Systematic Variations in Barrier-Island Topography.

• Main Authors: Vincent, Linwood, Dolan, Robert, Hayden, Bruce, Resio, Donald
• Other Authors: VIRGINIA UNIV CHARLOTTESVILLE DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1975
• Subjects: Geography; Geology; Geochemistry and Mineralogy; *COASTAL REGIONS; *TOPOGRAPHY; *ISLANDS; UNITED STATES; EIGENVECTORS; VARIATIONS; CLASSIFICATION; PATTERNS; GEOMORPHOLOGY; NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN; LANDFORMS; MEXICO GULF; *Barrier Islands; Atlantic Coast(United States); Gulf Coast Region(United States); Barrier Island; Barrier Islands; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA006355; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA006355

In order to abstract and characterize modes of topographic variation of barrier-island landforms, Atlantic and Gulf coast barrier islands were analyzed using an eigenvector analysis of profiles taken across the islands. Three types of barrier-island complexes were found and are discussed. Trends in topographic form are described and an organization of trends within definable coastal arcs is noted. The study illustrates the utility of numerical methods as an approach to the classification of complex geomorphic systems.