coastal landforms and landscape of deposition (beaches) Flashcards
what type of landform is a beach?
depositional landform
when are beaches created?
sediment is deposited near the coastline when waves lose their energy
what is beach accretion? when does it usually occur?
beach accretion is when the beach is built up by constructive waves
usually summer time
what is beach excavation? when does it take place?
destructive waves remove sediment from the beach
winter months
what is the effectiveness of transportation dependent on?
the angle of the prevailing wind
what type of beach forms with swash aligned aligned? explain the process
the wave crests approach perpendicular to the coast
limited LSD
sediment doesnt travel far along the beach
wave refraction reduces the speed of high energy waves
FORMS shingle beach
what type of beach forms with drift aligned aligned? explain the process
wavs approach beach at a significant angle
LSD causes sediment to travel far along the beach
may lead to the formation of a spit at the end of the beach
larger sediment found at the beginning of the beach and weathered sediment moves further down because of LSD so more sandy at the end of the beach
FORMS sandy beach
what is a berm?
ridges that mark where the high tide line is at different times of the year
may be several on a beach
what is a cusp?
small curved dips in the beach where the swash comes in
what is a runnel?
smaller ridges that are often
found in smooth wet sand further towards the sea, caused by the tides
what do beach profiles and sediment type depend on?
the distance from the shoreline
what is scree?
collection of loose rock found at the base of a mountain or a hill
