Beaches- swash and drift aligned Flashcards
in swash aligned beaches waves break ___ to the coast
parallel
in drift aligned beaches waves break ___ to the coast
(and come in) at the direction of the prevailing winds
what process is prominent in drift aligned beaches
LSD
drift aligned beaches – what happens to the sediment
sediment may be graded along the beach. finer shingle particles are carried further by LSD and become increasingly rounded as they move
swash aligned beaches are in what type of environments
low energy environments
what type of landforms will form in swash aligned beaches
bay beaches, bay bars and barrier beaches
landform that is created in drift aligned beaches
spits – form partly detached features
what are the beaches made out of in swash aligned beaches – what does it depend on
sand or shingle depending on the nature of the sediment and power of waves
high energy and low energy waves in swash aligned beaches
high energy waves will transport sand leaving behind coarser shingle. low energy waves will deposit sand or mud
what is needed for a beach to form
sediment
low energy environment
what is a beach
its a depositional landform extending from approximately highest high tide to lowest low tide
when will beach accretion take place
during a prolonged period of constructive waves driven by storms hundreds of miles away
how does beach gradient change with the seasons
is very steep beach profile in the summer - as more constructive waves- wide area of deposition- doesn’t make it far inland
shallow in winter - destructive waves take sediment (strong backwash)
why are there beach ridges
as they are where sand accumulates unevenly- mix of erosion and deposition
what are runnels
channels by which backwash goes back out to sea
