coastal systems and landscapes Flashcards
are coasts a closed or open system and define the term
open- both mass and energy are allowed in and out
define inputs and give examples
material/energy moving into the system
tides, waves, sun, air pressure, settlement
define output and give examples
material/energy moving out the system
ocean currents, rip tides, sediment transfer
define stores and give examples
individual parts of a system
beaches, dunes, salt marshes, erosion
define flows/transfers and give examples
links between components
lsd, erosion, transportation, mass movement
define dynamic equilibrium
there is a balance in the system and movement of sediment is contained
define negative feedback loops
changes are counteracted so it remains in a stable, original state
what factors are needed for beaches to exist in dynamic equilibrium
- supply of sand
- change in sea level
- energy of waves
- location of shoreline
define positive feedback loops
one change from the original state triggers an ongoing change which leads it further away from the original
sources of energy in coasts
- wind
- waves
- currents
- tides
what is wind
air moving from high to low air pressure, with larger pressure gradients causing stronger winds
roles of wind
- prevailing wind influences lsd
- creates waves
- fetch
- agent of erosion
define fetch
distance of open water over which a wind blows uninterrupted
how are waves made
wind moves across surface of water, causing frictional drag and creating waves
factors affecting wave energy
- fetch
- wind speed
- wind duration
define swash
water washing up the beach
define backwash
water going straight back down via gravity
features of contructive waves
- low height
- low frequency (6-8 a min)
- long wavelength
- strong swash, weak backwash
- deposits material
- creates a gentle sloping beach
features of destructive waves
- high height
- 10-14 a min
- weak swash, strong backwash
- erodes material
- steeply sloping beach
why do waves break
- waves start out at sea in a circular orbit
- friction slows the base of the waves
- causes orbit to become more elliptical
- top of wave breaks over and crashes onto beach
waves negative feedback loop
- constructive waves build up beach
- encourages destructive waves
- destructive waves moves material back towards the beach
- creates a steep beach profile
- material is removed over time
- encourages constructive waves
define wave refraction
waves break on an irregularly shaped coastline
why is there greater erosion at headlands in wave refraction
wave energy is concentrated here and dissipates to bays
define swash aligned beach
waves break parallel to shore
define drift aligned beach
waves break at an angle to the beach and allows lsd to occur
define wave diffraction
spreading of waves after going through a narrow gap
define currents
permanent or seasonal movement of water in seas and oceans
what factors causes currents
- wind
- variation in water temperature
- variation in salinity
define longshore currents
waves approach the coastline at an angle and the current is parallel to it, transports sediment parallel
define rip currents
strong currents moving away from shoreline between 2 waves
define upwelling
global pattern of currents circulating in oceans can cause deep cold water to move towards surface
define tides
periodic rise and fall of ocean surface
what are tides caused by
gravitational pull of moon and sun and centrifugal force
define spring tides
highest height tide and lowest low tide when sun and moon are aligned
define neap tide
lowest high tide and highest low tide when sun and moon are perpendicular so forced act against
features of high energy coastlines
- high inputs of energy
- large waves
- high rate of erosion
- strong winds
- rocky landforms
features of low energy coastlines
- low energy input
- smaller, gentle waves
- short fetches
- salt marshes and mudflats
- higher rate of deposition
define sediment cell
stretch of coastline, usually bordered by prominent headlands, where movement of sediment is contained
examples of sediment sources
- river- 90% of coastal sediment
- cliff erosion
- lsd
- glaciers
- offshore
define sediment budget and the different types
balance between sediment being added and removed from coastal system
positive budget= more sediment added then removed so shoreline builds to sea
negative budget= more sediment removed then added so shoreline recedes
erosion processes
- hydraulic action
- wave quarrying
- abrasion
- attrition
- solution
define hydraulic action
waves crash onto cliff face and air is forces into cracks and the high pressure causes the cracks to force apart
define cavitation
bubbles found within the water may implode under high pressure creating tiny jets of water that erode the rock
define wave quarrying
waves break on cliff face and exerts a pressure which directly pull away rocks from cliff face
define abrasion
sediment is picked up by the sea and hurled at the cliff to rub in a sandpaper action
define attrition
rocks rub against each other and become smaller and rounder
define solution
mildly acidic seawater can cause alkaline rocks like limestone to be eeoded
factors affecting erosion
- human activity
- geology
- bathymetry of sea bed
- size of fetch
- frequency of storm events
- amounts of weathering
- strength of wind
- landforms
- geological structure of coastline
how are headlands and bays made
discordant coastline where differential erosion occurs, wave refraction focus on headlands and energy is dissipated towards bays where deposition creates beaches
process of wave cut platforms
- high waves concentrate erosion at base of cliff
- cliff is undercut forming a wave cut notch
- undercut cliff collapses and cliff retreats
negative feedback of wave cut platform
eventually waves can out reach the cliff which reduces erosion or base is too wide so erosive power isn’t strong enough so rage of retreat slows
process of CASS
- cracks in resistant rock are eroded by hydraulic action or abrasion and widens into cave
- erosion focuses more on the headland and opens into an arch
- weathering weakens the top snd erosion creates a wave cut platform which makes it collapse into a stack
- sea attacks the base and a wave cut notch will undercut the stack and will be left as a stump
what is a geo
narrow and deep cleft in the cliff face with erosion on lines of weakness to make long, narrow sides
what’s the blowholes
sea caves get punctured and water blasts upwards
define weathering and the 3 different types
breakdown of rocks over time, weakening it and making it more susceptible to erosion
physical/mechanical, chemical, biological
negative feedback with weathering
removal of weathered rock is slower than rage of weathering which will lead to a buildup of debris at the base, which protected the cliff from erosion and weathering
positive feedback of weathering
rate of removal of rock is faster than rage of weathering, so the cliff is more exposed to erosion and more weathering
examples of mechanical weathering
freeze-thaw weathering- water enters a crack in the rock and over time freezes and melts, which expands the volume by 10% and weakens it
salt crystallisation- salt water evaporates and leaves salt crystals behind which expands cracks in rock or corrode rock like iron
wetting and drying- rocks rich in clay expand when wet and contract when dry