Coasts-Coastal Landforms Flashcards
What is a dynamic equilibrium
When there is a balance in between the inputs & outputs then the system is said to be in a state of dynamic equilibrium
What is feedback and how can it be termed
If one element of the system changes, for example there is increased deposition on a beach. Feedback can be termed positive or negative.
What is the backshore
Area between the high water mark and the limit of marine activity
What is the foreshore.
The area lying between the high water mark and low water mark. This is the most active area for marine processes but is affected by storms
What is inshore
Area between the low water mark and where waves cease to have any influence on the land beneath them.
What is offshore
Area beyond the point where waves cease to have any impact upon the sea bed & activity is limited to deposition
What is nearshore
This zone combines the foreshore and inshore. Here the waves begin to break to create a swash zone, surf zone and breaker zone
Why is much of the chalk in Flamborough Head covered in boulder clay
During the ice ages the whole area was covered in ice; when the ice melted, boulder clay was deposited over the area.
Explain the geological and marine factors at North Landing in the formation of caves and geos
The jointing is very dense here so there is a lot of faulting as the rock can be fragmented easily, also its open to the North Sea so its open to storm waves from the Artic
Why are headlands and a bay formed at Selwicks Bay even though it is supposedly one rock type (chalk).
Because the headlands chalk has got harder due to severe earth movement causing chemical reactions in this part of the chalk. Also the bay used to be a blow hole, then it was filled with boulder clay, the boulder clay was eroded, then the sea could erode the chalk around he blow hole
What is a swash aligned beach
Swash aligned beaches are where sediment is taken up and down the beach with little sideways transfer
What is a drift aligned beach
Drift aligned beach is where sediment is transferred along a beach by long shore drift
What is a storm beach
This is a ridge composed of the biggest boulders thrown by the largest waves above the usual high tide mark
What is a runnel
These are ridges of sand that are parallel to he shoreline
What are cusps
These are semi circular shaped depressions.
