Block 3 (Landforms + Their Landscape Systems, Their Distinctive Features + Distribution)

Question 1

What is a low energy coast?

Answer 1

Sandy or estuarine coastline, dominated by deposition

Question 2

What waves are predominantly found on a low energy coastline?

Answer 2

Constructive waves

Question 3

What process is predominantly found on a low energy coastline?

Answer 3

Deposition

Question 4

What is the sediment budget on a low energy coastline?

Answer 4

Positive - production + delivery rate exceeds erosion rate

Question 5

Where are low energy coasts found?

Answer 5

• Sheltered bays

- Estuaries

Question 6

What are common landforms for a low energy coast?

Answer 6

• Sandy beach with gentle gradient
• Spit
• Sand dunes

Question 7

What are some examples of low energy coastlines?

Answer 7

• German Baltic Coast
• Netherlands
• East Africa
• South-East UK

Question 8

Why do low energy coasts exist?

Answer 8

• Divergence of orthogonals in bays (product of wave refraction)
• Limited fetch/duration (sheltered areas) causes low energy waves

Question 9

Case study of low energy coastline + details

Answer 9

German Baltic Coast
Location:
- N.Europe
- N. Germany, between Danish + Polish borders
- 2481km long
Why is it low energy?
- Very sheltered - so waves have low fetch + low duration - low energy
Characteristics:
- Beaches (Large deposition by constructive waves, usually shallow gradients, often backed by sand dunes) (Most important beach + dune system is Fischland-Darss-Zingst peninsula, on Hiddensee + Rugen islands)
- Spits (Positive sediment budget, moved by LSD, continues when coastline changes direction) (2 spits extending into Pomeranian Bay - Usedom island)

Question 10

What is a high energy coast?

Answer 10

Rocky coastline dominated by erosion

Question 11

What waves do high energy coasts predominantly have?

Answer 11

Destructive waves

Question 12

What process is dominant on high energy coasts?

Answer 12

Erosion

Question 13

What sediment budget do high energy coasts have?

Answer 13

Negative - erosion rate exceeds production + delivery rate

Question 14

Where are high energy coasts?

Answer 14

Exposed headlands/coasts

Question 15

What are common landforms on high energy coasts?

Answer 15

• Cliffs (steep + rocky)
• CASS sequences
• Wave cut platforms

Question 16

What are some examples of high energy coasts?

Answer 16

• West coast UK (Atlantic fetch)

- East facing low latitude areas

Question 17

Why do high energy coasts exist?

Answer 17

• Convergence of orthogonals on headlands (product of wave refraction)
• Long fetch/duration
• Strong winds

Question 18

What are swell waves?

Answer 18

• Strongest, highest waves
• Long period
• Generated out at Sea

Question 19

Case study of high energy coastline + details

Answer 19

Dyfed Coast
Location:
- SW Wales
- Dyfed is a Welsh county, with Pembrokeshire in SW part
- 536km
- Irish Sea to W, Bristol Channel in S
Why is it high energy?
- Very exposed - so waves have a long fetch (over N.Atlantic) + long duration - high energy
Characteristics:
- Cliffs (Form through mass movements + weathering breaking down rock then waves removing it, usually steep (40+ angle)+rocky)(E.g steep limestone cliffs at St Govan’s Head)
- Wave cut platforms (Form through constant destructive waves making wave cut notch which causes overhang then collapses leaving flat base)(E.g are of limestone cliffs at St Govan’s Head)
- CASS systems (Form when headlands exposed to converging destructive waves)(E.g Carboniferous limestone headlands has formed ‘Green Bridge’ - arch 24m high, 20m wide - and ‘Stack Rocks’ - stacks 36m high)