COASTS Flashcards

1
Q

What is a model?

A

A way of understanding a complex world in simple form.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the four factors every model has.

A

1) Inputs
2) transfers
3) outputs
4) boundaries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the input?

A

Anything added to the model

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the transfer?

A

Processes within a model

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is the outputs?

A

Anything leaving the model.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the boundaries?

A

The outer area of a model.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is an open system?

A

Has inputs and outputs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a closed system?

A

Doesn’t have inputs or outputs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is energy in terms of natural systems?

A

Driving force/ power

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are stores and components in terms of natural systems?

A

The individual elements which make up a system.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is positive feedback?

A

The flow/ transfer which results in increase/growth. creating change in balance of system = new equilibrium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is negative feedback

A

Where flow/transfer result in decrease/ decline. to restore the balance of the system = dynamic equilibrium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Dynamic equilibrium

A

Represents the state of balance within a changing system.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

how does wind travel?

A

diffuses from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

factors which increase wind strength

A

^duration, ^extent of pressure gradient, ^fetch

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

how are waves formed? (6 steps)

A

1) wind over water = frictional drag.
2) circular motion of water
3) shallower water = friction at sea floor
4 )elliptical movement
5) WL and velocity decrease and height increases
6) water backs up and rises to breaking point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

formation C+D

A

near weather system = D

far weather system = C

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

wave form C+D

A

low surging wave, long wavelength C

short walelength, high plunging wave = D

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

beach profile C+D

A

steep, but flatten over time with erosion LOSS= D

gentle incline, but becomes steeper w deposition GAIN=C

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

neeptide

A

lowest tidal range

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

spring tide

A

highest tidal range

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

rip current

A

strong localised underwater current when plunging waves are met with breaking waves causing currents to form between.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

tides

A

change in water level due to position of sun and moon.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

wave refraction

A

energy concentrates around headlands and dissipates in bays - erosional and depositional land forms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

sediment cells

A

stretch of coastline that is a relatively closed system usually bordered by 2 headlands. eg Christchurch bay

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

no. sediment cells in england and whales

A

11

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

sub cells

A

link marine processes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

sediment budget

A

losses and gains of materials and energy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

weathering

A

breaking down of rocks in situ, not due to sea, leads to transfers of materials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

mechanical weathering (4)

A

exfoliation (temp) , freeze thaw, crystallisation (salt crystals), wetting & drying

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

coastal marine processes

A

erosion, deposition, transpotration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

sub-areal proccesses

A

weathering, mass movement and run off

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

chemical weathering

A

carbonation (acid rain calcium carbonate to calcium bicarbonate )
oxidisation (rusting)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

biological weathering

A

plants, animals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

slumping

A

stages, rotational slip, saturation and undercutting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

soil creep

A

gradual movement of individual particle, wet dry, g

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

rock fall

A

rapid free fall, steep slope , dry conditions, freeze thaw

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

landslides

A

sections of cliff detached, saturation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

mud flow

A

steep slopes, saturated clay, little vegetation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

run off

A

flow over impermeable surface, transports fine materials

41
Q

factors influencing mass movement (3)

A

angle of slope, vegetation cover and rainfall

42
Q

erosional

A

break down and transportation of materials, action by sea

43
Q

erosional processes (5)

A

attrition (s,r,s), abrasion(cliff face) , corrosion ( chemical), hydraulic action, quarrying ( vibrations on cliff), cavitation (expanding air)

44
Q

transportation

A

movement of materials from one part of shoreline to another

45
Q

transportation processes (6)

A

longshore drift, offshore currents, suspension (small), traction (sea bed), solution (dissolved) , saltation (shingle bounce)

46
Q

Deposition

A

materials build up when energy declines

47
Q

causes of energy decline

A

1) alternating energy source (wind change)
2) stopping flows
3) increases friction
4) increased load - too big to move

48
Q

discordant coastline

A

geology at 90* to the coastline with alternating soft and hard rock

49
Q

concordant coastline

A

geology in parallel to the coastline, only hard rock.

50
Q

featured of coastal erosion (8)

A

wave cut platform
bays, headlands
caves, blowholes, arcs, stacks and stumps

51
Q

describe the process of wave cut platforms

A

waves erode cliff base = basal shelf.
its uncovered at low tide and covered at high tide
cliff retreat = wider wcp
eventually friction increases reducing erosional effect
= negative feedback loop
BUT change in imput (eg. sl rise) = process starts again

52
Q

What is a blowhole?

A

when the joints in the cave roof give way to expose the cave roof.

53
Q

Features of costal deposition (6)

A

beaches
spits, bars and tombolos
barrier island
sand dunes

54
Q

berm

A

terraces = positional change of high tide

55
Q

cusp

A

crescent shaped indentations that form in the junctions between sand and shingle on the beach

56
Q

runnel

A

ridges of finer material parallel to the shore

57
Q

Storm beack

A

top of beach, larger courser materials

58
Q

spit

A

long narrow beach which extends into the sea from the shore.
causes a positive feedback loop
may curve due to change in prevailing wind direction

59
Q

tombolo

A

spit that joins an offshore island

60
Q

bar

A

spit which extends to the other side of a bay forming a lagoon.

61
Q

barrier island

how are the formed?

A

series of depositional islands running parallel to the shore but unattached. can form offshore bars as they get longer.
deposits due to limited tidal range and increased friction.
possibly occurring after the ice age with rapid SL rise.

62
Q

dune formation

A

embryo dunes, foredunes, fixed dunes form, dune slacks,

dune health.

63
Q

cavitation

A

wave recedes, compressed air expands violently, exerting a force on the rocks and causing pieces to break off.

64
Q

wave quarrying

A

the energy of the wave as it breaks against the cliff is enough to detach pieces of rock.

65
Q

offshore bar

A

bars can form off the coasts as materials move inland. they may be partly submerged.
may be eroded to form smaller barrier islands.

66
Q

sand dune

A

found immediately behind an active beach zone. Wind blown sand is fixed by vegetation.

67
Q

sand dunes are most likely to develop in what conditions?

A

sandy beaches
large tidal zone - lots of exposed beach
shallow beach gradient - more exposed sand at low tide
persistent offshore wind and saltation

68
Q

how are embryo dunes formed?

A

windspeed drops = sand deposited

yellow in colour

69
Q

what are foredunes?

A

developing embryo = vegetation adds organic matter= more plants = root systems, flowering plants = reduced salt content = due become grey

70
Q

what is a fixed dune form?

A

wind blows sand behind the foredunes while it is unstable

71
Q

dune slacks

A

depressions between substantial dunes

high moisture content as they are closer to the water table

72
Q

dune health

A

dunes develop more inland and drought tolerant plants grow beyond active sand accumulation.
there is better pH content, Hummus content and moisture retention.

73
Q

salt marsh and estuarine deposit develop in:

A
  • areas of sheltered water
  • slow energy environment - no strong tides/currents
  • where salt water meets freshwater
74
Q

pioneer plants

A

early colonisers that can withstand harsh conditions

  • dense stems and roots reduce tidal current and increase deposition
  • plants die and decompose = high level of submergent shore.
75
Q

mudflats to saltmarshes

A
  • pioneer plants colonise
  • plant roots with trap sediment building upwards to create a salt marsh.
  • only covered at high tide = flowers develop.
76
Q

rock hardness

A

some rocks are more resistant and erode differently

eg) granite erodes slowly and becomes angular

77
Q

rock structure

A

joined and fractured rock vs solid blocks due to make up of tectonic movement
eg) limestone is jointed

78
Q

structural alignment

A

angle of layers in relation to coastline - influencing rate of erosion and shape of cliff.

79
Q

eustatic change

A

change in sea level relative to the land.
caused by a change in the volume of water in the sea or a change in the shape of the ocean basin.
has a GLOBAL effect

80
Q

cause of eustatic change

A

climate change:
- increase temp = melting of ice sheets & thermal expansion
- decreased temp = more snow, increasing water stored in glaciers, decreasing sea level.
tectonic activity:
- increase/ decrease size of ocean basin

81
Q

isostatic change

A

change in height of land relative to mean sea level. LOCAL scale.
downward movement = relative SL rise
uplift = SL falls (locally)

82
Q

cause of isostatic change

A

1) isostatic recovery of land due to melting ice sheets
2) post glacial readjustment
3) subsidence due to shrinkage, eg) after abstraction of groundwater
4) tectonic processes

83
Q

how have sea levels changed over the last 10,000 yrs

A

as temperature rose, ice sheets melted and sea level rose rapidly reaching its present level 4000 yrs ago

84
Q

what causes sea level change on a daily basis?

A

tidal cycle
onshore wind
low atmospheric pressure systems

85
Q

impacts of sea level rise on coastal areas?

A
  • more frequent and severe flooding
  • submergence of low lying islands (Maldives)
  • changes in the coastline
  • contaminated water sources and farmland
86
Q

raised beaches

A

eustatic fall of sea level or isostatic recovery = beaches are left above the high tide mark so become colonised by vegetation and develop into soil.

87
Q

relict cliffs

A

cliff lines which are much higher than current sea levels. Wave cut platforms, and headland features are left above than the high tide mark.

88
Q

Rias

A

flooded river estuaries with valley sides emerging
the flood plains become submerged by SL rise.
deepest at the mouth, narrower and shallower inland.

89
Q

Dalmatian coastline

A

sea level rise, filling hill valleys and dividing hills leaving islands parallel to the coastline.

90
Q

fjords

A
glacial troughs (u shaped) that become flooded.
leaving deep inlets with near vertical cliffs arising from either side.
91
Q

changing landscapes: process sequence

A

development of a landform in multiple landform stages evident along the coastline.

92
Q

changing landscapes: casual sequence

A

consequential change.
eg) chalk cliffs erode = pebble beaches
and sandstone = sandy beaches.

93
Q

changing landscapes: spatial sequence

A

area zonation

erosion from one place results in deposition of another

94
Q

changing landscapes: temporal sequence (time)

simultaneous and successive

A

simultaneous= rising sea level on a slowly emerging coastline (isostatic recovery) = maintenance of sea level

successive = erosional features developing into a cliff line of relic and raised beaches

95
Q

by 2100 the IPCC predicted a sea level rise of ?

A

0.44 - 1m

96
Q

since the last glacial period, how much has the sea level risen by?

A

125m

97
Q

the las 3000 yrs have been stable until the 19th century where sea levels rose by?

A

6cm

98
Q

how much did sea levels rise in the 20th century?

A

19cm