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Physical geography > Coasts > Flashcards

Coasts Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the coast?

A

the area where the sea has some impact on the geomorphology of the land.

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2
Q

What uses are there for the coast?

A

Windfarms, leisure or industry, tourism.

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3
Q

What is an open system?

A

A system where energy and matter can be transferred from neighboring systems.

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4
Q

How does dynamic equilibrium work at the coast?

A

If a coast were to suffer a storm and lose its equilibrium then it would have to self regulate and return to equilibrium, through dynamic equilibrium.

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5
Q

What is negative feedback?

A

It is a balancing feedback that reduces fluctuations in the output by changing the input.

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6
Q

Where is the bay of Arcachon?

A

The south west of France.

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7
Q

What is the Dune du Pilat?

A

It is the biggest sand dune in Europe and is at the Bya of Arcachon. It is the most visited tourist site in the Aquatine region.

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8
Q

How was the Dune du Pilat created?

A

By superimposing one large parabolic dune system on top of another system.

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9
Q

What factors make coasts so different?

A

Wave type, human interference, different winds, fetch, geology, currents, amount of sand, plants and wildlife.

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10
Q

What is an aeolian process?

A

A natural process involving the wind.

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11
Q

What are the differences between destructive and constructive waves?

A

Destructive waves have a long fetch, a strong backwash and destroy the beach. Constructive waves have a shorter fetch a strong swash and build up the beach.

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12
Q

Where is sediment supplied to the coast from?

A

By wind, waves, rivers and tides.

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13
Q

How does longshore drift work?

A

Constructive waves move sediment up the beach with their strong swash and back down again at an angle so that the sediment moves along the beach. Sand moves along the beach and when it gets to the end of the beach a spit forms. The sediment moves in the direction of the prevailing wind and if the current of the water changes then the spit will curve.

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14
Q

How can humans affect a beach?

A

Sometimes there may be a sediment deficit on a beach and humans can restore equilibrium through beach nourishment. Putting sand on the beach also attracts tourism.

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15
Q

What causes storm surges?

A

Low pressure weather - causes sea level to rise.

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16
Q

How are wave cut platforms formed?

A

They are mainly formed by erosion and weathering processes. Solution, freeze thaw and salt crystallization may occur.

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17
Q

What is a concordant coastline?

A

The rocks lay parallel to the coast. The most resistant rocks protect the weaker rocks from erosion. The resultant coastline is straight and even. Small bays or coves may be eroded at points of weakness.

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18
Q

What is a discordant coastline?

A

A coastline that is formed when the rock type runs perpendicular to the coast. The width of bays and headlands are determined by the width of the band of rocks.

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19
Q

How is a stump formed?

A

Hydraulic action and abrasion causes a crack to form in the headland. Water enters the crack causing mechanical weathering and a cave is formed. The processes of erosion continue and an arch is formed. The rock above the arch is unsupported and collapses leaving a stack. The stack then collapses and a stump is formed.

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20
Q

Name a famous stack.

A

The Old Man of Hoy

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21
Q

What is a geo?

A

A narrow steep-sided inlet. they even form in coastlines with resistant geology. They can form like tunnels, running at right angles to cliffs.

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22
Q

How is a blow hole formed?

A

When the roof of a tunnel-like cave collapses, usually a geo, a blowhole is formed.

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23
Q

Name all of the mass movement processes.

A

Slumping, rockfall, landslides.

24
Q

What is deposition?

A

The current, carrying rocks slows down and the rocks are dropped.

25
Q

What is the correlation between material diameter and beach angle and why?

A

The larger the diameter of the material the steeper the beach. This is due to bigger sediment not being compacted together so moving to the top of the beach and then staying there due to weak backwash.

26
Q

Where is Blakenely point spit and what uses does it have?

A

It is in North Norfolk and leads to tourism, boosts fishing and farming and sand dunes keep the cost from eroding.

27
Q

Outline the geography of the Rhone Delta.

A

The river Rhone flows into the Mediterranean sea to the west of Marseilles in southern France. The Delta lies between two main tributaries of the Rhone, the Grand and Petit.

28
Q

What is a delta?

A

A flat area of sand and silt built into the sea.

29
Q

How is a delta formed?

A

It is formed by river deposition, when a river enters the sea carrying a large load of sand, the velocity falls and the load is deposited.

30
Q

What is flocculation?

A

Having charged salt particles in water which attracts sediment.

31
Q

What rocks make up the geology of the North Yorkshire coast?

A

It is made up of clays, sandstone, shales, limestone and chalk.

32
Q

How much does the North Yorkshire coast erode per year?

A

The most erosive parts 0.8m per year and the least 0.1m per year.

33
Q

What landforms can be found along the North Yorkshire coast?

A

Headlands, cliffs which are around 20-30m high, shore platforms, bays, stacks, stumps, caves, arches, geos, blowholes and beaches.

34
Q

What kind of waves do you get at the North Yorkshire coast?

A

They come from the north east (north sea) and have a long fetch. Winter storms produce high energy waves, eroding the coast. Strong winds blow the waves along causing them to have high energy and be destructive.

35
Q

What happened at Holbeck hall?

A

A huge landslide took place causing the hotel to collapse. Was caused by two months of rainfall, poor drainage and the geology.

36
Q

What coastal management has been put in place along the Yorkshire coast?

A

A project began in 2002 which cost £25.7 million. A promenade has been put around marine drive. Rock armour has been put in place which should last for 50 years as has a 1m high sea wall.

37
Q

When do deltas typically form?

A

When rivers carry large sediment loads, low energy environments exist in the coastal area and tidal ranges are low.

38
Q

What are the three main components of a delta and describe them.

A

The upper delta plain is the furthest inland and is composed entirely of river deposits.
The lower delta plain is in the inter tidal zone and is regularly submerged.
The submerged delta plain- lies below the mean low water mark and is composed mainly of sediments.

39
Q

Name and describe the three main types of delta.

A

Cuspate- a pointed extension into the coastline, occurs when sediment accumulates but is shaped by gentle currents in the opposite direction.
Arcuate- Sufficient sediment supply us available for the delta to grow. Wave action strong enough to trim leading edge.
Bird’s foot- Distributaries build out from coast in branching pattern, sediment supply exceeding rates of removal by waves and currents.

40
Q

What is terrestrial sediment?

A

Sediment that comes from the land.

41
Q

Where is the Rhone delta?

A

Southern France, borders the Mediterranean and near Marseilles.

42
Q

Why is the Mediterranean good for building deltas?

A

The waves are very calm so the deltas get built up. There are no strong tides or winds in the Mediterranean, it is a low energy area. Flocullation takes place that causes material to sink.

43
Q

Why does North Yorkshire have a steep landscape?

A

There are varying rock types which get attacked by the destructive waves of the North Yorkshire coast. The landscape was also once glaciated and glacial till has been left behind which had built up on top of the rocks. Glaciers also caused steep sided valleys.

44
Q

What are berms?

A

Small ridges of beach sediment, found at the position of the mean high tide mark

45
Q

What are cusps?

A

A pointed and regular arc pattern of sediment on a beach

46
Q

What are runnels?

A

A narrow channel, in this context, in the sand of a beach

47
Q

How do tombolo’s form?

A

When a spit extends and joins with an offshore island

48
Q

What is eustatic change?

A

The change in the amount of water in the sea. It is a global sea level change

49
Q

What is isostatic change?

A

The result of an increase or decrease in the height of the land. A local sea level change

50
Q

Give an example of a tombolo and how it formed.

A

Chesil Beach, Dorset is a tombolo formed in a more complex manner. Most likely the beach developed as a barrier island and moved onshore during the Flandrian Transgression as sea levels rose, enabling waves to move material onshore.

51
Q

Where do salt marshes form?

A

On depositional, low energy coasts, behind onshore bars and spits.

52
Q

How does a salt marsh form?

A

In the sheltered area behind the spit deposition occurs, this is due to a reduction in wave energy. This causes salt and mud to build up and then salt resistant plants are able to colonise.

53
Q

How do salt marshes get bigger?

A

The slat resistant plants are often able to rap sediment which allows them to grow.

54
Q

What happens to a marsh further inland?

A

It has less harsh conditions, this is due to a lower salinity, turbidity and submergence, therefore they have higher species diversity

55
Q

What is turbidity?

A

The measure of relative clarity of a liquid. Less turbidity would mean a liquid e.g. water is clearer and thus less saline.

56
Q

How do saltpans form?

A

Between cracks in the salt marsh shallow depressions are often found which trap water. These areas are devoid of vegetation.

57
Q

What is the main cause of slides?

A

Undercutting by a cliff which removes support for the materials above.

Physical geography (5 decks)

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