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Geography - Physical > Coasts > Flashcards

Coasts Flashcards

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1
Q

What landform is formed due to destructive waves from the Atlantic Ocean?

A

Old Harry Rock

Old Harry Rock is located on the coast of England and is an example of erosional landform.

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2
Q

What processes contributed to the erosion of the chalk cliff face at Old Harry Rock?

A
  • Wave quarrying
  • Wave pounding
  • Abrasion

These processes are driven by the south westerly prevailing winds.

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3
Q

What material is Old Harry Rock primarily composed of?

A

Chalk

The chalk structure contains evidence of flint.

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4
Q

What geological features were formed by the erosion processes at Old Harry Rock?

A
  • Cave
  • Arch
  • Stack

The arch collapsed due to additional weight from rainwater absorption.

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5
Q

What is the effect of wave cut notches at the base of Old Harry?

A

They progress further by pounding and abrasion, leading to regular rock falls and the formation of a stump

This is part of ongoing exogenic processes.

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6
Q

How does carbonation affect the chalk at Old Harry Rock?

A

It helps to decompose the chalk further

Low pressure atmospheric events can accelerate this change.

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7
Q

What significant event occurred to Old Harry’s Wife in 1896?

A

It collapsed due to a low pressure atmospheric storm

This illustrates the impact of weather on coastal landforms.

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8
Q

What remains submerged by the English Channel high tide?

A

The chalk wave cut platform

This platform is affected by solution processes.

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9
Q

What is abrasion in the context of erosional processes?

A

Wearing away of shoreline by material carried by the waves.

Material that falls to the base of a cliff becomes tools used by waves for erosion.

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10
Q

Define wave quarrying.

A

Force of water into cracks and joints compresses air which explodes as the wave retreats, gradually enlarging the area of weakness.

This process contributes to the erosion of coastal features.

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11
Q

What is wave pounding?

A

Force of water on rocks up to 30,000 kg/m² in severe storms.

This high pressure can significantly erode rock formations.

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12
Q

Explain the solution process in erosion.

A

Wearing away of rocks by dissolving minerals by acidic water, particularly effective on limestones.

This process contributes to the formation of karst landscapes.

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13
Q

What is attrition?

A

Rounding and reduction of particles carried by waves.

Leads to shingle and then sand which are deposited as beaches.

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14
Q

What are the inputs in the coastal system?

A

Sources of sediment such as waves, wind, and sediment (biogenic and clastic).

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15
Q

What are the outputs in the coastal system?

A

Deposition on the beach and offshore, movement away by wind and by sea.

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16
Q

List the processes involved in the coastal system.

A
  • Erosion
  • Weathering
  • Aeolian
  • Deposition
  • Longshore Drift (LSD)
  • Waves
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17
Q

What are the flows in the coastal system?

A
  • Longshore Drift (LSD)
  • Mass movement
  • Tides
  • Currents
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18
Q

What are the stores in the coastal system?

A
  • Beach
  • Sand bar
  • Spit
  • Salt marsh
  • Sand dunes
  • Cuspate foreland
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19
Q

Name the factors affecting coastal processes.

A
  • Climatic conditions (temperature and precipitation)
  • Marine factors (waves, currents, tides, sea level rise)
  • Biological factors (plants and animals)
  • Human factors (management and usage)
  • Aeolian factors (creation of waves, saltation)
  • Hydrological factors (river input, surface water)
  • Coastal geomorphology (type of rock)
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20
Q

What is clastic sediment?

A

Sediment from rock weathering and erosion, including clay, mud, cobbles, and boulders.

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21
Q

What is biogenic sediment?

A

Sediment made from the shells and skeletons of marine organisms.

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22
Q

Define a sediment cell.

A

A length of coastline where the movement of sand or shingle is relatively self-contained.

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23
Q

What are the two types of sediment cell boundaries?

A
  • Littoral drift divide
  • Sediment sink
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24
Q

What is dynamic equilibrium in the coastal system?

A

A state of balance between accretion and erosion that is constantly changing.

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25
What can affect dynamic equilibrium?
* Sediment supply * Waves * Location of shoreline * Sea level changes
26
What causes spring tides?
The alignment of the moon and the sun, creating a large gravitational pull.
27
What are neap tides?
Tides that occur when the moon is at its 1st or 3rd quarter, reducing the gravitational pull.
28
What is fetch?
The distance that waves travel, directly proportional to maximum wave height.
29
What are the characteristics of destructive waves?
* Short wavelength (<20 meters) * High frequency (10-12 per minute) * High amplitude (>1 meter)
30
What are constructive waves characterized by?
* Long wavelength (up to 100m) * Low frequency (6-8 per minute) * Low amplitude (<1 meter)
31
What is the difference between concordant and discordant coasts?
* Concordant coasts have rock running parallel to the coast. * Discordant coasts have rock running at right angles to the coast.
32
Name the types of physical weathering.
* Stress release * Granular disintegration * Hydration * Biological weathering (plants)
33
What are the types of mass movement?
* Rockfall * Slide * Slump * Flow * Creep
34
What is abrasion in marine erosion?
The wearing away of shoreline by the material carried by waves.
35
What is wave quarrying?
The force of water into cracks and joints, compressing air and causing it to explode as water retreats.
36
What is a characteristic of Lulworth Cove?
A concordant section of coast where geological layers are parallel to the coast.
37
What type of coastal environment is Swanage Bay?
A discordant section of coast where geological layers run at right angles to the coast.
38
What is the role of vegetation in coastal processes?
Vegetation can stabilize soil and influence weathering processes.
39
Fill in the blank: The maximum wave height is directly proportional to fetch with the formula H = _______.
0.36 x
40
What geological features are formed where hard layers like Purbeck limestone and chalk receive limited erosion?
Ballard point and Durlston head ## Footnote These features contrast with the soft clay and sand that erode to form a bay.
41
What is Old Harry rocks?
A chalk stack composed of calcium carbonate that originated from a collapsed cave ## Footnote Erosion processes include solution, aeolian forces, and wave quarrying.
42
What causes the formation of a blow hole like the Red crane blow hole?
Movement of water through softer rock during high tides and storms ## Footnote A foreign example includes the Kiama blowhole in Australia.
43
What is a stair hole?
A linear cleft in a cliff formed by wave erosion on a weak point ## Footnote Erosion occurs at faults, joints, and fractures.
44
What is an example of vertical cliffs in the UK?
East Cliff at West Bay ## Footnote A foreign example is Cape Enniberg in the Faroe Islands.
45
What is Durdle door?
An arch formed as a cave is eroded, composed of hard Portland limestone and Purbeck limestone ## Footnote Wave cut notches at the base contribute to the erosion process.
46
How does a wave cut platform form?
Waves erode land, leaving a layer of hard rock below water ## Footnote This can still be eroded by processes like carbonation if the rock is limestone or chalk.
47
Define solution in the context of coastal transport.
Minerals dissolved in seawater carried in solution ## Footnote An example includes calcium carbonate molecules.
48
What is suspension in coastal transport?
Small particles carried in water, making it look cloudy ## Footnote These particles will be deposited if water loses velocity.
49
What is saltation?
Grains of sand bounce along the seabed ## Footnote This can also occur on land with dry sand particles being blown by the wind.
50
What is traction in coastal transport?
The rolling of pebbles and large sediment along the sea floor.
51
What does LSD stand for in coastal processes?
Longshore drift ## Footnote It involves the movement of sediment along the beach in the direction of the prevailing wind.
52
What is flocculation?
Occurs when fresh water mixes with salt water, causing salt and clay particles to group and sink ## Footnote This process is observed in Poole Harbour.
53
What is sediment sorting?
Arrangement of sediment by marine processes based on shape and size ## Footnote Large unrounded pebbles are found at the base of headlands, while small smooth pebbles are closer to shore.
54
What are the characteristics of swash aligned beaches?
Swash and backwash run opposite, with swash coming straight up to the beach ## Footnote Requires low energy waves with a strong swash.
55
Describe drift aligned beaches.
Formed when LSD occurs, aligning sediment with the prevailing wind ## Footnote Examples include Swanage Bay and the Holderness coast.
56
What is a cuspate foreland?
Land formed when LSD moves sediment in two directions and accretion occurs ## Footnote Example includes Dungeness in southern England.
57
What is a spit?
A landform created when LSD moves sediment over the mouth of a river, causing accretion ## Footnote Examples include Spurn head and Sandbanks.
58
What is a tombolo?
A spit that connects to an offshore island ## Footnote Example includes the tombolo behind Man o War rock.
59
What are the stages of sand dune formation?
Embryo dunes, foredunes, yellow dunes, grey dunes, and fixed dunes ## Footnote Each stage has distinct characteristics and ecological functions.
60
What are embryo dunes?
Initial stage of sand dunes formed by wind movement of dry sand particles.
61
What characterizes foredunes?
Formed from embryo dunes with stabilizing plant growth ## Footnote Plants like Lyme grass help stabilize the sand.
62
What is a salt marsh?
A coastal ecosystem formed by the colonization of mudflats by halophytic plants ## Footnote It develops as conditions allow for plant growth above the high-water mark.
63
What is the primary characteristic of coral reefs?
Formed in warm, clear, shallow waters with specific temperature and light conditions ## Footnote Key areas include the Caribbean and SE Asia.
64
What is the mutualistic relationship in coral reefs?
Coral polyps and zooxanthellae ## Footnote Polyps provide CO2 for photosynthesis, and zooxanthellae provide sugars and lipids for growth.
65
What are the stages of mangrove development?
White mangroves, black mangroves, and red mangroves ## Footnote Each type has unique adaptations to cope with saltwater and inundation.
66
What is isostatic change?
Adjustment of land levels due to the removal or addition of weight ## Footnote Example includes the rebound of Scotland after the last ice age.
67
What is eustatic change?
Global sea level changes due to variations in water volume ## Footnote Factors include melting ice caps and thermal expansion of water.
68
What can cause rapid changes in coastal environments?
High energy storm events and mass movement processes ## Footnote Example includes rockfall at Dead man’s cove in Cornwall.
69
What seasonal changes affect beach profiles?
Summer brings low energy constructive waves, while winter brings high energy deconstructive waves ## Footnote Seasonal variations can reshape beaches significantly.
70
What is glacio-isostasy?
The adjustment of land following deglaciation. ## Footnote Glacio-isostasy refers to the vertical movement of the Earth's crust in response to the melting of ice sheets and glaciers.
71
Define hydro-isostasy.
When an increase in glacial melt adds water to oceans, increasing their weight and pushing them down, lowering sea level. ## Footnote Hydro-isostasy impacts sea levels and coastal landscapes through the redistribution of water.
72
What creates an emergent coastline?
The fall in sea level creates an emergent coastline with a raised beach. ## Footnote An emergent coastline often features old relic cliff lines and marine terraces.
73
What are the visible features associated with a raised beach?
Relic cliff line, relic caves, stacks, deposited sediment, exposed marine terraces. ## Footnote These features indicate previous sea levels and coastal processes.
74
What is eustatic change?
The rise in sea level following an increase in volume of seawater due to melting of land ice. ## Footnote Eustatic changes can also be influenced by thermal expansion of water due to rising temperatures.
75
What major eustatic change occurred at the end of the Quaternary ice age?
The Flandrian transgression, which involved sea level rise following ice melt. ## Footnote This change created fjords, rias, and bars such as Chesil and Slapton sands.
76
How does sea level rise affect coastal erosion?
Increases erosion, brings waves closer to shore causing more scouring, loss of land, more weathering, increased mass movement. ## Footnote The impact of sea level rise can significantly alter coastal landscapes.
77
What are some positive impacts of coastal processes on human activity?
Growth of tourism, economic growth, environmental management, perception, international publicity. ## Footnote These factors can lead to increased revenue and investment in coastal areas.
78
List the economic benefits of tourism in coastal areas.
* Investment in visitor centers * Growth of services (shops, catering, accommodation, transport) * Settlement growth in areas like Lyme Regis and West Bay. ## Footnote Tourism can significantly boost local economies.
79
What conservation efforts are important for coastal areas?
* Zonation to protect areas * Pollution control measures * Protection of landscapes and species. ## Footnote These efforts help to maintain biodiversity and the natural environment.
80
Identify some negative impacts of coastal processes on human activity.
Economic and social losses associated with coastal erosion. ## Footnote Coastal erosion can threaten local industries, homes, and infrastructure.
81
What is the cost associated with the coastal defense project along the promenade in Lyme Regis?
£26 million. ## Footnote Coastal defenses are crucial for protecting businesses and infrastructure from erosion.
82
What management strategies were implemented at Lyme Regis?
* Rock armour * Drainage systems * Double sea wall * Beach nourishment. ## Footnote These strategies aim to mitigate the impacts of coastal processes.
83
What is the 'hold the line' strategy?
Use coastal defenses to stop erosion. ## Footnote This approach was adopted by Lyme Regis in 1998 to protect the town.
84
What are some issues caused by human activity in coastal areas?
* Footpath erosion * Littering * Damage from boats and seabed activities. ## Footnote These issues necessitate management and conservation efforts.
85
How does offshore dredging impact marine environments?
* Kills shellfish * Damages slow-growing corals * Increases turbidity affecting filter feeders. ## Footnote Dredging can have severe ecological consequences.
86
What management strategies are used to protect sand dunes?
* Limiting visitor access * Boardwalks * Planting trees. ## Footnote These strategies help stabilize dunes and reduce erosion.
87
What are the consequences of sand extraction for commercial purposes?
Decreases the level of sand in the area and increases erosion. ## Footnote Sand extraction can disrupt local ecosystems and coastal stability.

Geography - Physical (2 decks)

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