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Coastal Processes and Landscapes
Geomorphology/Intro. to Landforms
60
Geology
Undergraduate 1
07/30/2009

Additional Geology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

Define Coast.

Definition
A special zone where interaction of both the sea and land process occur.  (Oceans only)
Term

Define Shore.

Definition

a fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water , such as oceans, seas, or lakes.

Term

Littoral Zone

Definition

from the highest water line to a point where the water is about 200 ft deep

Term

Define Beach.

Definition

coastal zone of sediment shaped by wave action

Term

Define Waves

Definition

a disturbance on the surface of a liquid body, as the sea or the lake in the form of a moving ridge or swell.

Term

How is the size of a wave determined?

Definition

size determined by wind velocity, direction, duration, & fetch (distance over which the wind blows)

Term

Identify and explain the wave components.

Definition

* wave components:

1) height: vertical distance between the crest & the trough

2) length: horizontal distance from one crest to the next

3) period: time interval between 2 successive crests passing a fixed point

* swells: a formation of long wavelength ocean surfaces.

 

Term

Define Wave of Translation

Definition

 a phenomenon in which the nonlinear and dispersive components of wave motion cancel each other, allowing a single pulse of a wave to travel an unusually long distance without losing its form or much amplitude.

Term

What is a Breaker?

Definition

a wall of moving, turbulent surf.

Term

Identify the agents that work on coastal components.

Definition

Waves, currents, and tides

Term

Identify the coastal components.

Definition
coast, shore, littoral zone, beach
Term

Define Wave Refraction

Definition

wave bending; caused by the irregular shape of the shore compared to the incoming wave 

Term

Identify the four types of breakers.

Definition

spilling, plunging, surging, collapsing

Term

Define Surf.

Definition

a series of breaking waves

Term

Define swash.

Definition

the thin sheet of water that slides up the beach after a wave breaks.

Term

What is backwash?

Definition

the water from the swash that flows back toward the ocean 

Term

Name the two types of currents.

Definition

Long shore currents, rip currents

Term

Longshore Currents

Definition

generated by refracted waves; moves parallel to the coast, helping to move sand 

Term

Define Longshore Drift

Definition

Created by Longshore Current; the transport of sand along the beach.

Term

Define Rip Current

Definition

narrow, stream-like flows of water moving perpendicular to and away from the shore.

Term

How will the sand move when it is in a longshore current?

Definition

by suspension and saltation

Term

Which way does a longshore current move in relation to the coast?

Definition

Parallel

Term

Which way does a rip current move in relation to the coast?

Definition

Perpendicular

Term

In which direction does a rip current move in relation to the coast?

Definition

Perpendicular

Term

What is a tide?

Definition

the cyclical rise and fall of water level on the shore due to the Earth's rotation, gravitational pull of the moon, and gravitational pull of the sun.

Term

What are the processes of degradational land forms?

Definition

Hydrolic action, corrasion, corrosion, attrition

Term

What is Hydraulic Action?

Definition

work of moving water against the shore; erosional process

Term

Define Corrasion

Definition

the use of rock fragments in a wave to help erode the shore; erosional process

Term

Define Corrosion

Definition

chemical breakdown; erosional process

Term

What is attrition?

Definition

Pounding waves reduce large fragments to smaller ones; erosional process

Term

How do landslides affect coastal processes?

Definition

causes erosion

Term

What is a sea cliff?

Definition

steep coastal cliff-like ridge; the result of erosion by waves on a headland (resistant rock coastline); erosional landform

Term

Define Sea Cave

Definition

created by waves undercutting at the base of a sea cliff; erosional landform

Term

What is a wave-cut platform?

Definition

the slightly sloped foot at base of sea cliff; erosional landform. 

Term

What are sea arches?

Definition

rock arch under which water can flow; erosional landform

Term

What are sea stacks?

Definition

isolated columns or bits of the former headland; erosional landform

 

Term

Explain offshore.

Definition

area that is always submerged, even at low tide, out to a depth of  about 200 ft; longshore bars may develop in this area; also longshore currents' depositional area.

Term

What is a fore shore?

Definition

area exposed at low tide and covered at high tide; where the most erosion can be seen; depositional area

Term

What is a back shore?

Definition

from high tide line to dune line; results in flat sandy beach beyond daily wave action; depositional area.

Term

What is berm?

Definition

flat sandy beach beyond daily wave action

Term

What are Coastal Dunes?

Definition

created by eolian processes (wind action), with berm sand the primary supply source; depositional landform.

Term

What is sandspit?

Definition

elongated extension of beach into open water in front of a bay or other inlet; formed by a longshore drift; depositional landform

Term

What are Baymouth Bars?

Definition

a spit which grows all the way across a bay opening; depositional landform

 

Term

What is a tombolo?

Definition

a deposition of sand, which joins an island or rock outcropping with the mainland and is usually oriented perpendicular to the shore; depositional landform

Term

What are barrier islands?

Definition

permanent offshore or longshore bar; protects the mainlands.

Term

Give examples of barrier islands.

Definition

Cape Hatteras, Miami Beach, Atlantic City, Chandelier Islands in Mississippi, and in Georgia:  Cumberland, Sapelo, Jeckyll, St. Simon's Islands; depositional landforms

Term

What is a bay?

Definition

broad indentation into a coastline; larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

Term

What is a cove?

Definition

small indentation in a coastline

Term

What is a lagoon?

Definition

shallow body of water that lies between a barrier island, or a baymouth bar and the mainland; the water body of an atoll is also called a lagoon 

Term

What is the difference between emergent and submergent coastlines?

Definition

Emergent coastlines appear to be "uplifted", either due to the sea level falling, or land being raised.

Submergent coastlines seem to be sinking, either by sea level rising (melting glaciers) or the land sinking.

Term

Give an example of an emergent coastline.

Definition

West coast of the United States.

Term

Give an example of a submergent coastline.

Definition

East coast of the United States.

Term

What is a living shoreline?

Definition

those created by, or composed primarily of living organisms

Term

What is a coral reef?

Definition

built of coral & the marine limestone deposits they create; type of a living shoreline.

Term

What is an atoll?

Definition

a circular coral reef with a lagoon in the middle; type of living shoreline.

Term

What is a Mangrove Swamp?

Definition

wetland ecosystem composed of mangrove plants and found along many tropical coastlines; type of living shoreline.

Term

What is a salt-marsh?

Definition

Wetland ecosystem composed of halophytic (salt-tolerant) plants and found along many mid-latitude coastlines; type of living coastline.

Term

Define shoreline.

Definition

dynamic systems involving the energy of waves and currents.

Term

What is a beach?

Definition

a shore built of unconsolidated sediment.

Term

What is a headland?

Definition

resistant rock coastline

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