coasts Flashcards
what is a system?
a set of interrelated objects comprising of components (stores) and processes (links) that are connected together to form a working unit or unified whole
types of energy in a coastal landscape system?
kinetic
potential
thermal
are coastal landscape systems open or closed?
what does this mean w/ example
OPEN
energy and matter can be transferred form neighbouring systems as an input and transferred to neighbouring systems as an output
e.g. input of fluvial sediment from river
inputs to a coastal landscape system
fluvial (river) sediment
KE from wind and waves
thermal energy from heat of sun
marine sediment deposited by the waves
weathered material from cliffs
outputs of coastal landscape systems
evaporation of water
marine sediment eroded by waves
sediment eroded/taken away by wind
stores of coastal landscape systems
beach
sand dunes
offshore bars
flows/transfers of coastal landscape systems
movement of sediment along beach by LSD
wave movement on and off beach
wind blowing sediment
what is equilibrium?
a long-term balance between inputs and outputs in a system
example of equilibrium on a beach
happens when rate at which sediment is being added to the beach is equal to the rate at which sediment is being removed from the beach, so the beach remains the same size
what happens when equilibrium is disturbed?
what is this known as?
system undergoes self-regulation and changes its form in order to restore the equilibrium
this is known as dynamic equilibrium, as the stem produces its own response to the disturbance; an example of negative feedback
what is negative feedback?
an automatic response to a change in a system that restores equilibrium
sediment cell definition
a stretch of coastline and its associated nearshore area within which the movement of coarse sediment, sand and shingle is largely self-contained
is a sediment cell an open or closed system?
what does this suggest?
CLOSED
no sediment is transferred between cells
how many sediment cells are in England and Wales
boundaries of these?
11
determined by topography and shape of coastline: large physical features e.g. lands end act as natural barriers that prevent transfer of sediment
what affects the shape of coastlines?
geology
waves
wind
ocean currents
tides
are sediment cells completely closed systems? why?
unlikely: variations in wind direction and presence of tidal currents mean it is inevitable that some sediment is transferred between neighbouring cells. input fluvial sediment too
depends on scale, since the major 11 cells contain many smaller sub-cells
swell waves:
formed where?
wavelength/wave period?
formed in open oceans and can travel huge distances from where they are generated.
tend to have long wavelength and a wave period of up to 20 seconds
storm waves:
formed where?
wavelength, height and wave period?
locally generated
typically have shorter wavelength, greater height and shorter wave period
constructive waves charcteristics
low-energy wave
strong swash travels far up gradually sloping beach
lower height and frequency
pushes sand up shoreline, building up material and increasing the gradient
longer wavelength
summer months
destructive waves characteristics
higher energy wave
stronger backwash- pulling material away from shoreline by erosion
greater height and frequency
removes material from top of beach and decreases gradient
moves sand to offshore zone
shorter wavelength
winter months
significance of waves affecting coastal landscapes?
controls whether deposition/erosion dominate
changes diurnally and seasonally
small scale
controlled by wind
aeolian effects on coastal landscapes
wave energy is produced through frictional drag of wind across ocean’s surface
higher windspeed and lower fetch lead to larger waves which possess more energy
onshore winds drive waves to the coast
wind blowing at oblique angle leads to waves approaching obliquely, leading to LSD
wind is a moving force so carries out erosion, transportation and deposition
significance in wind affecting coastal landforms?
not that significant
key=wind determines waves
significance changed form day to day
in exposed places, wind has more significance than in sheltered places
small scale
tidal impacts on coastline
generated by gravitational pull of the moon
tidal ranges are low in enclosed areas of sea (e.g. mediterranean)
smaller tidal ranges lead to more erosion bc waves are hammering smaller area more often and with more force
in areas with larger tidal ranges, deposition is dominant, so forms estuaries (e.g. Severn Estuary has large 14m tidal range bc water is funnelled)
significance of tidal ranges on coastal landscapes?
account for lots of erosion over long time period
determine whether erosive/ depositional landforms dominate
larger scale
ocean currents impact on coastlines?
generated by Earth’s rotation and convection, and transfer heat energy
change temp of water and air so affect weathering processes (increase sediment input)
also affect input of sediment to a coastal system (dep. landforms/ sed. budget/ equilibrium affected)
rip current caused by tidal motion or waves breaking and right angles to shore can form cusps (small scale)
significance of ocean currents on coastlines?
large scale
esp. significant in Western facing coastal landscapes bc driven by onshore winds
cold ocean currents have less effect on landscapes bc they are driven by offshore winds
affects sub-aerial processes, but not than significant
what is lithology?
physical and chemical composition of rocks
weak lithology with example
e.g. clay
little resistance to erosion, weathering and mass movements
weak chemical bonds between rock’s particles
strong lithology with example
e.g. basalt
highly resistant, therefore more likely to form cliffs and headlands
strong chemical bonds between rock’s particles
mineral composition of rocks and chemical weathering
rocks e.g. chalk and limestone have mineral composition which is soluble in weak acids so is easily weathered chemically e.g. by carbonation
subtopics of geology structure
joints, cracks, faults
rock permeability
discordant vs concordant
angle of dip
what are joints, faults and cracks and how do they affect the shape of a coastline?
joints= fractures in rocks created without displacement
some rocks e.g. limestone and chalk form with many joints and cracks, so erode at faster rates. this is apparent during differential erosion
rocks with faults and cracks are easier for waves to erode because the wave energy can exploit these weaker points in the rock so lead to rapid erosion
e.g. evolution of cave to stump
what is rock permeability and how does it affect the shape of a coastline?
primary permeability= in porous rock e.g. chalk, tiny air spaces separate mineral particles. these pores can absorb and store water
secondary permeability= Carboniferous limestone is permeable because water seeps into it because of its joints, which are enlarged by solution
permeable rocks are less resistant to weathering
how does discordance affect the shape of a coastline?
discordant= when rock strata lie at right angles to the coastline discordant planforms are created, which tend to have an alternating pattern of indented bays and projecting headlands due to the alternating bands of soft and hard rock
how does concordance affect the shape of a coastline?
concordant= when rock starts that is uniform or runs parallel to coast
tend to produce straight coastlines or small bays
some have long narrow, islands parallel to the coastline
how are angles of dip formed?
what do they affect?
tectonic processes
strength and steepness of cliff an likelihood of slipping. stronger=steeper
describe each angle of dip.
HORIZONTAL= near-vertical profile with notches where rock is less resistant, so is exposed at the wave cut platform
SEAWARD DIP=areas of overhanging rock, vulnerable to landslides, rock slides and sloping
LANDWARD DIP= steep 70-80 degrees, very stable cliff, less rock falls
significance of geology impacting coastal landscapes?
very significant on small scale
determines shape of coastline and the landforms present
long term
3 main sources of sediment
terrestrial (from the land)
offshore (from the sea)
human (deliberate)
examples of terrestrial sediment
fluvial (rivers)
cliffs
examples of offshore sediment
offshore bars
ocean currents
longshore drift
examples of human sediment sources
beach nourishment/replenishment
rain bowing
(adding sediment to beaches that are in sediment deficit)
terrestrial sediment source: fluvial
where?
when?
how much?
rivers are major sources of sediment into the coastal sediment budget (particularly true of coasts with a steep gradient where rivers directly deposit their material at the coast)
sediment delivery to the shoreline can be irregular/intermittent, mostly occurring during floods
in some locations, 80% of sediment is fluvial
terrestrial sediment source:
cliffs
how and when?
how much?
origin of sediment is the erosion of inland areas by water, wind, ice and sub-aerial weathering
wave erosion is also the source of lots of sediment
cliff erosion is increased by rising sea levels and is amplified by storm surges (can contribute 70% of overall material; although typically less), can be large rocks if directly from collapse of cliffs
offshore sediment source:
wave transport
constructive waves bring sediment to the shore from offshore locations and deposit it (marine deposition), adding to the sediment budget. tides and current do the same.
terrestrial sediment source:
aeolian processes
what type of sediment and where?
wind also blows sediment from other locations, including exposed sand bars, dunes and beaches elsewhere along the coast. this aeolian material is generally fine sand, as wind has less energy than water and so cannot transport very large particles
terrestrial sediment source: longshore drift
supplies sediment from one coastal area by moving it along the coast to adjacent areas
human sediment source: beach nourishment and rainbowing
how?
why?
has been adopted all over the world in order to preserve and protect the coastal environment
sediment can be brought in by lorry and dumped on the beach before being spread out by bulldozers.
alternatively, sand and water can be pumped onshore by pipeline from offshore sources. low bunds hold the mixture in place while the water drains away, leaving the sediment behind
how to work out if the sediment budget is in surplus, deficit or equilibrium
wind, waves and LSD can remove sediment from the budget. by subtracting the amount of sediment lost from the sediment gained, it can be determined if the oddment budget is in equilibrium, surplus or deficit
what could affect the relative significance of different sources of sediment?
resistance of coastal rock types & fluvial sediment (geology)
how sheltered/exposed the beach is and its geographical location
wind strength
presence of a river
wave strength
key processes in a costal environment with an example
mass movement events e.g. landslides
sub-aerial weathering e.g. freeze thaw
transportation e.g. LSD
deposition e.g. waves lose energy and drop material
erosion e.g. abrasion
flows of energy in a coastal landscape
kinetic energy of wind and waves
thermal energy e.g. sun dries out sand so its easier to transport and drives currents&winds
GPE causes mass movement and backwash
flows of material in a coastal landscape
aeolian flows can move sediment from beach to sand dune
fluvial provide lots of sediment so depositional features often dominant around river mouths
LSD moves sediment along beach and between beaches
mass movement events e.g. rockfalls and landslides
what percentage of sediment comes from rivers in a coastal landscape?
70-80%
direction of LSD in the UK
N to S in NE UK
W to E in SW UK
difference between erosion and sub aerial weathering?
erosion= wearing away and/or removal of rock/other material by a moving force
sub-aerial weathering= a collective term for weathering(breakdown of material in situ) & mass movement processes
under what 5 conditions does deposition occur?
when rate of sediment accumulation exceeds the rate of removal
when waves slow down immediately after breaking
at top of swash, where water is no longer moving for a brief moment
during backwash when water percolates into the beach material
in low-energy environments, sheltered from wind and waves e.g. estuaries
what is the settling velocity?
the velocity at which sediment particles are deposited
what is a mass movement event?
occurs when forces acting downwards on slope material (mainly resultant force of gravity) exceed the forces trying to keep the material on the slope (predominantly friction)
what are the most significant mass movement events in a a coastal landscape?
those acting on cliffs
lead to addition of material to sediment budget by transferring rocks & regolith onto shore below
what is flocculation?
a process buy which salt causes the aggregation of minute particles (e.g. clay) into larger masses that are too heavy to remain suspended in the water, so are deposited
where does flocculation occur?
where fresh and salt water occur e.g. river mouths/ estuaries
freeze thaw weathering description
water enters cracks/joints and expands by 10% when it freezes
in confined spaces this exerts pressure on the rock, causing it to split/ pieces break off
even occurs in resistant rocks
solution weathering description
some salts are soluble in water. other minerals (e.g. iron) are only soluble in very acidic water (pH3)
any process by which a mineral dissolves in water is known as solution, although mineral specific processes (e.g. carbonation) can be identified
tree root weathering description
tree roots grow into cracks or joints in rocks and exert pressure outward
(operates in a similar way and with similar effects to freeze-thaw)
when trees topple, their root can also exert leverage on the rock/soil, bringing them to the surface and exposing them to further weathering
burrowing animals may also have the same effect
particularly significant on cliff tops/ cliff faces
abrasion description
when waves armed with rock particles scour the coastline; rock rubbing against rock
attrition description
when rock particles, transported by wave action, collide with each other and with coastal rocks and progressively become worn away
they become smoother, smaller and rounder, eventually producing sand
hydraulic action description
when waves break against a cliff face, and air and water trapped in cracks and crevices becomes compressed.
as the wave recedes, the pressure is released the air and water suddenly expands and the crack is widened
pounding description
when the mass of a breaking wave exerts pressure on the rock, causing it to weaken.
forces as much as 30 tonnes per m^2 can be exerted by high-energy waves
force exerted by high-energy waves?
as much as 30 tonnes per m^2
corrosion/ solution (erosion) description
involves dissolving minerals (e.g. MgCO3) in coastal rock.
however, because pH of seawater is around 7 or 8, this process is usually less significant (unless water is locally polluted or acidic. even then, only coastal rocks containing significant amounts of soluble materials are likely to be affected by this)
suspension description
small particles of sand, silt and clay can be carried by currents (accounts for brown/muddy appearance of some sea water)
larger particles can also be carried in this way (esp. during storm events)
traction description
largest particles in the loads may be pushed along the sea floor by the force of the flow
(can be called rolling but movement is seldom continuous)
large boulders may undertake a partial rotation before coming to rest again
saltation description
a series of irregular movements of material which is too heavy to be carried in suspension continuously
turbulent flow may enable sand-sized particles to be picked up (entrained) and carried for a short distance then dropped back down again
similarly, other particles may be dislodged by the impact, allowing water to get beneath them and cause entrainment.
solution transportation description
minerals that have been dissolved into the mass of moving water.
this type of load is invisible and the minerals will remain in solution until water is evaporated and they precipitate out of the solution
what are aeolian processes?
erosional, transportation and depositional processes by the wind
aeolian erosion description
wind picks up sand particles and moves them by deflation.
40km/h
erosive force increases with wind velocity
attrition is more effective than in water because there is no protection
aeolian transportation description
particles are entrained, carried, saltated or moved by surface creep.
40km/h
smallest grains are carried in suspension
aeolian deposition description
material is deposited when wind speed falls, usually due to surface friction inland where friction increases due to vegetation and surface irregularities-> forms sand dunes
what sort of sand is transported most easily by aeolian processes?
dry sand bc its much easier for wind to pick up than wet sand bc moisture increases cohesion between particles so they stick together
smaller grains can be carried in suspension, but most cannot so this limits erosion to about 1m high (limits effects on rocky cliffs/coastlines)
when does longshore drift occur?
describe process of LSD
when waves approach the coast at an angle due to the direction of the prevailing wind
when the waves have broken the swash carries particles diagonally up the beach
under the influence of gravity, the backwash moves them perpendicularly back down the beach. if this movement is repeated, the net result is a movement of material down the beach
also leads to attrition of beach sediment so particles become smaller w/ increasing distance along the beach
rockfall description
where are they common?
what are they triggered by?
sudden collapse or breaking away of individual rock fragments or a block of rock at a cliff face. these rocks fall or bounce down slope to form scree (temp. store)
steep/vertical cliffs in heavily jointed & resistant rock
mechanical weathering e.g. freeze-thaw or an earthquake
mudflow description
what type of bedrock?
sudden and fast-flowing earth and mud flowing downhill, often after heavy rainfall. water gets trapped in rock, increasing pore water pressure, so rock particles are forced apart and slope failure is caused
unconsolidated/weak bedrock e.g. clay
what is pore water pressure?
a form of energy within the slope system
is v important factor in determining slope instability
landslide description
what are they often triggered by?
a block of rock moving v. rapidly downhill along a planar surface, often a bedding plane that is parallel to the ground surface. this block remains largely intact
triggered by earthquakes and v. heavy rainfall bc slip surface becomes lubricated and friction is reduced
landslip/ slump description
occurs in which rock types?
what are they characterised by?
rock moving downhill rapidly along a curved slide surface
weak and unconsolidated clays and sands, often where permeable rock overlies impermeable rock, causing a buildup of pore water pressure
a sharp break of slope and the formation of a scar. multiple car result in terraced appearance on cliff face
soil creep description
movement direction?
charcateristics?
extremely slow movement of individual soil particles downhill. often involves particles rising towards surface due to wetting/freezing, then returning vertically to surface in response to gravity as soil dries/thaws
zigzag movement
forms shallow terracettes, builds up soil on the upslope side of walls and bending of tree trunks
solifluction description
specific to which environments?
forms what
in summer, surface layer of soil thaws and becomes v. saturated bc it lies on top of impermeable permafrost. known as the active layer, this soil w/ vegetation moves downhill by a combination of heave and flow
cold periglacial environments
solifluction lobes
significance of mass movement at the coast
add sediment to the system
rapidly changes coastline significantly
what is wave refraction?
when does it take place?
reorientation of wave fronts as they enter shallow water so that they are about parallel to the shoreline
when waves approach an irregularly shaped coastline (particularly on coastlines with bays and headlands- discordant)
description of how wave refraction takes place
as each wave nears the coastline, it is slowed by friction in the shallower water off the headland
at the same time, the part of the wave crest in the deeper water approaching the bay moves faster bc it is not being slowed by friction
wave bends/refracts around the headland and the orthagonals converge
wave energy and erosive power focused and concentrated on headland ->caves,arches,stacks,stumps
orthagonals diverge in bays and the energy is dissipated so deposition takes place
longshore movement of eroded material into bays bc waves break onto headland at an angle -> build-up of beach sediment
what are orthagonals?
imaginary lines perpendicular to wave fronts, representing transfer of energy as waves form towards coasts
where do swash aligned beaches form
which waves are here?
in low-energy environments e.g. bays which are affected by waves arriving roughly parallel to the shore
where do drift-aligned beaches form
what process affects the beach profile?
where waves approach the beach at an angle.
longshore drift moves sediment along the beach culminating in the formation of a spit
what landforms are associated to swash-aligned beaches
cusps, berms, ridges, runnels
bayhead beaches (curved beaches formed at the back of bays)
cave to stump formation on headlands of bay head beaches
what landforms are associated with drift-aligned beaches
spits, bars, tombolos
beaches that run parallel to the coast
example of a beach
Filey Bay, Yorkshire
5 miles wide
where do beaches form and what do they represent?
formed in bays where there are shallower waters and more sheltered conditions
represent accumulation of material deposited between lowest tides and highest storm waves
how do beaches form?
constructive waves have a stronger swash than backwash, so carry sediment up the beach and then deposit it, because they percolate or lose energy through friction
where do ripples form and why?
further down a beach from cusps,
develop in the sand due to the orbital movement of water in waves
how do longshore bars and runnels form on beaches?
at the lower edge of beaches, sand accumulates to form longshore bars parallel to the waves
material has been combed by plunging destructive waves
breaks in these ridges result from rip currents which form in the strong backlogs, inland of these runnels form
what are cusps?
how do they develop?
small, semi-circular depressions
temporary features formed by a collection of waves reaching the same point and when the swash and backwash have similar strength
the sides of the cusp channel incoming swash into the centre of the depression, producing a strong backwash, which drags material down the beach from the centre of the cusp, enlarging the depression
what are berms?
small ridges that develop at the position of the mean high tide mark, resulting from deposition at the top of the swash
how does a storm beach/storm ridge form?
storm waves hurl pebbles and cobbles to the back of the beach
swash aligned vs drift aligned beaches
swash aligned beaches are more influenced by constructive wave patterns, which are also important for building up large beaches
drift aligned coasts bring in waves at an angle to the shoreline and so therefore, the waves tend to transport sediment down the coast, keeping beaches relatively narrow
what sort of material do beaches contain and where does it come from?
material consists of sand, pebbles & cobbles from cliff erosion, offshore sources and rivers
what are spits and where do they form?
long, narrow beaches of sand or shingle that are attached to the land at one end and extend across a bay, estuary or indentation in the coastline
how do spits form?
when LSD occurs in one dominant direction & carries beach material to the end of the beach then beyond into the open water
storms build up larger material to make the spit a more permanent feature
end of spit often becomes recurved as a result of wave refraction around the end ion the spit or a 2nd wave direction
multiple recurves form over time and become extended
size is limited if the spit is across an estuary due to the flow of the river’s current
spit example
Orford Ness, East Anglia
10 miles long
what are onshore bars?
linear ridges of sand/shingle extending across a bay, connected to land on both sides
how do onshore bars form?
can develop if a spit continues to grow across an indentation e.g. bay, cove in the coastline until it joins onto the land at the other end
they trap a body of seawater behind them, forming a lagoon
what is flandrian transgression?
a period of rapid sea level rise where sediment is driven form offshore sources by waves so a ridge of sediment forms
can form onshore bars
onshore bars example
slapton sands, devon
4km long
what are tombolos?
beaches that connect the mainland to an offshore island
tombolo formation by spit extension
formed from spits that have continued to grow seaward until they reach and join an island
LSD occurs and waves push sediment at an angle so the beach builds up between the mainland and island
tombolo formation by wave refraction and diffraction
waves are slowed down as they enter shallower water around islands, so are refracted around the island, pick up sediment and then deposit it where the waves meet (on the side facing the coast)
this sediment builds up and a sand bar is created joining the island and beach
example of a tombolo
chesil beach dorset= spit extension
st ninians, orkneys= wave refraction 500m long
how are salt marshes formed?
as wave energy is reduces, deposition occurs in sheltered areas. this deposited material e.g. salt and mud builds up, and can result in the growth of salt-tolerant vegetation e.g. eelgrass. the roots of these plants traps sediment so increases the height of the marsh
flocculation aids formation
where do salt marshes form?
in estuaries and on the landward side of spits
what is flocculation
salt causes aggregation of small particles e.g. clay into larger particles (flocculation) which are too heavy to be carried in the river flow, so settle out of suspension and are deposited
daily changes in salt marshes?
subjected to inundation and exposure twice daily as tides rise and fall
example of salt marsh
Abel tasman, New Zealand
characteristics of a cliff
usually at a steep angle of over 40 degrees but may also be vertical or overhanging
often found on the coast with a shore platform below
how are cliffs created?
when destructive waves repetitively break on relatively steep sloping coastlines, undercutting can occur between the high and low tide levels, forming a wave cut notch
continued undercutting of the notch weakens support for the rock strata above, which eventually collapses and produces a steep profile and a cliff
the regular removal of material at the base of the cliff by waves means that the cliff profile remains steep and the cliff retreats inland parallel to the coast
how are cliff profiles affected by geology?
ANGLE OF DIP
chemical composition
how do cliff profiles vary with angle of dip?
HORIZONTAL= steep, almost vertical profile which follows the angle of the dipping strata, parallel to coast, at the base, a gentle sloping shore platform is cut into the solid rock (attacked by abrasion as debris is carried across the surface by wave action), when a rock platform is created due to the rocks being too large to be removed, friction on the platform slows down approaching waves so they break on the platform (rather than the cliff), so undercutting & erosion decreases
SEAWARD= undercutting removes basal support, vulnerable to rockslides, only one rock type facing the sea, lose material easier as it moves down the 45 degree slope into the sea as rock layers loosen in mass movements
LANDWARD= rocks loosened by weather and difficult to dislodge due to the gravitational force pulling them back into place, few rock falls due so the stable profile 70-80 degree slope,
processes contributing to cliff formation besides erosion (main one)
mass movement events e.g. rockfalls
weathering processes e.g. solution, freeze-thaw, salt crystallisation (depends on geology & climate)
when platform is exposed at low tide, marine organisms e.g. algae increase weathering because they release CO2 at night (no p/s can take place), which mixes with seawater, making it more acidic and increasing chemical weathering