SPIT

Synonyms

Barrier spits; Headland spits; Sandspit

Definition

A spit is a coastal landform, a depositional ridge, or an embankment of sediment (Evans, 1942) with one end attached to a headland of the coast that serves as the source of sediment (proximal end) and the other end extending into open water (distal end). It is younger than the headland to which it is attached.

Description

Although spits can form and are maintained in a variety of environmental settings, they develop most readily in large lakes and wave-dominated coasts with a small tidal range, which provides optimum conditions for undisturbed spit development. Offshore waves normally approach the surf zone of a coast at an oblique angle. A combination of shore-oblique swash caused by the incoming waves and shore-normal backwash caused by gravity creates a longshore drift of sediment which is further strengthened by longshore currents generated by wave breaking. Sediment is entrained by strong turbulence induced by wave...