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Processes Shaping Coastal Landscapes Flashcards

1
Q

What processes shape coastal landscapes?

A
  1. Wave Action
  2. Subaerial Processes - Physical, or Chemical Weathering
  3. Marine Processes - Transportation Processes or Types of Erosion
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2
Q

How are waves caused?

A

Waves are caused by energy passing through the water, causing the wave to move in a circular motion. They are created by the transfer of energy from the wind blowing over the surface of the sea.

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3
Q

Steps to Creation of a Wave

A

Away from the beach, water moves in a circular orbit in open water. However, when it reaches the shelving sea bed (beach), friction slows down the base of the wave, and the wave becomes more elliptical in movement. It then has an increasingly elliptical orbit, as the top of the wave moves faster. Finally, the wave begins to break.

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4
Q

Draw the creation of a wave.

A

N/a

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5
Q

What is the swash?

A

The swash of a wave is the movement of water up the beach after a wave breaks. It is part of the wave’s energy that pushes sediment (sand, pebbles) up the shore.

The strength of the swash depends on wave energy:
• Strong swash in constructive waves (builds up beaches).
• Weak swash in destructive waves (erodes beaches).

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6
Q

What is backwash?

A

Backwash is the movement of water down the beach and back into the sea after a wave has broken. It happens after the swash (when water moves up the shore), as gravity pulls the water back to the sea. Instead of carrying sand and sediment onto the beach, it takes it away eroding it.

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7
Q

What will wind that blows over a long distance create?

A

Larger waves

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8
Q

What does a large wave signify?

A

More energy contained in it

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9
Q

What is the fetch?

A

The fetch is the maximum distance of water over which the wind can blow.
In South West England, the fetch in from the SW (same direction as the prevailing wind). In East England, the fetch is from the East.

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10
Q

Depositional waves

A
  • also called swell/surging
  • long wavelength (up to 100m)
  • low height (<1m)
  • low frequency (6-8 per minute)
  • swash greater than backwash
  • low gradient
  • low energy waves
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11
Q

Erosional Waves

A
  • also called storm/plunging
  • short wavelength (<20m)
  • high height (>1m)
  • high frequency (10-12 per minute)
  • backwash greater than swash
  • steep gradient
  • high energy waves
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12
Q

Physical Weathering

A

The disintegration of rock into smaller pieces mechanically, as opposed to chemically, by physical processes.

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13
Q

Chemical Weathering

A

The decomposition of rocks caused by a chemical change within the rock

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14
Q

Freeze-thaw or frost-shattering

A

Type of Physical Weathering

  1. Rocks at freezing point may contain cracks
  2. Water enters the cracks during warmer days
  3. The water freezes on cold days, and expands into ice (by about 9%). This expansion puts pressure on the rock, widening the cracks
  4. When the ice melts, the water seeps deeper in the cracks during warmer days. This cycle continues until it eventually causes the rock to break off.
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15
Q

Exfoliation or Onion Weathering

A

A type of Physical Weathering

  1. At cold temperature, the rock cools
  2. At hot temperature, the rock expands
  3. The change of pressure weakens the rock’s outer layers, causing them to peel away over time, like an onion
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16
Q

Draw a diagram of freeze-thaw or frost shattering

A

N/a

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17
Q

Draw a diagram of exfoliation or onion weathering

A

N/a

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18
Q

Biological Weathering

A

The weathering where tree roots penetrate and widen a rock’s weak points, making the rock detached.

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19
Q

Three types of weathering

A
  1. Biological Weathering
  2. Chemical Weathering
  3. Physical Weathering
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20
Q

Draw a diagram of biological weathering

A

N/a

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21
Q

Carbonation or limestone solution

A

A type of Chemical Weathering

Description: The carbonic acid in the rain reacts with calcium carbonate in the limestones dissolving the rock.

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22
Q

Draw a diagram of carbonation or limestone solution

A

N/a

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23
Q

Draw the texture of limestone

A

N/a

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24
Q

What is mass movement?

A

Where rock, soil or sand moves downslope largely under the force of gravity

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25
Forms of mass movement
1. Slumping 2. Sliding
26
What is slumping?
The process of a whole segment of cliff moving downslope due to the weight of saturated rock, most common when permeable rock (allowing water to pass through), lies atop of an impermeable rock.
27
Example of slumping
Gravel (Permeable Rock) is above clay (Impermeable Rock). 1. Rainwater penetrates and soaks the permeable rock (gravel), but cannot pass through clay as it is impermeable, adding weight on the clay 2. The clay becomes saturated, as it takes up its maximum water intake. It flows down a slope in mudfall. 3. Weathering, such as freeze-thaw, weakens the cliff face in rockfall, resulting in potential cliff collapse due to pressure caused 4. The cliff base is undercut by erosion due to waves, human activity or the rivers 5. The resulting exposed scarp slope (the steep, exposed face of a landform, often formed by erosion) leads to the clay facing rotational slumping, where the cliff collapses in a rotational movement, creating the Hummocky Toe
28
Draw the slumping process, labelling steps
N/a
29
What is water?
A very good lubricant in nature
30
What is Sliding?
Sliding is where rocks, laid down in beds, dips towards the sea, able to slide downslope along a slide plane.
31
Sliding steps
1. Rainwater seeps into the cracks of the rock 2. As water is a very good lubricant, the rock begins to slide 3. The rock is overcome by the force or gravity, and slides downslope
32
Draw the sliding process
N/a
33
How long does slumping take?
Hours to days
34
How long can sliding take?
It can be extremely fast, happening in seconds to minutes
35
What is rockfall?
Bit of rock falling off the cliff face, usually due to freeze-thaw weathering
36
What is marine erosion?
The removal of material from the coast by wave action.
37
Types of coastal erosion
1. Corrosion/Abrasion 2. Attrition 3. Solution/Corrosion 4. Hydraulic Action
38
Abrasion process
1. Waves pick up rocks from the sea 2. The waves throw these rocks against other rocks or cliff faces 3. The hitting rubs and smooths the rock like sandpaper
39
Hydraulic Action
1. The power of the waves forces air and water into cracks of the rock 2. This pressure causes the rock to fracture or split apart 3. The faults and notches get bigger
40
Corrosion
1. The water is filled with salt and chemicals 2. The water acts to dissolve certain types of rock they touch (eg. limestone is dissolved by sea salt)
41
Attrition
1. The sea picks up angular rocks 2. The waves knock these rocks into each other 3. This hitting chips away corners of the rock to make them rounder
42
What is geomorphology?
The study of landforms and processes that shape them
43
What are different coastal landforms?
1. Depositional landforms - spit, bar, tombolo or beach 2. Erosional landforms - stump, headland, crack, cave, stack, arch, wave cut platform
44
How are coastal landforms affected?
1. Subaerial Factors - temperatures or weather (rain, snow, frost, wind, sun) 2. Human Factors - pollution, conservation management, buildings, recreation 3. Geographic Factors - rivers, glaciers, mass movement 4. Climate Factors - wind (generates wave and currents), weather (affects weathering of a cliff, sources or beach material), climate change or glaciation (changes in sea level eustatic/isostatic) 5. Biotic Factors - impact of vegetation (coral reefs, etc.) 6. Geology - structure and lithology (rock type) 7. Tectonics - coastal uplift, volcanic activity 8. Marine Factors - waves, wind, tides, salt spray, currents
45
Draw the Headland and Bay diagram
N/a
46
How are headlands and bays formed?
Headlands and bays are formed due to the alternating pattern of resistant (hard) rock, such as sandstone, chalk or limestone, and less resistant rock, such as clay. Powerful waves erode the softer areas to form bays, leaving the harder rock areas to form headlands, vulnerable to erosion, as they are exposed.
47
Draw the formation of a wave-cut platform
N/a
48
How is a wave-cut platform formed?
1. Where there is high tide, a cliff is undercut by waves and collapses 2. The cliff slowly retreats, from the original to present position of the cliff 3. This gradual retreat leaves the wave cut platform, and the wave cut notch at the bottom of the cliff
49
What is longshore drift?
A process that explains how sediment is moved/transported along a coastline
50
What is solution?
The dissolves minerals that are carried by the sea
51
What is saltation?
Small stones, pebbles and silt that bounce along the seabed
52
Traction
Large boulders and pebbles are rolled along the seabed
53
Suspension
Sine material such as clay or sediment is carried by the sea
54
Draw diagram of transportation
N/a
55
What is a sediment cell?
A stretch of coastline within which sediment is sourced, transported and deposited. There are 11 such sediment cells in the UK. These are further broken down into smaller sub-cells. Each cell can be thought of as a closed system, though some transfers do take place.
56
Movement of sediment
Inputs (source of sediment) - cliff erosion, fluvial sediment, eroding depositional features (beach, dunes, spits, etc.) and erosion of wave-cut platforms —Transportation (Longshore Drift, currents, saltation)—> Stores - Sinks/Permanent Storage of Sediment: estuary, submarine canyon, offshore bar/bank, dredging Sub-sinks/Temporary Storage of Sediment: sedimentary features (eg. beach, bar)
57
Discordant Coastline
A discordant coastlines is where the geology alternates between strata (or bands) of hard rock and soft rock, perpendicular to the coast. Bays and headlands are features of this type of coastline.
58
Draw a discordant coastline
N/a
59
Draw a concordant coastline
N/a
60
What is a concordant coastline?
A concordant coastline is a coastline where rock layers run parallel to the shore. This means that the layers of rock are aligned in the same direction as the coastline, making the coast less susceptible to erosion.
61
Draw a cave
N/a
62
Draw a stack
N/a
63
Draw an arch
N/a
64
Draw a stump
N/a
65
Steps to formation of a stump
1. Large crack opened in the rock by hydraulic action. 2. The crack grows into a cave by hydraulic action and abrasion 3. The cave becomes larger 4. The cave breaks through the headland to form a natural arch 5. The arch is eroded and collapses. This leaves a tall rock stack. 6. The stack is eroded, forming a stump
66
Which way does a cliff retreat when a stump is created?
Towards the cliff
67
Where is the Holderness coast?
East coast of England, in the county of East Yorkshire, along the North Sea
68
Holderness coast
- one of the fastest-eroding coastlines in the UK (average rate of 1.7m per year) - mostly made of boulder clay (a soft rock), surrounded by chalk (harder rock) - predominant waves from the north-east hit the coast, eroding it, and they eroded sediment and material is transported along the coast (50km) through longshore drift - most villages behind Flamborough Head are protected (Bridlington, Barmston, Ulrome, etc.) - north of the Humber Estuary and Spurn Head - most villages have coastal defences (eg. Mappleton)
69
Risks to Holderness Coast
- over time, beaches will re-orient themselves until they are parallel to the waves, creating many new wide bays (600-1000 years) - cost of sea defences and maintenance will become unaffordable, as the coast in constantly reshaped by the waves and tidal forces - inhabitants are forced to have their houses demolished and move, as the coast is eroding at a rapid rate

Geography (12 decks)

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