The Dynamic Coastlines of the Laurentian Great Lakes – Part 1

The Dynamic Coastlines of the Laurentian Great Lakes – Part 1

Reaching up to hundreds of kilometers wide and hundreds of meters deep, it is perhaps not surprising that the Laurentian Great Lakes share many geological similarities with saltwater oceans. They have high winds, large waves, and even complex current systems that in many ways make them dynamically closer to being inland seas than typical freshwater lakes. This blog will provide an introduction to the physical processes in these vast bodies of water, describe how they manifest physically on their coastlines, and propose how climate change is expected to alter these areas in the future.