Modern Dynamics of the Lankaran–Astara Shoreline Under Caspian Sea-Level Decline

Abstract

The continuing decline of the Caspian Sea level is increasingly reshaping the coastal zone of Azerbaijan. This paper examines the modern dynamics of the Lankaran–Astara shoreline, with emphasis on the geomorphological response of the southern coastal sector to sea -level fall. The study is designed as an analytical synthesis rather than a presentation of newly measured shoreline distances. Recent peer -reviewed studies, remote -sensing research from the Azerbaijani Caspian coast, current field-monitoring information, and preliminary space-geodetic evidence are integrated to identify the dominant processes controlling shoreline migration. Basin-wide studies show that the Caspian Sea has been in a persistent declining phase since the mid -1990s, while recent work demonstrates that reduced river inflow and increasing evaporative losses act together in the contemporary negative water balance.