Landforms and Landscapes of Coastal Erosion

Flashcards covering key concepts related to coastal erosion, including definitions of coastal systems, wave refraction, and sediment transport.

What type of system is the coast considered to be?

An open system.

What kind of landform is a beach?

A depositional landform.

How would you describe the energy environment where erosional landforms are found?

A high energy environment.

What are the primary inputs to a coastal system?

Waves and wind.

Describe a small-scale sediment cell.

Theoretically closed, but sediment can be removed beyond the local cell or introduced from elsewhere.

What is wave refraction?

The process by which waves become increasingly parallel to the coastline as they approach an irregular coastline (e.g., where there are bays and headlands).

What happens to waves as they approach a headland?

They slow down due to shallower water, while waves in deeper water continue faster towards the bay, causing the waves to refract (bend around) the headland.

What is the effect of wave refraction on headlands?

Orthogonals (wave direction) converge, focusing wave energy and concentrating it on the headland, leading to erosion.

What is the effect of wave refraction on bays?

Waves diverge, leading to a reduction in energy and resulting in deposition.

What causes longshore currents in the context of headland erosion?

The breaking of waves on the headland will cause longshore currents, moving eroded material from the headland into the bays.

What geological factor can influence the rate of erosion at the coast?

Rock type.