I can see the value of knowing the length at the scale of a few meters, to know how long a shoreline trail might be or how long a near-shore kayak trip might be. About the only thing I can think of being useful at a smaller scale would be to know how hard a clean-up (eg. after an oil spill) might be.

Those are reasonable examples, but I think the scale of even a few meters might be too small even for them. Maybe not.

If the shoreline juts in or out a couple meters, would a trail or kayaker really increase the length of their trip as a result? I would think that they would "curve fit" to something at least on the order of ten meters or so.

I think the oil clean up example wouldn't need to go down much further than that, either. Maybe meter scale. Just thinking of the cleaning techniques used.

I've been trying to think of something that might be relevant at a smaller scale. I think it would need to be biological or chemical in nature dealing with something (perhaps bacterial or mineral growth?) that happens at small scale right at the water/shore interface. But I would think that just the normal motion of the water (let alone the tides) would completely swamp any length-of-shoreline effect.

 

I can see the value of knowing the length at the scale of a few meters, to know how long a shoreline trail might be or how long a near-shore kayak trip might be. About the only thing I can think of being useful at a smaller scale would be to know how hard a clean-up (eg. after an oil spill) might be.

Those are reasonable examples, but I think the scale of even a few meters might be too small even for them. Maybe not.

Going in the other direction, even tens of meters would be too small a scale if you are looking for a place to dock your battle ship.

That is why it is important to know the requirements of the measurement of the length of the coastline.

 

If the shoreline juts in or out a couple meters, would a trail or kayaker really increase the length of their trip as a result? I would think that they would "curve fit" to something at least on the order of ten meters or so.

Yeah, by "few" I meant any number less than triple digits. I was trying to think of why you'd need single digit resolution or less and really I can't think of much. When you throw in the effect of the tides, the whole concept of a precise shoreline length seems irrelevant.

 

After the recent lava flows into the Pacific Ocean, no one knows how long the Hawaiian coast line is either!!!

 

After the recent lava flows into the Pacific Ocean, no one knows how long the Hawaiian coast line is either!!!

Hi,

Hey that is an interesting observation. It changes by the sheer force of nature alone and it could be significant.

That also gives us some more insight too i think. For example, how much does a coastline change between a cold winter day and a hot summer day. Things usually expand when heated and contract when cooled.
Obviously the tide must change it too.

 

I seem to mem the topic arising for D-Day and allocation of troops.

 

I seem to mem the topic arising for D-Day and allocation of troops.

Hi,

Not sure what that is supposed to mean.

 

Landing area density.

 

They say invest in land- its just one thing the're not making more of. Prove them wrong!

We aren't making more land (except for the Netherlands and a few other such places) but geology is constantly making new continent (e.g. Hawaii). It destryos it too but making it wins.

 

We aren't making more land (except for the Netherlands and a few other such places) but geology is constantly making new continent (e.g. Hawaii). It destryos it too but making it wins.

Hi,

Maybe "we" arent but somebody is

Check out Willingdon Island, just for one.

 

Check out Willingdon Island, just for one.

I think that is covered by "(except for the Netherlands and a few other such places)".

 

Hello,

The latest expantion of the Netherland is "Maasvlakte 2"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasvlakte_2

Bertus

 

I think that is covered by "(except for the Netherlands and a few other such places)".

Hi,

OK no problem
So we are not making more land, but then again we are