Coasts Flashcards

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1
Q

What is geology?

A

The type of bedrock in an area

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2
Q

How can geology impact erosion?

A

Different rock types have different resistances to erosion

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3
Q

What are the 4 sections of the littoral zone

A

Backshore
Foreshore
Nearshore
Offshore

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4
Q

What is Coastal morphology?

A

The shape and physical characteristics of a coastline

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5
Q

What is Lithology?

A

The physical characteristics of a type of rock

e.g , Strata, joints, folds, faults, dip, permeability

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6
Q

What are the 5 main cliff profiles?

A

Horizontal dip (steep cliff)

low-angle Seaward dip (overhang cliff)

high-angle seaward dip (slabs slide down cliff face)

Low-angle landward dip (very stable cliff)

high-angle landward dip (same shape as high-angle seaward dip)

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7
Q

How does a concordant coat form?

A

Rock strata run parallel to the coast

More resistant rock gets a weakness exploited creating a hole to less resistant rock behind

Less resistant rock is eroded quicker forming a cove

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8
Q

How does a discordant coast form?

A

Rock strata run perpendicular to coast

Less resistant rock erode quicker than more resistant rock

Forms headlands and bays

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9
Q

Which rock type is most and least resistant to erosion?

A

Igneous (most)
Sedimentary (least)
Metamorphic (middle)

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10
Q

What allows beaches to form in bays?

A

Waves hit the headland first (more resistant)

Causes wave refraction where the energy is decreased

Not enough energy remains to erode sediment allowing it to build up

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11
Q

What effects wave energy at a coast?

A

Strength of prevailing winds

Fetch

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12
Q

Compare the features of Constructive and Destructive waves

A

Constructive has strong swash and weak backwash, found at low energy coasts

Destructive has weak swash and a strong backwash, found at high energy coasts

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13
Q

How do summer and winter beach profiles vary?

A

Steeper in the summer, swash of low energy waves builds a berm

In winter the berm is eroded by destructive waves and strong backwash forms offshore bars

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14
Q

What are the 4 types of erosion?

A

Abrasion
Attrition
Hydraulic Action
Solution

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15
Q

What are the main erosional landforms?

A

Wave cut platforms/ notches

Cliffs

Caves, Arches, Stacks and Stumps

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16
Q

Describe the process of longshore drift?

A

Waves approach at an angle due to prevailing winds

Swash deposits sediment on an angle

Backwash removes sediment straight out to sea

Cycle continues moving sediment along the shoreline

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17
Q

What are the 4 types of marine transport?

A

Traction
Saltation
Suspension
Solution

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18
Q

What impact can tides have on longshore drift?

A

The relative difference between high and low tides is called tidal range

A high tidal range produces strong tidal currents which transport more sediment

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19
Q

How does a spit form?

A

Longshore drift transports sediment along the coast

The direction of the coast changes suddenly (e.g river estuary)

Longshore drift caries on depositing sediment forming a protrusion called a spit

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20
Q

What is a barrier bar?

A

A spit that joins at both sides forming a lagoon behind it

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21
Q

What is a tombolo?

A

A narrow beach that forms between a small island and the coast

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22
Q

What are cuspate forelands?

A

Triangular headland formed by longshore drift in opposite directions

vegetation stabilises the sediment making it more resistant to erosion

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23
Q

Give examples of coastal vegetation

A

Dunes
Marshes
Mangroves

24
Q

What is the name given to a plant that is resistant to salt?

A

Halophytes

25
Q

What is the name given to a plant that is resistant to arid conditions?

A

Xerophytes

26
Q

What are sediment cells?

A

Sections of the coast where sediment is transported between

Act as systems with sources, flows and sinks that act in a dynamic equilibrium

27
Q

What are the two types of Sub-aerial processes?

A

Mass Movement

weathering

28
Q

What are the 3 types of weathering?

A

Mechanical (Freeze-thaw, Salt weathering, Wetting-Drying)

Biological (Plant roots, Acidic Water from decaying matter, Burrowing Animals)

Chemical (Acid rain)

29
Q

Give example of mass movement flows?

A

Soil Creep

Solifluction

Mudflows

30
Q

Give example of mass movement slides?

A

Rock falls

Rock slides

Slumps

31
Q

What are the two main causes of contemporary sea level rise?

A

Thermal Expansion

Polar Ice sheet melting

32
Q

What are the two types of long-term sea level change?

A

Eustatic Change

Isostatic change

33
Q

What are the two main emergent landforms?

A

Raised Beaches, have a terraced like structure due to uplift of land

Relic Cliffs, remains of where cliffs, caves, arches etc are raised above the sea level

34
Q

What are the three main submergent landforms?

A

Rias, valleys become flooded due to sea level rise, common in south east England

Fjords, glacial valleys become flooded due to sea level rise, common in Iceland

Dalmatian Coast, River valleys flow parallel to coast and then become flooded forming long narrow islands. Common in Croatia

35
Q

What is the geology of the Holderness?

A

Boulder Clay

36
Q

Describe the fetch at the Holderness?

A

Not that big (500-800 km)

Currents circulate round the north of Scotland and combine near the Holderness adding energy to waves

Lots of low-pressure systems pass the area

Deep sea floor means little friction for waves so they maintain their energy

37
Q

Who are the main stakeholders in the Holderness?

A

Central and Local government - responsible for management of the area

Stakeholders in local economy - Tourism industry and farmers

Environmental stakeholders - RSPB want to protect spurns head as the marshes are home to rare birds

38
Q

What is terminal groyne syndrome?

A

Groynes trap sediment at one part of the coast, this starves areas further down of sediment

39
Q

Name a place where terminal groyne syndrome has occured

A

Sea wall, rip rap and groynes were build at Hornsea to protect beach

This starved Mappleton beach of sediment increasing erosion in the area

40
Q

Why is Bangladesh at risk of flooding?

A

Worlds most densely populated country

Very low relief, 46% of population live <10m above sea level

Has lots of large rivers that lead all the way up into the country and near to the capital

41
Q

Why is flood risk increasing in Bangladesh?

A

Clearing land for cultivation is causing soil erosion and subsidence which is making rivers larger and islands are shrinking

70% of Mangroves have been removed, they act as a natural barrier by refracting wave energy and storm surges

42
Q

What year did the UK experience extreme storms and storm surges?

A

2013

43
Q

What caused the 2013 storm surge in the UK?

A

Intense low pressure

Sea shape and coast - sea funnels in towards the south which squeezed the surge making it bigger

Sea Depth - sea gets shallower towards the south increasing wave shoaling

High seasonal tides

44
Q

What were the impacts of the 2013 storm and storm surge in UK?

A

Gusts of over 200 km/hr in Scotland

Thames Barrier closed

In Norfolk properties fell into the sea

1400 homes flooded

Rail services in the east and south were disrupted

Evacuation occurred across the east coast and in Wales

45
Q

How will climate change affect the frequency and range of Hurricanes?

A

Warmer ocean temperatures for longer periods of time will make hurricanes more frequent

Areas further north and south of the equator will have temperatures high enough to form hurricanes, meaning they will occur at a wider range of latitudes

46
Q

Give examples of hard engineering

A
Groynes
Sea Walls
Rip Rap
Revetments
Offshore Breakwaters
47
Q

Give examples of soft engineering

A

Beach Nourishment
Cliff re-grading
Dune stabilisation
Marsh creation

48
Q

Give examples of hard engineering at the Holderness

A

Hornsea - Sea wall, groynes, rip rap

Mappleton - Rock groynes, rip rap

Withernsea - Curved sea wall

49
Q

What is a CBA?

A

Cost benefit analysis, used to decide if an area is in need of defences by weighing up the potential costs with the expected benefits

50
Q

What are the two types of costs and benefits in a CBA?

A

Tangible - costs and benefits are known and gan be given as a value e.g monetary costs

Intangible - Costs and benefits are harder to assess but are still important e.g aesthetic value

51
Q

What is ICZM?

A

Integrated Coastal Zone Management - a strategy that involves managing the coast as a whole, this is because actions on one area of the coast can have huge impacts on other areas

52
Q

What is Odisha, India under stress from?

A
Rapid industrialisation
Fishing and Aquaculture
Tourism
Mining and Oil and Gas production
Erosion, rising sea levels and increase in Cyclones
53
Q

What are the aims of ICZM in Odisha?

A

Control coastal erosion
Developing Eco-tourism
Replanting Mangroves

54
Q

What is the SMP and which section affects the Holderness?

A

The Shoreline Management Plan is a type of ICZM in the UK, aiming to reduce and manage erosion for the next 100 years

It is split into cells and the one affecting the Holderness is the Flamborough Head to Gibraltar Point

55
Q

What are the 4 options for the SMP?

A

Hold the Line
Advance the Line
Managed Realignment
Do Nothing

56
Q

What is an EIA?

A

Environmental impact assessment, decides whether the environmental quality will improve, worsen or stay the same as a result of action

57
Q

What does the SMP look like for the Holderness?

A

Mostly do nothing at low value coastal areas

Hold the line at areas with a high value asset e.g towns like Hornsea, Mappleton, Withernsea and Easington (especially due to gas terminals)

Managed realignment at Spurns Head