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Coasts & Population & Skills > Coasts Key Words > Flashcards

Coasts Key Words Flashcards

0
Q

Abrasion/Corrasion

A

The wearing away of the shoreline by sediment, usually through friction, scraping, scouring and rubbing

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1
Q

Abandon the line

A

Withdrawal of human occupation in areas of risk. Often unpopular with farmers and property owners

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2
Q

Accretion

A

The accumulation of marine sediments. Where deposition exceeds erosion

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3
Q

Advance the line

A

Active intervention to produce a defensive line out at sea.

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4
Q

Arch

A

A raised area left when two caves erode back to back on a headland

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5
Q

Attrition

A

When particles are reduced in size and rounded by colliding with each other

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6
Q

Backwash

A

Movement of water back towards the sea after a wave has broken

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7
Q

Bar

A

Deposit of sediment extending across the mouth of a bay, sometimes reaching the other side and cutting it off

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8
Q

Berm

A

Low hill of sand that forms at the upper limit of the swash. They are short term features that are removed by tides and storms

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9
Q

Beach nourishment

A

Sand and shingle from elsewhere that is added to a beach to maintain its length and breadth to protect the coast

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10
Q

Blow-hole

A

A pipe leading from a cave up through a cliff to the surface

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11
Q

Breaching

A

Failure of defences allowing flooding by tidal or storm action

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12
Q

Char

A

An island formed at a river delta

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13
Q

Constructive waves

A 
Low frequency (6-8 per minute)
Produces a gentle beach gradient 
Powerful swash weak backwash
High deposition
Large wavelength
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14
Q

Concordant geology

A

The alignment of rock types that are parallel to the coastline

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15
Q

Corrosion

A

When carbonates dissolve in the water. Also when salt crystals evaporate and expand, causing the rock to disintegrate

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16
Q

Cusp

A

Crescent shaped depressions formed between varying sediments (sand and shingle) formed by a strong swash and backwash

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17
Q

Cuspate Foreland

A

A triangular accumulation of sediment along the coastline formed by longshore drift in opposing directions

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18
Q

Deltas

A

When the sediment delivered to the mouth of a river exceeds sediment removed a delta is formed

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19
Q

Destructive waves

A 
High frequency (10-14 per minute)
Strong backwash weak swash 
Steeper beach profile
High erosion
Short wavelength
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20
Q

Discordant geology

A

When the rock type runs perpendicular to the coastline

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21
Q

Do nothing

A

Where no action is taken to protect the coast

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22
Q

Downdrift

A

The direction of the net longshore drift

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23
Q

Dunes

A

Mound like landforms composed of sand that has been blown off the beach by onshore wind. Embryo dunes > foredunes > yellow dunes > grey dunes > wasting dunes

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24
Q

Eustatic

A

Changes in sea level, usually on a global scale, due to variations in the amount of water in the oceans

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25
Q

Fetch

A

The distance of uninterrupted water surface over which the wind has blown to form waves. A greater fetch increased energy

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26
Q

Fjord

A

Very deep u shaped estuaries formed by the drowning of glaciated valleys

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27
Q

Flood

A

temporary excess of water that spills over onto land

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28
Q

Flood Frequency

A

How often a flood occurs

29
Q

Gabions

A

Cages enclosing rocks to defend the coast

30
Q

Geo

A

Steep sided narrow inlet

31
Q

Groyne

A

Posts and boards that run perpendicular to the coastline to trap eminent drift along the shore

32
Q

Halophytes

A

Plants that can tolerate salty conditions

33
Q

Hard engineering

A

Structures engineered to protect cliffs from erosion

34
Q

Hold the line

A

Taking action to maintain the current position of the coastline

35
Q

Hydraulic action

A

Force exerted by moving water

36
Q

Isostatic

A

Changes in sea level, usually on a local scale, due to the rise and fall of land masses

37
Q

Isthmus

A

A narrow piece of land connecting two larger pieces of land

38
Q

Longshore drift

A

Movement of sediment in a zig-zag pattern Downdrift

39
Q

Magnitude

A

The size of a flood

40
Q

Managed retreat

A

The deliberate re-establishment of the line of defence inland and allowing the original coastline to be breached

41
Q

Mass movement

A

Sub aerial process where gravity, usually along with rain, causes material from the coastline to move down the cliff

42
Q

Psammosere

A

Successions of stages of plant growth, found at sand dunes

43
Q

Recession

A

With coasts, it is when a coastline retreats

44
Q

Retreat the line

A

Intervention to set back the line of defences

45
Q

Revetment

A

Defences aligned parallel to the coastline

46
Q

Ria

A

A river valley that has been drowned, usually by sea level rise

47
Q

Runnel

A

Ridges in the beach which form In strong backwash. Runnels separate pools of water at the low tide level

48
Q

Saltation

A

Sand bounces across the surface of the beach blown by wind

49
Q

Sediment cell

A

A length of coastline that is relatively self contained as far as the movement of sand and shingle is concerned

50
Q

Sediment sink

A

Point or area where sediment is irretrievably lost from a coastal cell, such as an estuary

51
Q

Slumping

A

When the base of the cliff is undercut and material slides down the cliff face

52
Q

Soft engineering

A

Protecting coastlines using more natural methods

53
Q

Spit

A

Long ridges of sand and shingle that is connected to land at one end

54
Q

Spring tide

A

Particularly high or low tides caused when the Sun, Moon and Earth are in alignment.

55
Q

Surges

A

Changes in water level as a result of meteorological forces, like storm surges

56
Q

Swash

A

Movement of water up a beach away from the sea as a wave reaches the shore

57
Q

Swell

A

A circular motion caused by wind in the open sea which is non-moving

58
Q

Tidal range

A

The variation from mean water level between high and low water mark

59
Q

Tombolo

A

Shingle ridge linking island to mainland

60
Q

Updrift

A

The direction opposite to predominant longshore drift

61
Q

Wave cut platform

A

A flat rock area in the intertidal zone created by a succession of wave cut notches, where the cliff has collapsed

62
Q

Wave crest

A

The highest point of a wave

63
Q

Wave energy

A

Energy= wavelength x wave height x 2

64
Q

Wavelength

A

The distance between two successive crests

65
Q

Wave period

A

The time for a wave to travel one wavelength

66
Q

Wave steepness

A

The ratio between wave height and wavelength

67
Q

Wave refraction

A

As waves enter shallow water they are affected by friction, if they meet a headland they curve towards the headland, in a bay the waves spread out and dissipate

68
Q

Wave trough

A

The lowest point of a wave

69
Q

Weathering

A

The breakdown of rocks in situ (in their original location without them being moved). This produces finer particles

Coasts & Population & Skills (5 decks)

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