Coastal Retreat

Question 1

Coastal recession

Answer 1

Rapid recession of coastlines is caused by a combo of physical + human factors

Question 2

Dredging

Answer 2

Involves the removal of sediment for use = construction. But this process has been linked 2 increase rates of coastal retreat
Removal of the sediment causes the depth of the ocean to increase
Can cause an increase in the occurrence of destructive waves at the coast because they can maintain their energy further towards the shoreline

Question 3

Hard engineering

Answer 3

Construction of hard engineering structures at the coastline can disrupt sediment cells
Means that by distrusting 1 bit of coast area further along the coast may be starved of sediment supply which can then result in the destruction of beaches

Question 4

Dredging in California

Answer 4

Dredging along the coastline of California has had LT implications on the supply of sediment to the Santa Barbara littoral cell

Question 5

Subaerial processes

Answer 5

Weathering + mass movement processes combine 2 Inc the rate of coastal recession
Long periods = rainfall weaken rock structure + in turn leads 2 mass movement of material
Collapsed material is then eroded + transported away by wave action

Question 6

Rate of coastal recession

Answer 6

Varies + caused by several factors
S+TL wind direction
Tides
Seasons
Weather systems
Storm occurrence

Question 7

Wind direction

Answer 7

Controls the movement of waves influencing the rate of coastal erosion
Dominating wind direction causes powerful destructive waves 2 attack the coastline
E.g. south-westerly wind directing waves across the Atlantic Ocean towards Land’s End = Cornwall
Happens because the waves have travelled a long distance influenced by the dormant wind which is linked 2 the fetch of a wave

Question 8

Tides

Answer 8

Linked 2 gravitational pull
When pull is at its strongest there are high tides
When the pull is at its weakest there are low tides
During periods of high tide the rate of coastal recession can Inc because waves can reach further towards the shore

Question 9

Seasons

Answer 9

During the winter season the rate of coastal recession tends 2 be greater than during the summer season
Because winter brings stormy weather linked with higher tides + long wave fetch
Average rate of erosion Inc at this time of the year

Question 10

Weather systems

Answer 10

Are influenced by areas = high pressure creating anticyclones + areas of low pressure creating depressions
Increased belts of high pressure reduce the rate of coastal recession because this leads 2 calmer weather
Belts = low pressure systems cause unsettled weather conditions