Sediment Cells Flashcards
What 3 things do sediment cells have?
Inputs.
Transfers.
Outputs.
What are inputs (sources)?
Primarily from the river, coastal erosion and off shore sources such as banks and bars.
What are transfers (flows)?
Longshore drift mainly together with rip currents.
What are outputs (sinks)?
These include the beach, sand dunes and offshore deposits.
Where does coastal sediment come from?
Seabed. Beaches. River channels/estuaries. Erosion from cliffs. Material from biological origin shells.
The movement of sand and shingle sized-sediment is moved how?
By long shore drift.
Where does the movement of sand and shingle by longshore drift take place?
In separate sediment cells.
How many sediment cells is there along the cost of England and Wales?
11.
As well as smaller sub-ways.
What happens to the sediment in the cells?
Its eroded, moved and deposited within but rarely between the cells.
What happens when sediment leaves the cell?
It results in permanent loss and it can’t be replaced.
What can also impact a cell?
The variations in energy inputs.
What happens when there is interruptions to the movement in one cell?
It should not affect another cell.
Open not closed systems.
Name a problem with sediment cells?
They are only concerned with the movement of coarser particles rather than the movement of suspended material, which can be moved long distances.
Larger cells divided into…
Sub-cells.
The sediments cells are separated from where?
From other areas by well-defined boundaries such as headlands and stretches of deep water.
