Online Explorer Tool: The Global Coastline Explorer
Description
There is an astonishing variety of coastal settings on Earth. Coastline types include rocky shores, sandy beaches, expansive mudflats, steep granite mountains plunging into the ocean, chalky bluffs, and even hexagonal basaltic columns such as those found in the Devil's Causeway in Ireland or on the South Korean island of Jeju. These differences in coastal settings are caused by many factors, including tectonic history, climate regime, riverine influences, the action of waves and tides, and the erosion and deposition of materials that make up the Earth's crust. A high-resolution map of Earth's coastlines and a standardized global inventory of the ecological settings in which coastlines occur has been developed and can be accessed using the new Global Coastline Explorer.
Accessing the Global Coastline Explorer
To access Global Coastline Explorer, please refer to the following link (no login required): https://rmgsc.cr.usgs.gov/gce/gce.shtml