Tidally induced secondary circulations and their associated sedimentation processes

Fine grained (mud) deposits or coarse grained (sand) deposits, which occur in tidally dominated coastal environments (bays, tidal inlets and estuaries), are associated with topographical (small-scale) tidally induced eddies; these are considered to be caused by the phenomenon of flow separation, downstream from headlands and at abrupt coastal discontinuities. Extensive sand deposits, which have been described as bed-load convergence zones can, similarly, be associated with residual (large-scale) circulation eddies.