Classification of Coasts

• Published in: Journal of coastal research Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 155 - 165
• Main Author: Fairbridge, Rhodes W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS Coastal Education and Research Foundation (CERF) 2004; Coastal Education and Research Foundation
• Subjects: Beaches; Boulders; Cliffs; Coasts; Coral reefs; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Geology; Geomorphology; Geomorphology, landform evolution; Marine; Marine and continental quaternary; Research Papers; Sand; Sea level; Seas; Surficial geology; World Oceans; AN, North Atlantic, North Atlantic Oscillation; ocean currents; submergence; cliffs; world ocean; scale factor; Atlantic Ocean; latitude; global; littoral erosion; cohesive materials; cohesionless materials; El Nino; Northern Hemisphere; time factor; subsidence; compaction; oscillations; satellites; tectonic controls; eustacy; emergence; runoff; classification; tides; coastal environment; materials; uplifts; Pacific Ocean; landform evolution; sea level
• DOI: 10.2112/1551-5036(2004)20[155:COC]2.0.CO;2
• ISSN: 0749-0208

The simplest description of a given coast requires a minimum of three terms, embracing the following: (1) material (hard/soft; soluble or otherwise); (2) agencies (erosive/constructive; physical, chemical, biological, and geographic setting [latitude, exposure, fetch]), and (3) historical factors (time scale: geotectonic, glacioisostatic, eustatic, steric, anthropic). Deductive reasoning based on instrumental data such as tide gauges frequently lead to misleading conclusions, in that most are located in the northern hemisphere (land-dominated), near river mouths (variable runoff), sediment compaction, crustal lowering, coriolis effect of geostrophic current variation, and excessively short data spans (< 100 yr). Climatic oscillation influences sea level on all scales from ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) and NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) up to 1500 yr or more. Satellite observations furnish only the briefest “snap-shots.” Classifications based on perceived “relative” relationships such as submergence or emergence are useful as generalizations, but only when provided with the time scale. Similar constraints apply to subsidence and uplift, and always subject to the three fundamental criteria.