Coastal Landscapes in the UK

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  • Created by: ajshala1
  • Created on: 07-05-18 14:31

Coastal Processes (Expanded)

Longshore Drift:

  • Waves follow the direction of the prevailing (most common) wind.
  • Waves hit the coast at an oblique angle.
  • The swash carries material up the beach, in the same direction as the waves.
  • The backwash then carries material down the beach, at right angles.
  • Over time, meterial zigzags along the coast.

Why is sediment deposited in coastal areas?

  • Water slows down so it isn't moving fast enough to carry material.

File:Longshore drift.svg

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Coastal Landforms (Erosion)

Wave-cut Platforms:

Waves cause most erosion at the foot of a cliff forming a wave-cut notch. The rock above the notch becomes unstable and eventually collapses. Collapsed material is washed away and a new notch starts to form. Repeated collapsing and retreating, leaving behing a wave-cut platform.

Headlands & Bays:

These forms where there are alternating bands of resistant and less resistant rock along a coast. The less resistant rock is eroded quickly and forms a bay, which has a gentle slope. The resistant rock is eroded more slowly and it's left jutting out, forming a headland.

Caves, Arches & Stacks:

Waves crash into the headlands and enlarge the cracks, causing a cave to form. Continued erosion deepns the cave until it breaks through, forming an arch. The rock supporting the arch eventually collapses from erosion, forming a stack.

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Coastal Landforms (Deposition)

Beaches:

  • Found between the high water mar and the low water mark.
  • Formed by constructive waves depositing material like sand and shingle.

Spits & Bars:

  • Spits form at sharp bends, LSD transports material past the bend and deposits it in the sea.
  • Strong winds and waves can curve the end of the spit, forming a recurved end.
  • A bar is formed when a spit joins two headlands together.
  • The bar cuts off the bay from the sea, forming a lagoon.

Sand Dunes:

  • Formed when sand deposited by LSD is moved up the beach by wind.
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Example of Coastal Management: Holderness Coast

Reasons for Management:
Erosion is causing the cliffs to collapse. 1.8m of land is lost to the sea every year. There are towns and villages where people live. The gas terminal which supplies 25% of the UK's gas is on the cliff.

The Strategy: (2mil)

Placing rock armour along the base of the cliff.
Building two rock groynes to trap sand and create a beach to absorb the power of the waves.

Resulting Effects & Conflicts:

The village and gas terminals are no longer at risk from erosion.However did lead to a loss of land and a loss of habitat for wildlife.

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