Concordant coastal landscape, Lulworth Cove, Dorset - CASE STUDY

Question 1

Describe the location of Lulworth Cove.

Answer 1

Situated on the south coast of England, Dorset on a concordant coastline.

Question 2

Describe the formation of Lulworth Cove.

Answer 2

1. A river with a high discharge, formed following the ice age, flowed overland to the sea
2. The river cut a valley and breached the structural weaknesses in the Portland stone (limestone)
3. The rising sea flooded into the valley and began to erode the joints and weaknesses in the Purbeck beds
4. The sea then erodes the soft wealden clay (wealden beds), at a fast rate, widening the valley
5. A pan shaped inlet (cove) formed
6. The cove continued expanding by eroding through the greensand rock, this erosion was slowed by the semi-hard chalk beds to produce todays Lulworth Cove.

Question 3

What marine processes take place at Lulworth Cove?

Answer 3

• Wave refraction at the headlands
• Erosion of the headland (cavitation)
• Deposition in the bay
• Solution dissolves the limestone (calcium based rock) weakening the rock
• Differential erosion due to the different strata.