Readings: Coastal Geomorphology Definitions Flashcards
What is coastal geomorphology?
A branch of geomorphology that focuses on the area influenced by large bodies of water including seas, oceans and large lakes
What is the coastal zone?
broad term for the area influenced by proximity to the coast; both the onshore and offshore limits are (deliberately) imprecisely defined
What is the offshore zone?
portion of the profile where there is no significant transport of sediment by wave action. The landward boundary can be defined precisely as the transition to water depths less than one half the wave length of large storm waves. The landward boundary is often defined as the outer limit of the breaker zone
What is the Littoral zone?
portion of the coastal pro fi le where sediment can be transported by wave action. The seaward limit is defined by the water depth at which significant sediment transport by wave action ceases
What is the nearshore zone?
portion of the profile extending from the limit of significant sediment transport by waves to the low tide line.
What is the shoreface zone?
zone dominated by wave action from the offshore landward to the low tide line
What is the shore or beach?
portion of the profile subject to wave action and which is exposed subaerially at least some of the time.
What is the foreshore?
portion of the beach subject to wave action during non-storm conditions.
What is the backshore?
portion of the beach subject to wave action only during storms. During non-storm conditions sand may be reworked by aeolian action.
What is the surf zone?
zone of broken waves (surf bores) extending from the breaker zone to the foreshore.
What is the swash zone?
zone of wave run-up on the beach and return of water in the form of backwash.
What is the intertidal zone?
zone between high and low water (tide).
What is the shoreline?
can be defined instantaneously as the intercept of the mean water level along the beach, but it is often used loosely as the swash limit or the landward edge of the backshore.
