Case study - Saltburn to Flamborough Head

Question 1

Name 3 things that influence wave power.

Answer 1

Fetch - distance waves travel before hitting coastline, longer distance + more speed and energy built up by wind
Aspect - Prevailing wind = from north, northerly aspect (facing north) takes more impact, increasing erosion,
Time of Year - winter waves = more destructive - more storms, higher wind and energy for destructive waves

Question 2

SB - what type of rock?

Answer 2

Lias - shale
- weaknesses so easier to erode

Question 3

SB - name amount of deposition

Answer 3

• 9 245 m cubed
• beach surveys 2008 to 2011

Question 4

SB to FH - name sediment sub cell

Answer 4

sub cell 1d of major sediment cell 1
- Cell ends at FH

Question 5

SB to FH - What is wave energy concentrated on?

Answer 5

• Wave refraction results in wave energy concentrated on resistant headlands that project into the North Sea

Question 6

SB to FH - name direction dominant longshore drift

Answer 6

• North to South
• high energy imputs make lsd significant

Question 7

SB - FH what interrupts longshore drift?

Answer 7

• sediment movement interrupted by headlands
• sand and shingle accumulate, forming beaches in bays e.g. Filey Bay

Question 8

SB to FH - name direction of dominant waves

Answer 8

From the North to Northwest

Question 9

SB to FH - what is the fetch distance?

Answer 9

1 500 km

Question 10

SB to FH - name place receiving highest wave energy.
Give 3 reasons why.

Answer 10

Saltburn
- Aspect North East
- 1500 km fetch
- more dominant waves

Question 11

SB to FH - What does discordant coastline lead to?

Answer 11

• Formation of headlands and bays

Question 12

SB to FH name cliff profile and explain

Answer 12

• sedimentary rocks horizontally bedded
• result in cliff profiles with vertical face

Question 13

SB to FH - name most exposed parts of coast

Answer 13

• North facing
• e.g. areas near to Saltburn
• recieve highest inputs of wave energy

Question 14

SB to FH - describe rates of erosion

Answer 14

Rates of erosion vary
- differences in wave energy input
- variations in resistance of different geologies

Question 15

SB to FH - name the part which is more sheltered?
Why?

Answer 15

Robin Hood’s Bay to Filey Bay
- More easterly aspect

Question 16

SB to FH - explain fluvial input?
- main river name
- location of estuary
- sediment impact? Why?

Answer 16

• River Esk = only large river
• Whitby
• Limited fluvial sediment - weirs, reinforced banks

Question 17

SB - FH name sediment sources

Answer 17

• near shore area, driven onshore by rising sea levels end of last glacial period
• cliff erosion - sandstone and chalk from resistant rock outcrops, boulder clay deposits yeilding gravel
• limited fluvial sediment

Question 18

SB to FH - describe shore platform existance and give e.g

Answer 18

• Robin Hood’s Bay is good example
• ## Erosion in to lower lias shale

Question 19

SB to FH - 2 reasons for low sediment input

Answer 19

• limited sediment from River Esk
• low rates erosion from resistant rocks
• high energy waves remove sediment before it can accumulate

Question 20

SB to FH - describe beaches

Answer 20

• Few well developed beaches
• best in sheltered, low energy environments
  e.g. Scarborough, Filey Bay

Question 21

SB - FH - reasons for lack of features of deposition

Answer 21

• High tidal range of around 4 m
• Lack of estuarine envirnments (provide sediment sinks)

Question 22

SB to FH - what extent influenced by human activity?

Answer 22

relatively limited

Question 23

SB to Robin Hood’s Bay - name cliff types

Answer 23

Boulder clay and gravel

Question 24

SB to Robin Hood’s Bay - give erosion rate

Answer 24

0.8 m shale annually

Question 25

SB to Robin Hood's Bay - name the **aspect change**. - Why - What is the impact?

Answer 25

Robin Hood's Bay to Saltburn eroded to change aspect from North to **North East** - eroded aspect faces oncoming waves, worsening erosion, higher rate of retreat

Question 26

SB to Robin Hood's Bay - name **coastline shape** - explain

Answer 26

Straight - High erosion, eroded at the same rate - Lias and lower oolite | Lias = early jurasic

Question 27

SB to Robin Hood's Bay **cliff height**

Answer 27

Higher than Flamborough (20 to 30 m) - often with stepped profile - reflect more varied geology - steeper slope segments formed in more resistant sandstone and limestones - gentler slopes correspond to weaker clays and shales, lowered by mass movement processes

Question 28

SB to Robin Hood's Bay - name **coastline height and type**

Answer 28

- Cliff 400 m above sea level - Sandstones, shale, limestones

Question 29

Robin Hood's Bay - result of **discordant coastline**?

Answer 29

- Headlands of more resistant bands of sandstone - Eroded into relative weak shales

Question 30

Whitby - give **wave height**

Answer 30

- Often exceeded 4m even in summer months

Question 31

Scarborough - **rock type**?

Answer 31

Limestone - resistant rock

Question 32

Scarborough to FH - give the **erosion rate**

Answer 32

less than 0.1 m sandstone annually

Question 33

Scarborough to FH - name **cliff types**

Answer 33

Sandstone and chalk

Question 34

Filey Bay - what is **dominant process**? Why?

Answer 34

**Deposition** - protected from wave energy by surrounding cliffs (immediately before Flamborough head)

Question 35

Filey Bay - result of **discordant coastline**?

Answer 35

- Back of bay is clay - Limestone and chalk either side

Question 36

Filey Bay - name **processes** observed

Answer 36

- zones of erosion and acretion - reflect winter storm system - erosion at back of beach particularly significant in winter

Question 37

FH - give **size and material** - erosion risk

Answer 37

Large (typically 20 - 30 m high) chalk headland - resistant rock, physically very strong with tightly bonded mineral particles - bays either side clay | geos are weaknesses where the land cuts straight in

Question 38

FH - give **landforms**

Answer 38

- caves, blowholes, geos - chalk is more cohesive, harder to erode

Question 39

FH - what is responsible for varied **coastal scenery**?

Answer 39

- differences in rock resistance - cause high cliff / bay sequence

Question 40

FH - describe **creation of rock** / weaknesses

Answer 40

- late cretacious / early tertiary period - uplift of sedimentary rock by tectonic processes - folding and faulting of rock - exposed rocks, affecting resistance to geomorphic processes

Question 41

FH coastline - how are **caves** and **arches** formed?

Answer 41

Large joints or faults are exploited by the erosive actions of the waves

Question 42

FH coastline - name **arches** and **stacks**

Answer 42

- Stack = Green stacks pinnacle - Selwicks Bay (chalk) = cave, arch and stack

Question 43

FH coastline - give number of **geos**

Answer 43

- Over 50 - Most aligned to N / NE facing dominant wave direction | Inlet perpendicular to coastline

Question 44

FH coastline - why are there **blowholes**?

Answer 44

- Blowholes develop in chalk - Vertical master joints in cliff have been enlarged - Chalk / boulder clay collapse into underwater caves, leaving a depression on cliff top - N side Selwicks Bay several merge, chalk between collpse, producing complex inlet