Barrier islands, spits, and tombolos are the key features produced by wave deposition.
Waves play a significant role in shaping coastlines by depositing sediment, primarily sand. This process of wave deposition creates various distinct landforms along the coast.
According to the provided reference, some of the features formed by wave-deposited sand are in Figure below. These features include barrier islands and spits.
Here are the main features resulting from wave deposition:
- Barrier Islands: These are long, narrow islands of sand that run parallel to the coastline. They are separated from the mainland by a lagoon or bay. Barrier islands help protect the mainland coast from the full force of ocean waves and storms.
- Spits: A spit is sand connected to land and extending into the water. Spits typically form where a coastline changes direction or where a river enters the sea. Longshore drift carries sediment along the coast, and when the current slows down, the sediment is deposited, building up the spit over time.
- Tombolos: A spit may hook to form a tombolo. A tombolo is a bar of sand or gravel that connects an island to the mainland or to another island. They form when a spit extends out and joins the island, or when wave refraction causes sediment to be deposited in the "shadow" behind the island.
These landforms are dynamic and constantly changing due to the ongoing processes of erosion and deposition by waves and currents.
