High energy Coastline - Saltburn to Flamborough head

Question 1

Salt burn to Flamborough head

Answer 1

Rocky upland area
High wave energy
60 km long coastline

Question 2

Geology

Answer 2

Mainly of sandstone, shales and limestone formed during the Jurassic period as well as some Carboniferous
Flamborough head at the end of the coastline is a chalk headland, with till on top left behind from the glacial period

Question 3

Energy

Answer 3

The dominant waves affecting this coastline are from the N and NW, the fetch is greater than 1500 km
The most exposed parts of the coast are facing north, such as near Saltburn and so receive the greatest input of wave energy
Erosion rates vary along the coast:
0.8m/year shale and clay
0.1m/year sandstone and limestone

Question 4

LSD

Answer 4

High energy inputs = high LSD - however sediment often interrupted by headlands and so sediment accumulates to form beaches in the bays - Finley bay

Question 5

Sediment sources

Answer 5

Nearshore - driven onshore as sea levels rose at the end of the last glacial period
Cliff erosion - Sandstone and chalk, boulder clay and gravel
River Esk enters at Whitby - this supplies only limited sediment due to construction of weirs

Question 6

Beach survey results

Answer 6

Salt burn has had a net increase of sediment of 9245 m3 between 2008 and 2011
File bay has had erosion and accretion, influenced by winter storm systems

Question 7

Cliffs

Answer 7

Sediment rocks of this coastline are horizontally bedded - cliff profiles are vertical as a result
Made of chalk - v resistant
Overlying till is lowered by mass movement to an angle of about 40 degrees

Question 8

Shore platforms

Answer 8

High - energy waves and active erosion mean that cliffs are eroding along the coastline
This leads to the formation of a rocky shore platform
Robin hoods bay - Typical angle of 1 degree

Question 9

Headlands and bays

Answer 9

Disconcordant coastline

Robin hoods bay
Eroded in to relatively weak shale
More resistant sandstone either side forming the headlands

Filey bay
Eroded in to weak kinneridge clay
More resistant limestone and chalk either side forming the headlands

Question 10

Headlands features

Answer 10

Due to wave refraction, wave energy is concentrated on resistant headlands projecting into the North Sea
These then form into arches and stacks
Over 50 geos have formed on this headland - water erodes a fracture or crack

Question 11

Beaches

Answer 11

Very few well developed beaches along the coastline
Low input of sediment from rivers and slow erosion of the resistant rocks
High energy waves also remove the sediment before it can accumulate
Considerable LSD, high tidal angle 4m, lack of estuarine environments means the coastline lacks spits