Coastal Landforms Flashcards
Cliffs
Erosion and Weathering
By Rain, Wind, Waves, Currents, Tides etc
Influenced by Geology, Weather Conditions, Wave Type
Wave Cut Platforms
Erosion and Weathering
Mostly due to Abrasion + Hydraulic Action
Along with Backwash
Influenced by Geology, Weather Conditions, Wave Type
Caves, Arches + Stacks
Gradual Erosion and Weathering
Caves - Cracks in Cliffs (from hydraulic action/abrasion) that grow and grow
Arches - Caves in Headlands/Cliffs that eventually break through the back
Stacks - Arches erode at their base eventually causing head to fall
Influenced by Geology, Weather Conditions, Wave Type
Beaches
Swash and Longshore Drift
Sediment builds up and is also recycled by tides
Spits
Prevailing Winds and Longshore Drift
Gradual erosion of beach at specific angle that produces a cut in mainland, and beach extends across
Tombolo
Spit connecting island to mainland
Prevailing Winds and Longshore Drift
Offshore Bars
Typically by Lots of Strong Backwash
With gradually lots of sediment builds up just off original coastline
Barrier Beaches
Elongated beaches parallel to shoreline
Same as offshore bars (lots of strong backwash) but larger than them
Barrier Islands
Barrier beaches that grow so large over long period of time that they are considered islands
Sand Dunes
Extensive areas of beach that dry out due to low tide
Eventually allowing for loose sands to be blown inwards over time
Estuaries
Ancient glaciers that melted and left deep channels that were then overflowed by seawater
Depositional
Mud Flats
Sediment gradually deposited by tides or rivers in intertidal areas
Salt Marshes
System between land and saltwater that is regularly flooded
They are mudflats that have sufficient nutrients for plant growth
Fjords
Long narrow inlets with steep sides or cliffs, created by glacier
