Emergent coastline Emergent coastline An emergent coastline is a stretch along the coast that has been exposed by the sea by a relative fall in sea levels by either isostasy or eustasy. Emergent coastline are the opposite of submergent coastlines, which have experienced a relative rise in sea levels. The emergent coastline may have several specific landforms: The Scottish Gaelic word "machair" or "machar" refers to a fertile low-lying raised beach found on some of the coastlines of Ireland and Scotland (especially the Outer Hebrides. Hudson Bay, in Canada's north, is an example of an emergent coastline. It is still emerging by
Discordant coastline at Swanage where the rock type is a softer greensand. North of Swanage, the chalk outcrop creates the headland which includes Old Harry Rocks. The converse of a discordant coastline is a concordant coastline. Discordant coastline A discordant coastline occurs where bands of different rock type run perpendicular to the coast. The differing resistance to erosion leads to the formation of headlands and bays. A hard rock type such as granite is resistant to erosion and creates a promontory whilst a softer rock type such as the clays of Bagshot Beds is easily eroded creating a bay. Part of the