OCEA 2000X Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Sand, Sediment Transport, Wave Power
31 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Not so much energy that sand is removed. When waves are the dominant source of energy, sandy shores = beaches. When currents are the dominant source of energy, sandy shores = sand flats. Cultural definition = area between lowest low water and highest high water. Scientific definition = the part of the shore actively modified by waves. A beach is divided into zones based on wave action and position of waterline. When dry, a beach is much like a desert, with low water and low nutrients. Much of the beach is inundated with salt water twice each day. The magnitude of stresses on life depends on wave action, beach slope and sediment size. Water drains from coarse sediment beaches faster than from fine sediment beaches. On steep beaches, more of the beach lies above the low water level. Wave action, beach slope and sediment size are correlated.
