Coastal Processes

Question 1

Ocean covers __% of Earth’s

Answer 1

71

Question 2

tides are controlled by:

Answer 2

• gravitational attraction of moon and sun

- Earth “bulges”: 2 high/low rides per day

Question 3

the circulation of upper ______ is driven by _____

Answer 3

• 50 to 100m

- wind stress

Question 4

vertical motion of water depends on:

Answer 4

• salinity (salt content)

- temperature gradients

Question 5

Thermohaline ocean circulation (THC) is driven by:

Answer 5

density differences due to ocean temperature and salinity

Question 6

Thermohaline ocean circulation (THC)

Answer 6

rising warm/less salty, droping colder/more dense water

Question 7

Amplitude, wavelength, period of wave depend on:

Answer 7

• fetch (size of body of water)
• wind speed
• duration of wind

Question 8

deep water waves:

Answer 8

wave energy propagates, water motion oscillatory

Question 9

shallow water waves:

Answer 9

water motion becomes translational as shoaling occurs

Question 10

refraction of surface waves

Answer 10

bending of wave front

response to bathymetry

Question 11

refraction causes incoming wave to arrive nearly _____ to shore

Answer 11

parallel

Question 12

the energy when surface waves refract is focused toward:

Answer 12

headlands

Question 13

wave energy moves sediment in ___ and ____

Answer 13

• surf

- swash zones

Question 14

erosion happens _____ storms, deposition happens _____ storms

Answer 14

• during

- between

Question 15

longshore currents/drift:

Answer 15

Waves arriving at an angle cause a current and sediment to move
parallel to the coast

Question 16

rip currents:

Answer 16

strong outflow perpendicular to shore

Question 17

there is a balance between _____ and _____

Answer 17

• wave energy

- sediment supply

Question 18

coastal erosion happens when:

Answer 18

• tectonically active coasts undergo uplift

- cliffs can be undercut by erosion

Question 19

_____ and ______ are susceptible to change during storms

Answer 19

• sand spits

- barrier islands

Question 20

beach erosion is caused by ____ and is enganced by ___, ____, and ____

Answer 20

• reduction in the amount of sand

- storms, large waves, sea level rise

Question 21

the sea level has risen ____ in the last 100 years

Answer 21

20 cm

Question 22

estuaries are carved by _____ and fjords are carved by

Answer 22

• streams

- glaciers

Question 23

ways to mitigate/adapt to beach erosion

Answer 23

• jetties
• seawalls
• dune rehabilitation (planting vegetation)
• beach augmentation (moving sand)
• community relocation