Coasts key words Flashcards
Abrasion
rocks and other materials are picked up by the sea and thrown against the coastline, causing more material to be broken off
Aeolian processes
erosional and deposition of sand swept away by the wind
Attrition
the erosion of sediment transported by rivers, glaciers, waves and wind
Berm
a nearly horizontal shore parallel ridge formed on the beach due to the landward transport
of the coarsest fraction of the beach material by the wave uprush (swash).
Biological weathering
the breakdown of rocks through the chemical and physical action of living organisms, e.g.
burrowing, tree roots etc
Blow hole
A hole in the ground that connects to an underground, partially submerged ocean cave. The
cave and opening are shaped that when the ocean rises or waves crash into
it, water and air is forced out through the hole.
Carbonation
When carbon dioxide from moisture in the air reacts with carbonate minerals found
in rock. This creates carbonic acid which breaks down rock.
Chemical weathering
Breakdown of rocks by chemical processes such as oxidation, solution and
hydrolysis.
Closed system
A system with inputs and outputs of energy, but without any movement of materials across
system boundaries.
Crevasse splays
Low-lying areas of deposited sediment between levées.
Cryoturbation
Mixing of soils by the freezing and thawing of ground ice
Cusps
A pointed and regular arc pattern of sediment on a beach.
Delta
Wetlands that form as rivers empty their water and sediment into another body of water,
such as an ocean, lake, or another river.
Distributaries
Small branching stream channels that flow away from a main stream or river
Dredging (sand mining)
The removal of sediments and debris from the bottom of lakes, rivers, harbours, and other
water bodies
Dynamic equilibrium
A system displaying unrepeated average states through time.
Emergent landforms
Features of coastal erosion that developed when the sea was at that level and then the
sea level changed during and ice age and now they’re above sea level
Equilibrium
Geomorphic systems that can adjust to changes by reaching a steady state
Eustatic Change
Worldwide change in sea level as a result of changes in the volume of water.
Fetch
The distance of open water in one direction from a coastline, over which the wind can blow.
Fjords
Long, deep, narrow body of water that reaches far inland.
Freeze thaw
A mechanical weathering process caused by water, confined in rock joints, expanding as it
freezes, and as a result breaking rocks into smaller particles.
