2b - (Flamborough Head) Coastal landforms are inter-related and together make up characteristic landscapes

Question 1

key physical factors influencing high energy coastline (geology)?

Answer 1

• geology- in the south there is a large chalk headland which is harder rock (0.1m/yr) forming Flamborough head. shale erodes at 0.8m/yr
• The geology (sandstone, shales and limestone) is discordantly laid which allows bays and headlands to form.
• AO2 - v sig, determines the landscape of coastline, LT and permanent factor, determines rate of coastal processes

Question 2

key physical factors influencing high energy coastline (wave energy)?

Answer 2

• there is a 1500km fetch and the winds come from the North, therefore the waves are high energy and mostly destructive, LSD moves sediment south.
• Wind and waves varies seasonally, in winter and storms higher energy so more destructive = rapid change
• When waves and wind energy is low there will be low levels of erosion and little change to landforms (most days)
• AO2 - key influence as it determines the rate of erosion which influences the coastline - geology, changes overtime/daily/seasonally

Question 3

key physical factors influencing high energy coastline (sediment supply)?

Answer 3

• sea level rise (6-10,000 years ago) - melted ice, material can then be moved onshore (barrier beach) - Flandrian transgression
• erosion of limestone, chalk, lias from cliffs - ongoing dependent on erosion - most of this sed is removed by destructive waves
• fluvial sed - river esk deposits sed (minimal)
• AO2 - less isg - dependent on geology and wave energy to supply sed, not a lot of it, subsources are relict, few rivers

Question 4

4 key landforms in high energy coastline

Answer 4

• Flamborough head- large chalk headland with an arch and stack and wave cut platform. Wave refraction concentrates wave energy on the headland forming arches and stacks, cliffs are 20-30m
• Robin hoods bay- There is a shore platform (1 degree angle and width 500m) there- scars are visible at low tide which represents the different rates of erosion. Headlands on either side are harder rocks that are more resistant to erosion.
• Filey bay- accumulates sediment especially in summer due to constructive waves depositing sediment and eroded in weak Kimmeridge clay, LSD moves it from north to south
• Filey brigg- headland (limestone and chalk) which protects filey bay from destructive waves and winds they loose energy on the headland due to wave refraction and lower energy constructive waves go into the bay. The destructive waves form stacks, arches and caves etc

Question 5

Landforms interrelated in a high energy coast line (Flamborough head and green stacks)?

Answer 5

the wave refraction has meant waves energy are concentrated on Flamborough head so cracks are attacked by hydraulic action, opening up a joint in the chalk - forming caves and arches over time they have formed green stacks pinnacle.

Question 6

Landforms interrelated in a high energy coast line (robin hood bay and ness point/filey brigg and filey bay)?

Answer 6

• ness point receives the high energy waves from the north that is destructive and so the waves going into the bay are low-energy constructive waves - prevents the bay from being destroyed and allows it to build up
• (A headland and bay) Filey brigg is a very long shore platform that extends out of the Headland. It is made from hard limestone. The prevailing winds come in from the north at high speeds giving the waves lots of kinetic energy making them very destructive. However filey brigg breaks these high energy waves so that when they enter the bay behind, the sediment that is being transferred is deposited. The destructive waves erode the cliffs supplying sediment that can be carried and used to build up Filey bag behind. Without the high energy from the wind, the Bay is sheltered so that isn’t enough backwash energy To break down the beach and take back the sediment

Question 7

how could the landforms change over time in a high energy coastline (Flamborough head)?

Answer 7

Flamborough head- erosion over time will lead to wave cut notch and cliff collapse so cliff position will change in seconds/minutes. Erosion will happen more extensively in winter.

Question 8

how could the landforms change over time in a high energy coastline (green stacks)?

Answer 8

Green stacks pinnacle- stack will collapse forming a stump after years of erosion, most likely during a winter storm

Question 9

how could the landforms change over time in a high energy coastline (robin hoods/filey bay)?

Answer 9

Filey/Robin Hoods bay- accumulates sediment in the summer and loses it in the winter due to destructive waves. dynamic equilibrium keeps the beach roughly the same size. As headlands erode due to wave refraction more destructive waves will reach the bays