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(13) COASTS

The document provides an overview of coastal processes, including the interaction of water with land, the formation of coastal features through waves, tides, and currents, and the mechanisms of erosion and deposition. It explains the characteristics of waves, such as constructive and destructive waves, and details various coastal landforms like sea cliffs, beaches, and spits. Additionally, it discusses the impact of tidal movements and currents on coastal environments.

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Angel Augustine
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7 views80 pages

(13) COASTS

The document provides an overview of coastal processes, including the interaction of water with land, the formation of coastal features through waves, tides, and currents, and the mechanisms of erosion and deposition. It explains the characteristics of waves, such as constructive and destructive waves, and details various coastal landforms like sea cliffs, beaches, and spits. Additionally, it discusses the impact of tidal movements and currents on coastal environments.

Uploaded by

Angel Augustine
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COASTS

COASTS

The coast can be defined as “the point where the sea meets the land
and they overlap and interact”.

Approximately 71% of the earth’s surface is covered by water and the


majority of this water is in the oceans and sea (97%). As a result water
in the seas and oceans, as an agent of erosion is very active on the
extensive coastlines found throughout the world including the coasts of
the Caribbean islands.
OCEANS AND SEAS OF THE WORLD
CARIBBEAN SEA
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
COASTAL PROCESSES
Water at the coast helps to:

- Erode the land

- Transports the eroded materials

- Deposits the eroded materials

Water at the coast in the form of:

- Waves

- Tides

- Currents

Helps to carry out, these processes to form coastal features.


WAVES
Waves in the sea are an up and down oscillatory movement of
water. Waves in the sea are generally caused by the friction
of wind blowing over the surface of the water. The stronger
the wind the larger the wave and the more energy it has.

The stretch of open water over which the wind blows


constantly is the fetch.
WAVES

The highest point of a wave is called the crest.

The lowest point between two successive crests is called the


trough.

The distance from one wave crests to the next successive


wave crest is called the wave length.

The perpendicular distance from two successive wave crests


and the trough between them is called the wave height.
WAVES
WAVES

As waves approach the coast and enter shallower water, friction with
the sea floor causes the wave length to decrease and the wave height
to increase until the wave becomes too steep and it collapses or breaks
on the shore.

The water from the wave which flows up the beach is called the swash
and the water which flows down the beach back into the sea is called
the backwash.
WAVES
WAVES
WAVES
WAVE REFRACTION
Wave refraction takes place when there is a change or bending
in the direction of the wave front from its original direction, as
waves approach shallower water near the coast. This
refraction of the wave is caused by the friction of the wave
with the sea floor as it enters shallower water.
WAVE REFRACTION
WAVE REFRACTION
CONSTRUCTIVE WAVES
Constructive waves are waves that approach the shore
at a rate of about seven per minute.

These waves are widely spaced.

The swash is stronger than the backwash and as a


result materials are transported up the beach and
deposited as the water recedes.
CONSTRUCTIVE WAVES
DESTRUCTIVE WAVES
Destructive waves are waves that approach the shore
at a rate of twelve to fourteen per minute.

These waves are close together.

The backwash is stronger than the swash. Sediments


and beach materials are swept seawards by the
retreating sea.
DESTRUCTIVE WAVES
CONSTRUCTIVE AND
DESTRUCTIVE WAVES
TIDES
Tides are the alternate rising and falling of the sea, usually twice in
each lunar day at a particular place due to the gravitational pull of the
moon and sun.

During New moon and Full moon places on Earth experience higher
than normal tides called Spring tides due to the position of the Sun and
Moon.

There is a gradual transition to Neap tides during the first and last
quarters due to the position of the Sun and Moon.
TIDES
TIDES
CURRENTS
A current is a horizontal movement of water. Tidal currents
are caused by gravitational interactions between the Earth and
the sun and Moon.
GLOBAL OCEAN CURRENTS
OCEAN CURRENTS AROUND TRINIDAD AND
TOBAGO
RIP CURRENTS
A rip current, often simply called a rip, is a specific kind of
water current that can occur near beaches with breaking
waves.

A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water which


moves directly away from the shore, cutting through the lines
of breaking waves like a river running out to sea.

An undertow or rip current or rip tide is an undercurrent that


flows along a beach and beneath the surface layers of water,
removing materials from the beach.
RIP CURRENTS
RIP CURRENT
EROSIONAL PROCESSES OF WAVES
Waves erode the coast in four ways. The mechanical methods of erosion are similar to
those of a river along its valley.

Corrasion or abrasion is the mechanical or physical action of waves carrying sand and
rock fragments, which are hurled against the base of cliffs.

Corrosion is the solvent or chemical action of the sea on limestone and chalk rocks.

Attrition is the process by which rock fragments along the coast are broken up by
impact with each other.

Hydraulic action is the process by which rock particles are loosened and separated
from the main mass by air compressed into cracks and crevices by the force of waves.
TRANSPORT PROCESSES OF WAVES
Transport Processes at the Coast
- Solution
- Suspension
- Saltation
- Traction
- Longshore or Littoral drift
LONGSHORE DRIFT
GROYNES HELP TO PROTECT BEACHES FROM EFFECTS OF
LONGSHORE DRIFT
COASTAL EROSIONAL
FEATURES
SEA CLIFFS
Sea cliffs are formed as a result of coastal
erosion processes. As the waves pound
against the coast a notch is formed. As the
notch gets deeper the overhanging rock
becomes unstable and collapses to form a
cliff.
SEA CLIFFS
SEA CLIFFS
WAVE CUT PLATFORM
A wave-cut platform is the narrow flat
area often found at the base of a sea
cliff that was created by erosion.
WAVE CUT PLATFORM
WAVE CUT PLATFORM
A
HEADLAND AND BAYS
headland is a coastal landform, a point of land
usually high and often with a sheer drop that extends
into a body of water. Headlands are characterized by
high, breaking waves, rocky shores, intense erosion,
and steep sea cliff.

A body of water partially enclosed by land but with a


wide mouth, affording access to the sea.
HEADLAND AND BAYS
VIEW OF A HEADLAND FROM MARACAS BAY LOOKOUT,
NORTH COAST, TRINIDAD.
MARACAS BAY, NORTH COAST, TRINIDAD
HEADLANDS AND BAYS ON A COASTLINE
CAVES, ARCHES, STACKS AND STUMPS
CAVES, ARCHES, STACKS AND STUMPS
CAVE ON THE COAST OF MONOS ISLAND OFF THE
NORTHWEST PENINSULA, TRINIDAD.
ARCH AT PARIA BAY, NORTH COAST, TRINIDAD
STACKS AT COLUMBUS BAY, SOUTH COAST,
TRINIDAD.
STACKS AT COLUMBUS BAY, SOUTH COAST,
TRINIDAD.
BLOWHOLES

A blowhole or marine geyser is formed as a sea cave grow


landwards and upwards into vertical shafts and expose
themselves towards the surface, which can result in hydraulic
compression of sea water that is released through a port from
the top of the blowhole. The geometry of the cave and
blowhole along with tide levels and swell conditions
determine the height of the spray.
BLOWHOLES
BLOWHOLES
BLOWHOLES
GEO

A geo is an inlet, a gully or a narrow and deep cleft in


the face of a cliff. They are created by the wave driven
erosion of cliffs along faults and bedding planes in the
rock. Geos may have sea caves at their heads. Such
sea caves may collapse, extending the geo, or leaving
depressions inland from the geo.
GEO
GEO
COASTAL DEPOSITIONAL FEATURES
BEACH
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water such
as the sea which consists of loose particles. The
particles composing a beach are typically made from
rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles.

A bay head beach is sand or shingle beach in the low-


energy environment at the head of a bay.
BEACH
Parts of a beach
SPITS
A Spit is narrow coastal land formation that is tied to
the coast at one end. Spits frequently form where the
coast abruptly changes direction and often occur
across the mouths of estuaries; they may develop
from each headland at harbor mouths.
SPITS
SPITS
PALISADOES SPIT IN JAMAICA
PALISADOES SPIT IN JAMAICA
TOMBOLO

A tombolo is a deposition landform in which an island


is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land
such as a spit or bar.
TOMBOLO
SCOTT’S HEAD TOMBOLO, DOMINICA
TOMBOLO
BAR

Sandbar also called offshore bar is a submerged


or partly exposed ridge of sand or coarse
sediment that is built by waves offshore from a
beach. The swirling turbulence of waves
breaking off a beach excavates a trough in the
sandy bottom.
BAR
BAYMOUTH BAR

A baymouth bar is a depositional feature as a result


of longshore drift. It is a sandbank that partially or
completely closes access to a bay. These bars usually
consist of accumulated gravel and sand carried by the
current of longshore drift and deposited at a less
turbulent part of the current.
COASTAL DEPOSITIONAL FEATURES
COASTAL DEPOSITIONAL FEATURES
MUDFLATS
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats,
are coastal wetlands that form when mud is
deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in
sheltered areas such as bays, lagoons, and
estuaries.
MUDFLAT

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