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1. Search "Tern Island, MA." Zoom out until the "eye altitude" is approximately

19,000 to 20,000 feet. Click on the Clock towards the top of the imagery and
use this feature to see how the coastline has changed. Focus in particular on the
sandbar to the right of Tern Island. Watch how the bottom of the sand bar
changes shape over the course of 15 years.

1 Answer

5 votes

Coastal morphodynamics altered the shape of the sandbar near Tern Island, MA, due to processes similar to sea-level rise and fall, as elucidated by time-lapse imagery over 15 years.

The changes to the coastline near Tern Island, MA, can be understood as a result of geological and environmental dynamics over time.

Coastal erosion and sediment deposition are primarily responsible for the evolving landscape.

The imagery tool with a time-lapse feature allows us to observe how a sandbar adjacent to Tern Island has been reshaped over a span of 15 years.

The bottom part of the sandbar shows a notable variation in shape due to these natural processes.

Similar to the provided Figure 5.7 and Figure 5.8, which exhibit sea-level rise (transgression) and fall (regression), respectively, the alteration in the sandbar's structure indicates the dynamic interactions of sedimentation along the coastline.

These observations emphasize the importance of understanding coastal morphodynamics for assessing erosion rates, and in turn, for the development of coastal management strategies

User Lucian Thorr
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