Characterization of Energy Gradient in Enclosed Bays of Ubatuba Region, South-eastern Brazil

This paper deals with the characterization of the energy gradient of the sedimentary dynamics of enclosed bays of south-eastern Brazil through the utilization of coarse fraction analysis In the Ubatuba coastal region, south-eastern Brazil, the use of traditional sedimentological techniques, such as grain size and compositional analysis of surface sediments revealed little information on the spatial variability of the bottom dynamics. Many advances in the comprehension of the sedimentary processes were obtained with the utilization of coarse fraction analysis, which allowed the identification of the sectors of marine and continental influence. The utilization of a multivariate technique, the correspondence analysis, on coarse fraction analysis data reveals, through a plot of the two first factors produced by the multivariate technique, the existence of an energy gradient acting over the area, inside and between the bays, leading to the deposition of different constituents.