Island Formation

Author(s)
Nunn, Patrick
Publication Date
2009
Abstract
To understand how islands form, continental islands must be distinguished from oceanic islands, the former being pieces of continents with the connection submerged, the latter being younger islands that originated exclusively within the ocean basins. However they appear today - low or high, limestone or volcanic - all oceanic islands began life as ocean-floor volcanoes. Those that have not yet reached the ocean surface (and many never do so) are referred to as seamounts, whereas those that were once emergent but have since been submerged are often distinctively flat-topped and are called guyots.
Citation
Encyclopedia of Islands, p. 490-492
ISBN
9780520943728
9780520256491
Link
Language
en
Publisher
University of California Press
Series
Encyclopedias of the Natural World
Edition
1
Title
Island Formation
Type of document
Book Chapter
Entity Type
Publication

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