GEOL 118 Lecture Notes - Lecture 31: Coastal Erosion, Surf Zone, Sediment Transport
28 Apr 2016
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Geol 118 - lecture 31 - coastal erosion. Where land meets ocean or large lake. Includes beaches (surf zones) and estuaries (semi-enclosed bodies of mixed fresh and salt water that attract many organisms) Beaches = earth"s most dynamic environment due to continuous erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment by waves or tides. Beaches can undergo great changes during single storm or gradual continuous change due to rising sea level. Even stable beach has continuous sediment transport. Process only pose problem when people live in environment. People live near coasts because of mild climate, abundant food, easy transportation and enjoyable living. Human intervention often occurs to protect developed areas from coastal erosion. Such measures often fail or transfer problem to different location. Wave = energy in motion (mechanical energy moving through water. Waves release their energy at shoreline when they break. Direct relationship with wave size and all 3 factors.
