Physical - Coasts Flashcards

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1
Q

Abrasion (corrosion)

A

Waves carry sediment, pebbles, which is thrown at the cliffs and wears them down.

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2
Q

Attrition

A

Rocks are worn down into smaller particles by being knocked against each other by the waves and rounded in the process.

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3
Q

Arches

A

Where the sea breaks through the back wall of two caves, which developed back to back in a headland.

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4
Q

Barriers/dams/barrages

A

Built across river estuaries to control flow of water.

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5
Q

Bars

A

Form when a spit has stretched right across a bay often leaving a lagoon behind it. Can also refer to an offshore deposition.

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6
Q

Beach replenishment

A

A type of soft engineering. Artificially adding more beach materials to keep a beach in place.

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7
Q

Berms

A

Ridges of material on a beach coursed by the action of the tide at its highest point.

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8
Q

Blow holes

A

Formed when a crack at the back of a cave is opened up to the surface by wave action.

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9
Q

Caves

A

Developed on the coast where there is a joint/crack in the rock which is eroded by the action of waves to form a large opening in the cliff.

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10
Q

Constructive waves

A

Waves that build up beaches.

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11
Q

Destructive waves

A

Waves that erode beaches and cliffs.

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12
Q

Eustatic

A

Global rise or fall in sea level. When the sea level rises or falls in relation to land.

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13
Q

Fetch

A

Distance over which the wind has blown to produce waves.

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14
Q

Freeze thaw

A

Joints in rocks collect water which freezes and expands widening the joint. Then thaws collects more water and freezes again expanding and weakening it until the rock cracks.

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15
Q

Gabions

A

Wire cages filled with rocks to protect the coastline from erosion.

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16
Q

Groynes.

A

Fences or low walls to protect the coast from long shore drift.

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17
Q

Hard engineering

A

Man made structures used to control coastal processes.

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18
Q

Headlands and Bays

A

When hard and soft rock alternate along a coastline (discordant), the softer rock will be eroded to form bays whilest the harder rock remains resistant to erosion and protrudes as a headland.

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19
Q

Hydraulic action

A

Where the force of water in waves loosens material.

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20
Q

Isostatic

A

Refers to local change in sea level. When the land rises or falls in relation to the sea.

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21
Q

Discordant coastline

A

Bands of different rock types that run perpendicular to the coast. This leads to the formation of headlands and bays.

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22
Q

Concordant coastline

A

Layers of differing rock types run parallel to the coast. The outer harder rock provides a protective barrier to erosion of the softer rocks further inland.

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23
Q

Long shore drift

A

Process why which material is moved along a beach in a zigzag pattern
.

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24
Q

Managed retreat

A

Allowing some areas of coastline to be breached by sea in order to protect other areas.

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25
Q

Near tides

A

Lowest tidal range by any lunar month.

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26
Q

Raised beaches

A

Produced when land has risen above sea level , leaving an old beach stranded higher up on the cliffs.

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27
Q

Sloping concrete wall or wood structure to break up waves.

A

Revetment

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28
Q

RIP-Rap (rock amour)

A

Building of various shaped boulders which lock together to break up waves and protect the coastline.

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29
Q

Rotational slumping

A

When a section of the coast slumps into the sea in a concave action.

30
Q

Sand dunes

A

When sand has been blown by the prevailing wind forming large mounds along the coastline.

31
Q

Salt marshes

A

Wet low lying areas near the sea which have been colonised by salt loving plants.

32
Q

Soft engineering

A

Uses natural materials and processes to help protect the coastline.

33
Q

Solution (corrosion)

A

Minerals in the rocks dissolve in water.

34
Q

Spits

A

These are long narrow stretches of sand and shingle which stick out into the sea and are formed by LSD.

35
Q

Spring tides

A

Highest tidal range in a lunar month.

36
Q

Stacks

A

A small offshore island created when an arch rooftop collapses.

37
Q

Storm beach

A

This is a high range at the back of the beach, build up by strong swash during spring tides and storms.

38
Q

Storm surges

A

A rise in sea level associate with low pressure systems and high winds.

39
Q

Swash and backwash

A

With each wave the up beach movement is the swash and the back movement is the backwash.

40
Q

Tidal range

A

Difference in height between high and low tides.

41
Q

Wave cut platform

A

Rocky shoreline which is the base of the old cliffs, which have now been eroded further inland by wave action.

42
Q

Wave cut notch

A

Sea attacks the base of the cliff forming a wave cut notch which increases in size causing the cliff to collapse.

43
Q

What does a negative feedback mechanism do on a costal System?

A

Acts to stabilise coastal morphology and maintain dynamic equilibrium.

44
Q

What are the different zones in a coastal system?

A

Backshore,area between HWM + landward limit of marine activity.
Foreshore, between HWM + LWM.
Inshore, between LWM + point waves have no influence on land beneath them.
Offshore, beyond point where waves cease to impact seabed and activity is limited to deposition of sediments.
Nearshore, extending seaward from HWM to where waves begin to break

45
Q

What is the Coriolis force?

A

The impact of the spinning on the earth. (E.g. on tide levels).

46
Q

What are the different classifications of tidal range?

A

Macrotidal: more than 4m
Mesotidal 2 to 4m
Microtidal: less than 2m

47
Q

What are depressions?

A

Intense low pressure weather systems.

48
Q

Coastal sediment budget

A

Balance between sediment being added and removed from coastal System, that system being defined within each individual sediment cell.

49
Q

What actions can erode a coastline?

A
Hydraulic action 
Wave quarrying 
Abrasion/corrosion
Attrition
Solution
50
Q

What affects the rate of erosion?

A
Wave steepness 
Wave breaking point
Fetch
Sea depth 
Beach presence
Human activity
51
Q

What are the processes of marine transportation?

A

Suspension
Saltation
Solution
Traction

52
Q

What is aeolian deposition ?

A

Movement of beach material by the wind.

53
Q

What are the different types of mass movement?

A
Landslides 
Rockfalls 
Mudflows 
Rotational slip/slumping 
Soil creep
54
Q

How far can a wave cut platform grow?

A

0.5 km (beyond this is very unusual)

55
Q

Eustatic change

A

Global change in sea level resulting from actual fall or rise in level of sea itself

56
Q

Fjord

A

Former glacial valley drowned by rising sea levels.

57
Q

Isostatic change

A

Local changes in sea level resulting from land rising or falling in relation to the sea.

58
Q

Raised beaches

A

Areas of former wave cut platforms and their beaches, which are at a level higher than the present sea level.

59
Q

Ria

A

Former valley drowned by rising sea level .

60
Q

Name some hard engineering strategies….

A
Sea walls
Rock amour 
RIP-rap 
Gabions
Revetments 
Groynes 
Cliff fixing 
Offshore reefs 
Barrages
61
Q

What are the disadvantages of hard engineering?

A

Long lasting

Very effective at protecting

62
Q

Disadvantages of hard engineering?

A

Expensive to repair and maintain.
Defences in one place can have serious consequences for another area of the coast.
Structures often spoil the nature views of the coast.
Disrupt natural habitats on the coastline.

63
Q

Name some soft engineering methods….

A
Beach nourishment 
Beach replenishment 
Dune regeneration 
Managed retreat 
Land use management 
Do nothing
64
Q

What are some advantages of soft engineering?

A
Long term sustainability. 
Less negative impact on the coast and habitats. 
Cheaper . 
Less maintenance needed.
Doesn’t spoil natural views. 
Doesn’t disrupt wildlife.
65
Q

What are some disadvantages of soft engineering?

A

Less effective at protecting the coast than hard.
Takes longer to carry out.
Could put people at risk of losing homes etc.
Could cause controversy over what areas should be protected and what. Shouldn’t.

66
Q

What is are SMPs?

A

Shoreline Management Plans

67
Q

How many SMPs are there in the uk?

A

22 around the coast of England and Wales.

68
Q

What do SMPs do ?

A

The designed to identify the most sustainable approach to managing the flood and coastal erosion risks to the coastline. Aim to plan for short term (0-20yrs), medium term (20-50yrs) and long term (50-100yrs).

69
Q

What does ICZM stand for and what does it do?

A

Integrated Coastal Zone management.
Aims for coordinated application of different policies effecting coastal zone and makes sure management is sustainable and respects limits of natural resources and ecosystems.

70
Q

How many people live on Europe’s coasts?

A

200 million