Coastal Depostion Flashcards
What is longshore drift?
A process determined by prevailing wind, which influences the angle at which waves approach the sea. Sediment is washed up the beach by swash at an angle and then backwash pulls sediment straight back to sea at right angles to the shore due to gravity. This continues
What is prevailing wind?
The dominant wind direction, usually south west in the UK
What is a spit?
A finger of new land made of sand and shingle jutting out into the sea from the coast
What is a salt marsh?
Low lying coastal wetland extending between high and low tide
What’s a bar?
spit that has grown across a bay
What is the formation of a spit and bar
1) longshore drift moves sediment along the beach
2) sand starts to build up behind the headland
3) more and more sand is deposited
4) because of the position of the bay sand starts to be deposited past the headland
5) more and more sand extend outwards forming a spit
6) a salt marsh forms behind the spit
7) the spit extends across the whole bay joining the other side forming a bar
8) a salt marsh forms behind the bar
9) sand dunes form along the bar
What is a tombolo
When a spit connects and island to a mainland
How is a tombolo formed?
Longshore drift moves materials in the sea along the shoreline. The depositions move up at an angle onto the beaches, swashing onto the shoreline at an angle of 45 degrees. During backwash it moves back into the sea at a right angle to the coastal landscape
Where is Hurst castle spit located?
South of England, Hampshire
Near the town - Key Haven
