barrier bar
Quick Summary
A barrier bar, also known as a sandbar, is a submerged or partially exposed ridge of sand or coarse sediment built by waves offshore from a beach. These formations are created by the turbulence of breaking waves, which excavates a trough and deposits sand on the offshore side. Bars can also be formed by sand from backwash, rip currents, and material moving from deeper water.
Barrier bars or beaches are exposed sandbars that can become emergent during periods of lower sea level. They are separated from the mainland by shallow lagoons and protect the shore from the ocean's effects. These features are common along low-lying coasts, such as those bordering the Gulf of Mexico, and often convert irregular shorelines into straighter ones.12
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