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physical geography > Coastal systems and landscapes > Flashcards

Coastal systems and landscapes Flashcards

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1
Q

what is an open system?

A

a system which both mass and energy are allowed to transfer across system boundary.
there may be flow of matter as well

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2
Q

what are some examples of a open system?

A
  • the sun
  • the coast
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3
Q

what is a closed system?

A

a system where there may be a flow of energy into or out of the system but no matter flow takes place across the system boundary.

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4
Q

what are some examples of a closed system?

A
  • the earth
  • tiny asteroid strikes
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5
Q

what is a subsystem?

A

a set of elements that is part of a larger system

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6
Q

what is an isolated system?

A

when there is no interaction between the system and its surroundings.
these types of systems are only theoretical

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7
Q

what are some examples of energy inputs?

A
  • wind
  • waves
  • tides
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8
Q

what are some examples of stores and processes?

A
  • beaches
  • dunes
  • salt marshes
  • wave cut platforms
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9
Q

what are some examples of material inputs?

A
  • marine e.g products of cliff erosion, sub aerial erosion, fluvial and glacial processes
  • rivers
  • freeze thaw weathering
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10
Q

what are outputs?

A

energy and material- some retained within the coastal system

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11
Q

what are inputs?

A

material or energy moving into the system from outside

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12
Q

what is energy?

A

power or driving force

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13
Q

what are flows/transfers?

A

the links or relationships between the components

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14
Q

what is negative feedback?

A

where a flow/ transfer leads to decline which lessens the effect of the original change

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15
Q

what is positive feedback?

A

where a flow/ transfer leads to increase or growth

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16
Q

what is dynamic equillibrium?

A

a state of balance within a constantly changing system

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17
Q

All beaches exist in dynamic equilibrium involving four factors:

A

1) the supply of sand
2) the energy of waves
3) changes in sea level
4) the location of the shoreline

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18
Q

what is a sediment sink?

A

when sediment is permanently lost due to lack of energy

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19
Q

what does a feedback loop require?

A

a shock to the system

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20
Q

does a positive feedback loop make the loop bigger or smaller?

A

bigger

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21
Q

how is no vegetation on a cliff an example of a positive feedback loop?

A

no vegetation means erosion occurs quicker due to no support from the roots and so erodes more and more vegetation

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22
Q

what is a sediment budget?

A

the net sum value between quantities of input and output of sediment in a system

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23
Q

what is a sediment (littoral) cell?

A

a section of the coastline in which sediment is recycled but not added to or lost

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24
Q

what is a pressure gradient?

A

how fast the pressure changes between two places

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25
Q

what is pressure measured in?

A

bars/millibars

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26
Q

what is the global air pressure?

A

1bar/ 1000 millibars

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27
Q

which way in a pressure gradient does wind blow?

A

high pressure to low pressure

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28
Q

what are tsunamis caused by?

A

seabed movement due to seismic shift

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29
Q

what causes changes in pressure?

A

change in temperature

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30
Q

what type of pressure does riding temperature cause?

A

low pressure

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31
Q

what is atmospheric pressure?

A

measure of the weight of the atmosphere on the ground

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32
Q

why cant gas hold large pressure changes?

A

it doesn’t have the structural integrity

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33
Q

what is an oscillatory wave?

A

a wave in open ocean with full circular motion particles

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34
Q

what is a translatory wave?

A

a breaking wave in which circular motion is broken by basal friction

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35
Q

what is fetch?

A

the length of ocean over which winds blow from a constant direction

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36
Q

waves with no ________ cant erode?

A

energy

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37
Q

how are big waves formed (like in Hawaii)?

A
  • geology
  • long fetch
  • consistent wind
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38
Q

what are prevailing winds?

A

wind that consistently blow from the same direction

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39
Q

what are storm surges?

A

if an intense area of low pressure resides over the ocean, the reduced aur pressure allows the sea surface to rise higher than in surrounding areas of higher pressure. this creates a pressure wave that may encounter the coast as a storm surge of higher water

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40
Q

what do constructive waves do to beaches?

A

builds them up

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41
Q

what are some characteristics of constructive waves?

A
  • small in height
  • low energy
  • strong swash
  • weak backwash
  • little erosion
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42
Q

what are some characteristics of destructive waves?

A
  • tall in height
  • high in energy
  • weak swash
  • strong backwash
  • scours the beach
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43
Q

what do destructive waves do to beaches?

A

destroys them

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44
Q

what is a headland?

A

a coastal landform which is a point of land usually high and often with a steep drop that extends out into a body of water

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45
Q

what is a cape?

A

a headland of considerable size

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46
Q

what happens to waves at headlands?

A

they bend round the headland and have a higher frequency on the promontory (convergent waves)

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47
Q

what happens to waves in bays?

A

waves splay out (divergent waves) and are less frequent, having less energy and producing a more constructive impact

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48
Q

what are swash aligned beaches?

A

when the wave hits the beach at 90 degrees

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49
Q

what are drift aligned beaches?

A

when the wave hits the beach at a random angle other than 90 degrees

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50
Q

where are the waves convergent?

A

on a headlands

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51
Q

where are the waves divergent?

A

bays

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52
Q

where is backshore?

A

the area between the high water mark and the landward limit of marine activity. changes normally take place here only during storm activity

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53
Q

where is foreshore?

A

the area lying between the high water and the low water mark. the most important zone for marine processes

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54
Q

where is inshore?

A

the area between the low water mark and the point where waves cease to have any influence on the land beneath them

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55
Q

where is offshore?

A

the area beyond the point where waves cease to have an impact upon the seabed and in which activity is limited to deposition of sediments

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56
Q

where is nearshore

A
  • the area extending seaward from the high water mark to the area where waves begin to break
  • foreshore + inshore
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57
Q

where is the swash zone?

A

the area where a turbulent layer of water washes up the beach following the breaking of a wave

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58
Q

where is the breaker zone?

A

the area where waves approaching the coastline begin to break, usually where the water depth is 5-10m

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59
Q

where is the surf zone?

A

the area between the point where waves break and where the waves then move up the beach as swash in the swash zone

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60
Q

what controls the tides?

A

the sun and moon

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61
Q

does the sun or moon have a bigger gravitational pull?

A

sun

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62
Q

the sun and moon have the ________ pull on earth because _____________________?

A
  • same
  • the sun is further away than the moon
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63
Q

why is there hardly any tidal range in the Mediterranean?

A

there is only a very small opening that connects the med to the other seas, when the tide comes in and out, the water cant travel through the gap fast enough to cause large tide changes like the rest of the word

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64
Q

what is the Severn bore?

A

a large surge wave that can be seen in the estuary of the river Severn

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65
Q

what causes the sea to change density?

A
  • saltiness
  • temperature
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66
Q

what is a current?

A

a permanent or seasonal movement of surface water in the seas and oceans

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67
Q

what is upwelling?

A

water coming up to the surface

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68
Q

what are rip currents?

A

strong localised underwater currents that occur on some beaches, posing a significant danger to swimmers and surfers

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69
Q

how do storm surges occur?

A

when meteorological conditions giving rise to strong winds can produce much higher water levels than those at high tide

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70
Q

what are some factors that contribute to storm surges?

A
  • low pressure systems/depressions (main factor)
  • strong winds ahead of storm
  • shape of the area e.g funnel shaped bays
  • length of fetch
  • high tides
  • high river discharge
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71
Q

what was the height of the storm surge in hurricane Katrina?

A

over 10 metres

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72
Q

why does low pressure cause storm surges?

A

because it takes the weight of the atmosphere off of the ocean, giving the water particles more room to spread out

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73
Q

what are currents driven by?

A
  • wind
  • tide
  • heat/ salinity
  • thermohaline circulation
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74
Q

what is an example of currents being driven by wind

A

the north Atlantic drift is a current that is pushed by the gulf stream, which is a wind current and an ocean current

75
Q

what is the worlds largest current?

A
  • the kuroshio current
  • water travels 25-75 miles a day, which is equal to the amount of water of 6000 large rivers
76
Q

how does the UK stay warm?

A

the gulf stream comes up from the Caribbean

77
Q

which ocean is the only ocean to go all the way round the world?

A

the southern ocean

78
Q

what is the NOAA?

A

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

79
Q

how far down does wind go in the sea and what does it cause?

A
  • 5-10m
  • creates waves
80
Q

what is a flood current?

A

when the tide goes up and the water moves inland

81
Q

what is an ebb current?

A

when the tide goes down and the water moves out to sea

82
Q

how does temperature affect density of oceans?

A

cold water is more dense than hot water

83
Q

how does salinity affect density of oceans?

A

the saltier the water, the more dense it is

84
Q

what is the great ocean conveyerbelt?

A

the sinking and rising of ocean currents all over the world that are connected

85
Q

how long does it take water to travel round the great ocean conveyerbelt?

A

1000 years

86
Q

why do oceans need a lot of energy to change temperature?

A

because the have a high specific heat capacity

87
Q

what are tide patterns influenced by?

A
  • ocean bed
  • weather conditions
  • rivers
  • shape of coastline
88
Q

what is a tidal range?

A

the difference between high and low tide

89
Q

when are tidal ranges high?

A

in very narrow necks of water, like the English channel

90
Q

tidal ranges will determine the rate of ________?

A

erosion

91
Q

what are tides?

A

the periodic rise and fall of the sea surface

92
Q

how are high tides formed?

A

when the moon pulls water towards it, there is a compensatory bulge on the other side of the world, and everything in these two locations is t high tide.

93
Q

when do the highest tides occur?

A

when the moon, sun and earth are all aligned and so the gravitational pull is at its strongest

94
Q

what are spring tides?

A

the highest of highest and lowest of lowest tides where earth is between the moon and sun

95
Q

how often do spring tides occur?

A

twice a lunar month

96
Q

what are neap tide?

A

the lowest of highest and highest of lowest tides where the moon and sun are at right angles to each other, and so the gravitational pull is at its lowest

97
Q

macrotidal definition

A

areas with a tidal range in excess of 4m

98
Q

microtidal definition

A

area with tidal range of less than 1.8m

99
Q

mesotidal definition

A

between 1.8m and 4m

100
Q

what are estuaries?

A

when the river becomes salty

101
Q

what is a coastal sediment budget?

A

the balance between sediment being added to and removed from the coastal system, being defined within each individual sediment cell

102
Q

what are some human things that disrupt the dynamic equilibrium?

A
  • sea wall
  • offset groynes
  • gabions
103
Q

what are some physical things that disrupt the dynamic equilibrium?

A
  • sand dunes
  • sediment sinks
  • transport corridors
104
Q

what is erosion caused by?

A

tides, currents or waves

105
Q

how long has erosion been going on since?

A

since oceans developed

106
Q

what is the difference between erosion and weathering?

A

in weathering the sediment stays in situ

107
Q

how do sea levels rise?

A
  • ice melting
  • thermal expansion
108
Q

what are the different types of erosion?

A
  • hydraulic action
  • attrition
  • solution (corrasion)
  • abrasion
109
Q

what two types of processes erode the coast?

A
  • marine processes
  • sub-aerial processes
110
Q

what are the different types of coastal processes?

A
  • weathering
  • deposition
  • transport
  • erosion
  • mass movement
111
Q

what is strata?

A

the structure of rock

112
Q

what are some factors that effect coastal erosion?

A
  • waves
  • rock type
  • geological structure
  • coastal management
  • hydraulic action
  • wave steepness
  • wave quarrying
113
Q

what is the hardest rock?

A

granite

114
Q

what is aeolian deposition?

A

the deposition of sediment by wind

115
Q

what are some ways sand can travel through wind?

A
  • surface creep
  • saltation
116
Q

what are the four types of transportation?

A

suspension, solution, saltation and traction

117
Q

what is suspension?

A

when fine material such as clay and sediment is carried by the sea

118
Q

what is solution?

A

dissolved minerals that are carried by the sea

119
Q

what is traction?

A

large boulders and pebbles are rolled along the sea bed

120
Q

what is saltation?

A

small stone, pebble and silt bounce along the sea bed

121
Q

what are the types of mass movement?

A
  • soil creep
  • landslides- rockfalls
  • rotational slumping
  • mudflows
122
Q

what are subaerial processes?

A

processes which weaken the rocks and allow erosion and mass movement to occur more easily

123
Q

where do subaerial processes operate?

A

on the land

124
Q

what is weathering?

A

the break down of rocks or minerals, but they stay in situ

125
Q

by how much does water expand when it turns to ice?

A

10%

126
Q

what is scree/ talus?

A

piles of stones at the bottom of cliffs, which creates beaches

127
Q

what must a rock be for wetting and drying to affect it?

A

porous

128
Q

how does wetting and drying break down rock?

A

it weakens the rocks over time as their molecules keep expanding and shrinking, damaging the integrity of the rock each time

129
Q

where does chemical weathering occur?

A

on coasts where rocks are exposed to air and moisture

130
Q

what are the types of weathering?

A
  • chemical
  • mechanical
  • biological
131
Q

what type of weathering has the biggest impact on the coast?

A

mechanical

132
Q

where does mechanical weathering occur?

A

on coasts that depends on the nature of the climate

133
Q

what is an example of mechanical weathering?

A
  • freeze thaw
  • salt crystallisation
  • wetting and drying
134
Q

what is an example of chemical weathering?

A

chemical reactions

135
Q

what does biological weathering include?

A

processes that lead to the breakdown of rocks by the action of vegetation and coastal organisms

136
Q

what factors effect the rate of weathering?

A
  • precipitation
  • temperature
  • strata of rock
  • wind
  • climate
  • saltiness of water
137
Q

what is mass movement?

A

the downhill movement of material under the influence of gravity

138
Q

what are some natural factors that can cause landslips?

A
  • rock type
  • slope angle
  • water
  • human contributions
139
Q

what type of rock is unstable at angles bigger than 10 degrees?

A

clays

140
Q

the steeper the gradient of the slope, the _______ likely it is to fail?

A

more

141
Q

why does water increase likelihood of a landslip?

A

it adds weight and acts as a lubricant

142
Q

what are some human contributions that increase the chances of a landslip?

A
  • building at top of slope
  • poor drainage
  • removal of veg
  • creation of impermeable surfaces
  • excavation
143
Q

what happened in the Holbeck landslide in 1993?

A

a rotational landslide involving 1 million tonnes of glacial till cut back the 60m high cliff by 70m

144
Q

what was the likely cause of the Holbeck landslide?

A

a combination of high rainfall (140mm in 2 months) and issues relayed to slope drainage

145
Q

when can slumps occur?

A

after heavy rainfall or an earthquake

146
Q

what degrees of slope to creeps usually occur on?

A

about 5 degrees

147
Q

what do soil creeps produce?

A

terracettes

148
Q

how do sides of headlands get eroded?

A

wave refraction

149
Q

what is the sequence of events in the formation of a wave-cut platform?

A

1) the sea attacks a weakness in the base of the cliff
2) a wave-cut notch is created by erosional processes
3) as the notch becomes larger the cliff becomes unstable and collapses as the result of gravity
4) the cliff retreats inland
5) the material from the collapsed cliff face is eroded and transported away. this leaves a wave-cut platform
6) the process is repeated overtime

150
Q

what is an offshore bar?

A

submerged ridges of sand deposited off the coast (only seen at high tide)

151
Q

what is a barrier beach?

A
  • sometimes considered the same as a bar
  • a sand ridge that rises slightly above the surface of the sea and runs parallel to the shore, which is separated by a lagoon
152
Q

what is a barrier island?

A

when a barrier beach is completely separated from the mainland (much further away from the coastline)

153
Q

why is backwash weaker on shingle beaches?

A

the water goes through the stones instead of running over the top

154
Q

what is a storm beach?

A

the back of the beach, which is composed of big boulders and has a strong swash at spring high tide, which creates it

155
Q

what is a berm?

A

below the storm beach there is a series of ridges marking the successively lower high tides as the cycle goes from spring to neap

156
Q

why does sand beaches have a gentler gradient?

A
  • water can’t percolate sand as easily so doesn’t drag back as much sediment
  • larger sediment can stack easier
157
Q

what does leeward mean?

A

the sheltered side

158
Q

what does windward side mean?

A

non-sheltered side

159
Q

what are some uses of an estuary?

A
  • carbon sink
  • farming (livestock)
  • natural coastal defences
  • purifies water
  • bird spotting
160
Q

what is the formation of a salt marsh?

A
  • first mudflats are created on sheltered shorelines that are not exposed to powerful waves (low energy environment so sediment is dropped)
  • low lying veg (eelgrass) may begin to grow
  • more plants grow which traps more mud
  • land rises above sea level and eventually leads to tree growth
161
Q

what is an example of a mudflat?

A

Keer estuary at Morecambe bay

162
Q

what is needed for the formation of mudflats?

A
  • sheltered coastline
  • low lying
  • submerged at high tide
  • at an estuary
163
Q

what are some characteristics of salt marshes?

A
  • high oxygen content
  • high nutrient availability
  • light availability
  • productive and fertile
  • has salt loving plants (halophytic)
  • an important store of sediment
164
Q

what is needed for the formation of salt marshes?

A
  • mud and fine sediment
  • sheltered area e.g behind a spit
  • colonization by halophytic (salt loving) plants
165
Q

what is bioconstruction?

A

deposition as water slows down over vegitation

166
Q

what is flocculation?

A

when clay particles stick together and are deposited

167
Q

where is the sward zone in a salt marsh?

A

flat area covered by the sea for less than one hour every tidal cycle (top of salt marsh)

168
Q

where is the pioneer zone in a salt marsh?

A

the area below the sward zone (middle zone of the salt marsh)

169
Q

where is the salt pans in a salt marsh?

A

hollows devoid of most vegetation (bottom zone of salt marsh)

170
Q

what is eustatic change?

A

world wide changes in sea level caused by glacial and interglacial periods

171
Q

what is isostatic change?

A

localised and relative change in sea level caused by the crusts response to loading and unloading of ice

172
Q

when does eustatic sea level change occur?

A

when there is a global change in the amount of water stored in the oceans, or a change in the geometry of the ocean basins which alters the volume of water they can hold

173
Q

what is a ria?

A

a steep sided, v-shaped, valley formed by glacial rise in sea levels

174
Q

what is a fjord?

A

a glacial trough that has been flooded by rising sea levels

175
Q

how to Dalmatian coasts form?

A
  • rivers flow parallel to the coastline which creates valleys
  • when sea levels rise they flood creating ridges of land
176
Q

what are emergent landforms caused by?

A

drop in sea level or land raised

177
Q

what are submergent landforms caused by?

A

subsidence of land or by rise in sea level

178
Q

what are some examples of soft engineering?

A
  • beach nourishment
  • cliff regrading and drainage
  • dune stabilisation
  • marsh creation
179
Q

what are some advantages of beach nourishment?

A
  • relatively cheap and easy to maintain
  • it looks natural and blends in with existing beaches
    -increases tourist potential by creating a bigger beach
180
Q
A
180
Q
A
181
Q
A
182
Q
A
182
Q
A

physical geography (1 decks)

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