More specifically the following analog structures stand out. In no case is the analogy perfect. The degree of similarity, however, is sufficiently close to suggest that they represent different expressions of the same set of physical laws. The pursuit of these analogies allows for a link between the terrestrial and submarine worlds that goes beyond the already powerful link of sediment transport across moving, dynamic boundaries. This unified conceptualization necessitates an interdisciplinary approach to the problem.
Field research provides the baseline empirical base and the overall perspective.
Experimental research allows for the testing of hypotheses that cannot be directly tested in the field. Theoretical and numerical research builds the basis for predictive capabilities. The framework requires cooperation among geomorphologists, stratigraphers and oceanographers, and requires them to cross the shoreline between the terrestrial and submarine environment. The potential for synergism among communities that have not normally been in close communication is unprecedented. Sampling and imaging strategies spanning entire margins, from the mountain tops to the deep sea, are required for understanding the links between fundamental physical processes and the evolution of landscapes and seascapes.