project commissioned by DAERA and undertaken by Ulster University.
- Time Range
- null
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Northern Ireland coastline