Chevrons: enigmatic sedimentary coastal features

Chevrons are enigmatic yet understudied sedimentary structures. This paper presents a comprehensive description of chevrons along the world's coastlines, and with use of Google Earth, 221 chevron sites were identified. Although morphologically variable, chevrons all show lancet-like forms at different shoreline angles. Their origin could only be wind or waves driven. Although many chevrons resemble narrow parabolic coastal dunes, a young aeolian genesis can be excluded where orientation contradicts main wind direction, or where no beach or sand deposit exists. Where storm origin can be excluded due to chevron height and extension far beyond storm wave reach pre-historic tsunamis were considered.