High Energy Coastline (Gower Peninsula) Flashcards
(15 cards)
Where is the Gower Peninsula located?
South Wales
What is the predominant geology of the cliffs in the Gower?
Limestone.
What intertidal landforms are found off the cliffs of the Gower Peninsula?
Shore Platforms.
From what direction do the high energy waves originate from at the Gower, and how long is the fetch?
The prevailing winds from the south west bring waves with a fetch of 7000km up the Atlantic Ocean.
How big is the Gower Peninsula?
180km2
What depositional landforms can be found on the Gower Peninsula?
- A spit to the North West, (Whiteford Sands + Point)
- Sand dunes (Oxwitch Bay(S), Rhossli Bay(W), Broughton Bay(NW))
- Salt marshes on the North protected coast. (Landimore Marsh, Llanrhidian Marsh, Llanrhidian Sands)
How far does the sediment cell the Gower sits in stretch for?
From St. David’s head, in SW Wales, to the Severn Estuary.
What does the Gower provide within its sediment cell?
A sub-cell boundary, with Worm’s head marking the divide.
In what direction is the littoral drift in South Wales?
East, however within bays such as behind the Gower, direction can vary.
- e.g. North East longshore drift creating the Whiteford Spit.
What is the tidal range at the Gower, and what category of tide does this put the Gower into?
The tidal range can be up to 7m, making the Gower a macrotidal coastline.
What is the name of the Gower’s largest beach, and how did it form?
Rhossili Bay, which formed due to the differential erosion of less resistant old red sandstone and boulder clay, flanked by the more resistant limestone forming Worm’s Head to the south and Burry Holms to the North.
What are some characteristics of Rhossili bay?
It is 3 miles long, with a very shallow gradient due to the very small sand particles it is made up of.
What has occurred to the sediment in Whiteford Sands?
It has been sorted, with the finest material nearest the sea, and the coarsest material near the coast.
What has happened behind the beach in Oxwitch Bay?
There are similar wide and flat sand dunes nearer the sea similar to Whiteford Head, but sand dunes have developed behind it, known as the Oxwitch and Nicholaston dunes.
- Behind this, there is also Oxwitch Marsh.
What can be found East of Whiteford Bay and Point?
A sand dune stretching the majority of the Whiteford Beach
- Behind this a series of large salt marshes (Landimore marsh, Llanrhidian salt marsh and the Llanrhidian sands mudflats), stretching the entire north coast of the Gower peninsula.
