ESCI Coasts

Coasts

The areas where the land meets the ocean.

Habitable part of Earth

A thin layer of the Earth's surface where conditions are suitable for life.

Ocean bathymetry

The study of the depth and topography of the ocean floor.

Active Margins

Coasts located on plate boundaries, characterized by narrow continental shelves, cliffs, and steep drop-offs.

Passive Margins

Coasts located far from plate boundaries, characterized by broad beaches and sandy offshore islands.

Sediment

Particles of rock, sand, and other materials transported and deposited by rivers, waves, and currents.

Submarine canyons

Deep canyons formed by the flow of mud and debris from the coast to the deep ocean.

Tides

Small variations in local sea level caused by the gravitational effects of the Sun and the Moon.

Tidal range

The difference in water level between high tide and low tide, which varies spatially.

Waves

Small undulations on the water surface generated largely by wind.

Beaches

Gently sloping depositional surfaces washed over by waves and covered by sediment.

Storms

Low-pressure systems that cause high tides and erosion along the coast.

Rocky coast

A coast characterized by erosion being greater than accretion, resulting in rocky shorelines.

Wave energy

The concentrated energy of waves, which is focused at headlands.

Barrier islands

Long, narrow islands parallel to the coastline that are constantly retreating landward.

Longshore current

A current that transports sediment along the coast due to waves approaching at an angle.

Breakwaters

Structures that change the location of wave breaking and can help protect beaches.

Bank armoring

A method used to temporarily protect the shoreline from erosion.

Land subsidence

The sinking of land, which causes an increase in relative sea level.

Land uplift

The rising of land, which causes a decrease in relative sea level.

Emergent coastlines

Coastal areas that have been uplifted, resulting in the formation of wave-cut platforms.

Submergent coastlines

Coastal areas that have experienced a rise in sea level, resulting in drowned valleys.

Estuaries

Bodies of water along coastlines where freshwater from rivers mixes with seawater.

Glaciers' effect on global sea level

The presence of glaciers leads to a decrease in global sea level.

Glaciers' effect on local sea level

The weight of glaciers causes compression of the crust, resulting in changes in local sea level.

Sea level shifts

Changes in sea level caused by factors such as crustal rebound and climate change.

Worldwide coastal population

3 billion people globally live within 200km of a coastline.

Sunny-day flooding

Occurrence of flooding in coastal areas due to high tides alone.

Percent of Americans living in 1) coastal states and 2) coastal counties

1) 85%, 2) 40%