Introduction and key words Flashcards
erosion is
the weathering away of the Earth’s surface by the mechanical action of processes of glaciers, wind, rivers, marine waves and wind
the fetch is
the distance of open water over which a wind blows uninterrupted by major land obstacles. the length of fetch helps to determine the magnitude (size) and energy of the waves reaching the coast
mass movement is
the movement of material downhill under the influence of gravity, but mainly also assisted by rainfall
weathering is
the breakdown and/or decay of rock at or near the Earth’s surface creating regolith (eg dust) that remains in situ (in position) until it is moved by later erosional processes. weathering can be mechanical/physical , biological/organic or chemical
coastal processes can be thought of as
natural systems
one type of process which is crucial to coastal landscapes are
geomorphological processes
geomorphological processes are driven by
the input of energy, constantly changing the elements of these systems as they tend towards dynamic equilibrium
coastal systems are constantly in search of reaching
dynamic equilibrium