Abstract
Boulders represent a singular class of sediment, encountered in very diverse geomorphic systems. In coastal areas, they may appear as isolated exotic deposits or as a part of larger constructional features. Owing to their size, boulders are less easily reworked than finer sediments and their presence has become increasingly recognised as an important signature for high-energy marine inundation (HEMI) events. They therefore represent a valuable subject for natural hazard studies. This is especially evident along tropical coasts where coral reefs may provide large quantities of boulders that accumulate on the reef flat or farther inland. This volume explores the significance of a particular subset of coastal boulders, namely reef-platform coral boulders. While these geomorphological objects have been scrutinised in the last decade following catastrophic events like the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, they actually bear a much longer history in terms of scientific interest stretching back over two centuries.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Dawson AG (1994) Geomorphological effects of tsunami run-up and backwash. Geomorphology 10:83–94. doi:10.1016/0169-555X(94)90009-4
Frohlich C, Hornbach MJ, Taylor FW (2011) Megablocks. In: Hopley D (ed) Encyclopedia of modern coral reefs: structure, form and process. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 679–683
Frohlich C, Hornbach MJ, Taylor FW, Shen CC, Moala A, Morton AE, Kruger JAF (2009) Huge erratic boulders in Tonga deposited by a prehistoric tsunami. Geology 37:131–134. doi:10.1130/G25277A.1
Goff JR, Terry JP (2012) Living with natural hazards in the Asia–Pacific region. In: Terry JP, Goff JR (eds) Natural hazards in the Asia–Pacific region: recent advances and emerging concepts. Geological Society of London, Special Publication no. 361, London, pp 1–2. doi:10.1144/SP361.1
Martínez ML, Intralawan A, Vázquez G, Pérez-Maqueo O, Sutton P, Landgrave R (2007) The coasts of our world: Ecological, economic and social importance. Ecol Econ 63:254–272. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.10.022
McKenna J, Jackson DWT, Cooper JAG (2011) In situ exhumation from bedrock of large rounded boulders at the Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland: an alternative genesis for large shore boulders (mega-clasts). Mar Geol 283(1–4):25–35. doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2010.09.005
Morton RA, Richmond BM, Jaffe BE, Gelfenbaum G (2006) Reconnaissance investigation of Caribbean extreme wave deposits—preliminary investigations, interpretations, and research directions. Open-File Report 2006-1293. USGS. 41
Paris R, Fournier J, Poizot E, Etienne S, Morin J, Lavigne F, Wassmer P (2010) Boulder and fine sediment transport and deposition by the 2004 tsunami in Lhok Nga (western Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia): a coupled offshore–onshore model. Mar Geol 268:43–54. doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2009.10.011
Paris R, Naylor LA, Stephenson WJ (2011) Boulders as a signature of storms on rock coasts. Mar Geol 283:1–11. doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2011.03.016
Paris R, Wassmer P, Sartohadi J, Lavigne F, Barthomeuf B, Desgages E, Grancher D, Baumert P, Vautier F, Brunstein D, Gomez C (2009) Tsunamis as geomorphic crises: lessons from the December 26, 2004 tsunami in Lhok Nga, West Banda Aceh (Sumatra, Indonesia). Geomorphology 104:59–72. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.05.040
Richmond BM, Morton RA (2007) Coral-gravel storm ridges: examples from the tropical Pacific and Caribbean. In: Kraus NC, Rosati JD (eds) Coastal Sediments ’07: Proceedings of the sixth international symposium on coastal engineering and science of coastal sediment processes, New Orleans, Louisiana, 13–17 May 2007, pp 572–583
Scheffers A, Scheffers S, Kelletat D, Browne T (2009) Wave-emplaced coarse debris and megaclasts in Ireland and Scotland: boulder transport in a high-energy littoral environment. J Geol 117(5):553–573. doi:10.1086/656356
Shanmugam G (2012) Process-sedimentological challenges in distinguishing paleo-tsunami deposits. Nat Hazards 63:5–30. doi:10.1007/s11069-011-9766-z
Terry JP, Etienne S (2011) “Stones from the dangerous winds”: reef platform mega-clasts in the tropical Pacific Islands. Nat Hazards 56(3):567–569. doi:10.1007/s11069-010-9697-0
Wassmer P, Baumert P, Lavigne F, Paris R, Sartohadi J (2007) Les transferts sédimentaires associés au tsunami du 26 décembre 2004 sur le littoral Est de Banda Aceh à Sumatra (Indonésie). Géomorphologie: Relief, Processus, Environnement 4:335–346. doi:10.4000/geomorphologie.4702
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Terry, J.P., Lau, A.Y.A., Etienne, S. (2013). Coastal Boulders: Introduction and Scope. In: Reef-Platform Coral Boulders. SpringerBriefs in Earth Sciences. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4451-33-8_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4451-33-8_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-4451-32-1
Online ISBN: 978-981-4451-33-8
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)