coastal processes that affect differences between landscapes Flashcards
define the littoral zone.
the wider coastal zone including adjacent land areas and shallow parts of the sea just offshore
what are the 4 subzones that a littoral zone can be divided into?
backshore
foreshore
nearshore
offshore
how do you classify coastal environments using formation processes??
Primary coasts - dominated by land based processes such as deposition at the coast from rivers or new coastal land formed from lava flows
Secondary coasts - dominated by marine erosion or deposition processes
how do you classify coastal environments using relative sea level change?
emergent coasts - where coasts are rising relative to sea level
submergent coasts - being flooded by the sea eitehr due to rising sea levels or subsiding land
how do you classify coastal environments using tidal range?
microtidal coasts- tidal range 0m -2m
mesotidal coasts- tidal range 2m-4m
macrotidal coasts- tidal range - greater than 4 m
how do you classify coastal environments using wave energy ?
low energy- sheltered coasts with limited fetch and low wind speeds resulting in small waves
high energy- exposed coasts facing prevailing winds with long wave fetches resulting in powerful waves
define cliff profile
the height and angle of a cliff face as well as it’s features such as wave cut notches or changes in slope angle
Rank 5 different rocks in terms of coastal recession rate from slowest to fastest.
Granite (igneous) limestone (S) chalk (S) sandstone (S) boulder clay (unconsolidated)
what are coastal plains ?
low-lying, low-relief areas close to the coast,
Define coastal accretion
The deposition of sediments at the coast and the seaward growth of the coast line creating new land .
it often involves sediment deposition being stabilized by vegetation
Dynamic equilibrium
The balance state of a system when inputs and outputs balance overtime .
E.g; by a process of feedback the system adjusts to a change through the other components of the system changing in response and the equilibrium is regained.
Give an example of a resistant rock coastline in the UK
Northern and western Britain ;
- igneous Grannite or bustled in so can withstand frequent storms with little erosion
-
high energy coastline;
rate of erosion exceeds deposition
- stretches of Atlantic facing coasts were waves of powerful for most of the year
- landforms include headlands ,Cliffs and Shoreline platforms
Give an example of a low energy coastline in the UK
Eastern and southern England where coastal plain /low lying landscapes are dominant.
Holderness;
- Younger weaker sedimentary rocks; clay sandstone, chalks
- low energy coastline;
• deposition exceeds the rate of erosion
• Stretches of coast where waves are less powerful or sheltered from strong waves
- One example is the Holderness coast it has a mix of a high energy and low energy environment
Geological structure and landscape ; outline the differences in the 3 dimensions of rock arrangements , strata, deformation and faulting.
- Strata is different layers of rock within an area and how they relate to one another
- Deformation is the degree to which rock units have been deformed ( tilted or folded ) by tectonic activity
- faulting is the presence of major fractures that move rocks from their original positions
Concordant coasts
Generated when rock strata run parallel to the coast line
