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Beach Ridges

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Encyclopedia of Coastal Science

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Science Series ((EESS))

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Definitions

Johnson (1919) defined beach ridges as depositional features constructed by waves at successive shore positions. Reineck and Singh (1975) characterized beach ridges as having been formed at high-tide level of “rather coarse sediment” and related to storms or exceptionally high water stages. Bates and Jackson (1980) designated beach ridges as low mounds of beach and beach-and-dune material, heaped up by waves over the backshore beyond the present limit of storm waves or ordinary tides, but there is a risk of confusing wave-deposited and wind-deposited ridges. Referring to relict strandplain dunes as beach ridges, Carter (1986) used the term very broadly to cover “all large constructional forms of the upper beach, capable of preservation,” applying it also to landward-shifting offshore bars, already welded swash bars, and prograded berm ridges.

Davis et al. (1972), Fraser and Hester (1977), Carter (1986, Carter 1988)and others referred to onshore-migrating swash bars and/or...

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Cross-references

  1. Barrier

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  2. Barrier Islands

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  3. Beach Processes

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  4. Cheniers

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  5. Dunes and Dune Ridges

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  6. Meteorological Effects on Coasts

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  7. Rock Coast Processes

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  8. Sea-Level Indicators, Geomorphic

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  9. Spits

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  10. Tectonics and Neotectonics

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Authors
  1. Ervin G. Otvos
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA

    Maurice L. Schwartz

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Otvos, E.G. (2005). Beach Ridges. In: Schwartz, M.L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Coastal Science. Encyclopedia of Earth Science Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3880-1_39

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