Beach Strata

May 06, 2011

Seashorelayer

Photographer: Francesco De Comite
Summary Author: Francesco De Comite; Jim Foster

The photo above shows seashore layering at Sint-Idesbald, Belgium. Digging into the sand on the beach here revealed the presence of seashell debris strata. While the timing of when these strata were laid down is unknown, it's much more recent than geological scale -- within the last decade. Alternating layers of sand and seashell debris tend to occur in areas affected by tidal influences. Stronger spring tides are more effective at sorting out the heavier sand particles, which sinks first, followed by the lighter shell material. One may wonder: will these strata be the making of a true geological layer, or will they simply disappear in the next big storm? Photo taken on April 10. 2011.

Photo details: Camera Maker: Canon; Camera Model: Canon PowerShot S3 IS; Focal Length: 6mm; Aperture: f/4.0; Exposure Time: 0.0008 s (1/1250); Exposure Bias: none; Metering Mode: Matrix; White Balance: Manual; Flash Fired: No (enforced); Orientation: Normal; Color Space: sRGB.