zones of a coast

What are the four main zones of a coast?

Onshore, backshore, intertidal/nearside, and offshore/subtidal zone

What is the backshore zone?

The area of the shore that is beyond the influence of wave action, but can be affected during storms

What landforms are there in the backshore zone?

Sand dunes and berms

What is a berm?

The raised ridge formed in the backshore, which separates the backshore from the high tide line in the intertidal zone

What zones are included within the intertidal zone?

The swash, surf and breaker zones

What is the intertidal zone?

The area of a beach that is between the high and low tide lines, and is alternately submerged in water and exposed to air

What is the swash zone?

The area in the intertidal zone where water moves up the beach as swash, and down the beach as backwash

What is the surf zone within the intertidal zone?

The area in which the broken wave travels towards the shore

What is the breaker zone?

The area where the wave breaks due to the depth limitation as the wave travels towards the shore

What is the offshore/subtidal zone?

The area in which is unaffected by tides and is below the low tide level line - permanently submerged