Definitions and Distribution
Although tidal flat deposits have been studied extensively over several decades, most studies were focused on embayment and estuary tidal flats, where wave energy is typically low. Open-coast tidal flats, which differ significantly from the embayment and estuary tidal flats, are not well studied until recently. Here we describe the morphological and sedimentological characteristics of open-coast tidal flats in comparison with the embayment tidal flats.
A tidal flat is generally defined as an extensive, nearly horizontal, marshy, or barren tract of land that is alternately covered and uncovered by the tide, consisting of unconsolidated sediment, mostly mud and sand (Bates and Jackson 1980). Tidal flat is also often referred to as intertidal zone, although in some general discussions, it may include subtidal and supratidal zones. Here, the term tidal flat strictly refers to the intertidal zone, lying between spring low tide and spring high tide levels, as...
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Wang, P., Li, C., Cheng, J. (2019). Open-Coast Tidal Flat Deposits. In: Finkl, C.W., Makowski, C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Coastal Science. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93806-6_407
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93806-6_407
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