Many prograded barriers and some dunefields in theworld have been termed 'beach ridge' plains, but the actual genesis of the 'ridges' is often unknown. Use of the terms, berms, beach ridges and foredunes is also confusing in the literature because their definitions are highly variable and are commonly used interchangeably. Thus, the formation and definition of sand berms, beach ridges and foredunes is briefly reviewed. Beach ridges are re-defined as entirely wave formed deposits which are most commonly formed during high wave conditions and/or elevated water levels (e.g. storm surges). Foredunes are formed by aeolian sand deposition in vegetation on the backshore. Some dunefields in Brazil have been called beach ridge plains when they are, in fact, foredune plains, transgressive dunefields, or complex barriers (i.e. barriers comprising two types of dunes). The Holocene barrier extending from Torres to Tramandaí in southern Brazil has been regarded as a beach ridge plain. The landforms of this Holocene barrier comprise wide, relatively linear, widely spaced (400-600m), shore parallel ridges on the landward half, and more closely spaced (80-400m), lobate and crescentic, discrete ridges on the seaward half. Low, rolling dunefields, sand sheets, nebkha fields and deflation plains occur between the ridges. The barrier is re-interpreted as a prograded, transgressive dunefield barrier.

LATE QUATERNARY GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF RIO GRANGE DO SUL COASTAL PLAIN, SOUTHERN BRAZIL

The aim of this work was to analyze the sedimentary record of the coastal plain of Pelotas Basin, placing it in the context of temporal and spatial scales, and proposing a stratigraphic hierarchical framework. The coastal plain, located in southern Brazil and in northern Uruguay, is mainly formed by four Quaternary barrier-lagoon systems. Three of these systems were studied through the integration of surface and subsurface data (geomorphological and topographical mapping, outcrops description, geoprocessing, dating and Ground Penetrating Radar - GPR - records) and interpreted as the preserved, onshore portion of depositional sequences mainly controlled by glacioeustatic cycles of about 100 kyr. The stacking pattern comprising these sequences is progradational with seaward downsteping (highest sea-levels measured: 9.5, 8 and 3 m, respectively), comprehending a degradational sequence set, or the regressive/falling stage systems tract of a higher order depositional sequence identified in seismic sections, with about 0.5 Ma. The youngest sequence has diachronous systems tracts - while some sectors have already transitioned from the transgressive to the highstand/falling stage systems tract, others are still under a transgressive context. It indicates that, in this time and scale, the sea level is not the main control of coastal evolution, and autogenic factors are fundamental in the run of geological record.