Coastal Systems and Landscapes - ( flamborough head)

Question 1

What type of rock primarily forms Flamborough Head?

Answer 1

Chalk overlain by glacial till

Its high resistance to erosion causes it to protrude as a headland.

Question 2

Which coastal processes dominate erosion at Flamborough Head?

Answer 2

Marine erosion, sub-aerial weathering

Includes hydraulic action, abrasion, solution, cavitation, carbonation, freeze-thaw, and occasional rock-fall.

Question 3

Name the sequence of erosional landforms found at Flamborough Head.

Answer 3

• Cliff face
• Wave-cut notch
• Wave-cut platform
• Caves
• Arches
• Stacks
• Stumps

Example: Selwicks Bay caves → Thornwick Bay stacks.

Question 4

How does wave refraction shape the headland’s wave-cut platform?

Answer 4

Concentrates energy on the headland sides

This is visible at low tide.

Question 5

What is the dominant direction of longshore (littoral) drift around Flamborough Head?

Answer 5

Southwards

Material eroded to the north is carried down-drift along the Holderness coast.

Question 6

What depositional feature develops immediately south of Spurn Head?

Answer 6

The long, narrow Spurn Head spit

Formed by southward longshore drift depositing sand and shingle.

Question 7

Describe the energy regime at Flamborough Head.

Answer 7

High-energy coast

Exposed to North Sea fetch and prevailing northeasterly winds.

Question 8

Which form of mass movement is most common on the chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head?

Answer 8

Rock-fall

Undercutting by waves and freeze-thaw cracking cause blocks of chalk to detach.

Question 9

What human management approach is used at Flamborough Head?

Answer 9

Minimal hard engineering

Area designated as an SSSI and Heritage Coast; reliance on natural processes.

Question 10

Which inputs and outputs define the Flamborough Head coastal system?

Answer 10

• Inputs: Wave energy (North Sea), sediment from cliff erosion
• Outputs: Sediment exported southward via longshore drift

This defines the system’s overall dynamics.

Question 11

What role does sub-aerial weathering play in shaping Flamborough Head?

Answer 11

Carbonation dissolves chalk in crack joints; freeze-thaw widens joints

Both weaken cliff face for marine erosion to exploit.

Question 12

How has recent predicted sea-level rise been assessed in coastal management for Flamborough Head?

Answer 12

Projections inform monitoring of platform erosion rates

Up to +0.6 m by 2100, guiding designation of ‘managed retreat’ zones inland.