Coastal submergence refers to the relative drowning of coastal landforms caused by a rise in local or eustatic sea level or by subsidence of the land surface, leading to landward translation of the shoreline and modification of coastal morphodynamics. It encompasses processes such as thermal expansion of seawater, ice mass loss, tectonic or compaction-driven subsidence, and anthropogenic extraction of groundwater or hydrocarbons. Coastal submergence alters sediment budgets, increases frequency and extent of tidal inundation and storm-driven flooding, promotes erosion of beaches and cliffs, transforms coastal wetlands and estuaries, and is a key factor in coastal vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning under contemporary climate change scenarios.
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