coastal processes and landforms Flashcards

1
Q

hydraulic action

A

-air trapped in cracks compressed by force of waves crashing against cliffs
-air trapped experiences greater force in next cycle of compression
-disloges blocks of rock from the cliff face

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2
Q

what rock type is vulnerable to hydraulic action

A

-heavily jointed/fissured sedimentary rocks
-in very hard igneous rocks, may be only erosive process operating

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3
Q

abraison

A

-sediment picked up is thrown against the cliff face
-chiselling away at surface
-wear down by removing small rock particles

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4
Q

influence of lithology on abraison

A

-subtly loose sediment has to be available like shingle or pebbles
-softer sedimentary more vulnerable than hard igneous rocks

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5
Q

influence of lithology on attrition

A

-softer rocks very rapidly reduced in size

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6
Q

attrition

A

-acts on already eroded sediment
-collisions between particles chip fragments of sediment
-sediment becomes smaller and rounded

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7
Q

what is a landscape (describe questions)

A

-two or more landforms

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8
Q

how does a wave cut platform form

A

-sea attacks base of cliff and undercut forming a wave notch
-notch becmes larger and weight of cliff causes it to collapse
-as cliff collapses, rubble washes away by waves causing abraison and forming a wave cut platform

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9
Q

steps of how a wave cut notch formed

A

-cracks at base of headland in inter tidal zone become exposed through hydraulic action
-cracks widened by weathering processes like salt crystallisation
-cracks develop into wave cut notches

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10
Q

how does a cave form

A

-abraison and hydraulic action deepen notch to form caves
-bc of wave refraction, destructive waves concentrate energy on sides of headland, deepens the cave

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11
Q

how do archs form

A

-wave refraction affects all 3 sides of headland and if 2 waves align, waves may cut through to form arch

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12
Q

how to stacks form

A

vertical joints exposed by tall breakers associated with destructive waves, over time arch becomes unstable and collapses under own weight to form a stack

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13
Q

whats swash aligned

A

-wind blowing directly onshore

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14
Q

whats drift aligned

A

-wind blowing in at an angle

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15
Q

what causes the waves to come back down at 90 degree

A

-friction from beach dissipates wave energy

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16
Q

what is wave approach angle determined by

A

-prevailing wind

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17
Q

whats traction

A

-when sediment rolls along pushed by waves and currents

18
Q

whats saltation

A

when sediment bounces either due to force of water or wind

19
Q

whats suspension

A

sediment carried in water column

20
Q

whats solution

A

dissolved material carried in water in solution

21
Q

what influences transportation

22
Q

whats currents

A

-flows of seawater in a particular direction driven by winds or differences in water density, salinity or temperature

23
Q

what are two depositional processes

A

-gravity settling
-flocculation
-occurs when energy of transporting water becomes too low

24
Q

whats gravity settling

A

-large sediment deposited first followed by smaller sediment

25
whats flocculation
-small particles (like clay) clump together due to electrical or chemical attraction -become large enough to sink
26
how does either swash or drift aligned longhsore drift affect bays
-wave refraction can cause either but typically more swash aligned
27
what is a spit
-sand or shingle beach ridge extending beyond a turn in the coastline -at the turn longshore drift current spreads out and loses energy leading to deposition
28
what is the length of a spit determined by
-existence of secondary currents causing erosion (flow of river or wave action)
29
example of spit
-spurn head on the holderness coast
30
whats a bayhead beach and how is it formed
-swash aligned feature -sediment moved into bay where beach is formed -due to wave refraction erosion concentrated at headlands and bay becomes area of deposition
31
example of bayhead beach
-lulworth cove, dorset
32
whats a tombolo
-sand or shingle bar that attaches coastline to an offshore island
33
how do tombolos form
-due to wave refraction around an offshore island -creates area of calm water and deposition
34
example of tombolo
-st ninians tombolo, shetland
35
whats a barrier beach/bar
-sand or shingle beach connecting two areas of land with shallow water lagoon behind
36
whats a cuspate foreland
-triangular shaped features extending out from a shoreline -growth of two spits from opposing longshore drift directions
37
what do depositional landforms depend on
-sediment supply and direction of prevailing wind
38
what does a spit consist of
-largely unconsolidated material
39
why does river discharge prevent a spit continuing
-disrupts the sediment flow -causing sediment starvation (which also may be due to human interaction)
40
what two things can happen if wave energy increases to a spit
-destructive waves either: -cause a loss of sediment, overtopping removes vegetation, destabalising so reduced size of spit -or cld bring sediment so build up a spit
41
in order for a spit to form, what must be balanced
the dynamic equillibrium
42
what do depositional landforms depend on
sediment supply and direction of prevailing wind