8 Facts about Barrier Islands

Facts about Barrier Islands tell you about a type of dune system in the world. Many people call it as a coastal landform. The barrier island can come in a series of small islands. It can be in chains. Padre Island is considered as the widest and longest one in the world. The parameters which make up the width and length of barrier islands include the basement controls, sea level trends, sediment supply, tidal range and wave energy. Let’s find out more interesting facts about barrier islands below:

Facts about Barrier Islands 1: the world coastline

It is estimated that 13 percent of the coastline in the world is occupied by the chains of barrier islands.

Facts about Barrier Islands 2: the formation of barrier islands

The formation of Barrier Island has been studied by the experts for more than 150 years god. There are three major theories regarding to the formation of barrier islands. Those are the submergence theory, spit accretion theory and offshore bar theory.

Facts about Barrier Islands

Facts about Barrier Islands 3: the tidal range

There are three groups of tidal range which categorize the coast. The macrotidal has more than 4 meter of tidal range. The mesotidal has around 2 till 4 meter of tidal range. The tidal range at 0 till 2 meter is included in microtidal.

Facts about Barrier Islands 4: the microtidal coasts

The chance of formation of barrier islands is higher in microtidal coast. It is unlikely to have the barrier islands formed in the mesotidal coasts.

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Facts about Barrier Islands 5: the requirement of barrier island formation

Besides thinking about the tidal range location, the stable sea level as well as the ample sediment level plays major parts to form barrier islands. If the sea level is not stable, it will be difficult for the sand to form into dune. Get facts about aquifers here.

Facts about Barrier Islands 6: Frenchman Elie de Beaumont

Frenchman Elie de Beaumont was the expert who published one of the fisrt ideas about barrier island formation in 1845.

Barrier Islands Facts

Facts about Barrier Islands 7: Spit accretion theory

Spit accretion theory was proposed by Grove Karl Gilbert in 1885. William John McGee proposed the submergence theory in 1890. He gave a concrete example of his theory from the formation of Mississippi-Alabama barrier islands. The islands included in the barrier are Petit Bois, Dauphin, Cat, Horn and Ship islands. However, this interpretation is found to be incorrect.

Facts about Barrier Islands 8: The Boulder Bank

Some people always use the clues of the formation of the Boulder Bank in New Zealand with the formation process of barrier islands. The studies about Boulder bank find out that it has the speed of movement at 7.5 metres per year.

Barrier Island

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