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Ocean and Coastal Landforms
Ocean and Coastal Landforms
75
Geography
Undergraduate 2
04/03/2010

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Cards

Term
Passive Margins
Definition
Plate interiors
Term
Active Margins
Definition
Usually coincide with convergent oceanic-continental boundaries
Term
Continental Shelf
Definition
Continuation of land under the sea; average 1/10 degree slope
Term
Submarine Canyon
Definition
Cut by turbidity currents
Term
Continental Slope
Definition
Average 4 degrees, can range from 1 degree to 25 degrees of slope
Term
Continental Rise
Definition
Apron of debris near base of continental slope; often coincides with deep sea fans: not usually present along active margins
Term
Abyssal Plain
Definition
Flattest plains on Earth
Term
Deep Ocean Trenches
Definition
Associated with convergent oceanic-oceanic boundaries or convergent oceanic-continental boundaries
Term
Warm Water Vents
Definition
< 86 degrees F
Term
White Smoker Vents
Definition
86 to 662 degrees F
Term
Black Smoker Vents
Definition
> 662 degrees F
Term
Tablemounts or Guyots
Definition
Tops are gradually eroded off by wave action, creating a relatively flat top subsea mountain
Term
Ocean Waves
Definition
Wind induced waves that occur along air-water interface
Term
Atmospheric Waves
Definition
Waves along air-air interface between air masses
Term
Internal Waves
Definition
Waves along water-water interface, due to density differences
Term
Splash Waves
Definition
Waves that can be caused by landslides or chunks of glaciers/icebergs sliding into the sea or from meteorite impacts
Term
Seismic Sea Waves / Tsunuamis
Definition
Waves caused by earthquakes on the ocean floor
Term
Tides
Definition
Caused by gravity of moon and sun
Term
Fetch
Definition
Distance over which wind blows in one direction
Term
Wave Base
Definition
The depth at which wave action no longer moves the sediment on the bottom
Term
Surf Zone
Definition
The margin of land where waves expend their energy
Term
Shoaling
Definition
Entering shallower water; to become shallow
Term
Breakers
Definition
Waves breaking due to slowing
Term
Spilling Breakers
Definition
Breaker caused by gently sloping sea floor
Term
Plunging Breaker
Definition
Breaker caused by moderately steep sea floor; best for surfing
Term
Surging Breakers
Definition
Breakers caused by abrupt, steep sloped sea floor
Term
Shore
Definition
A zone that lies between low tide level and the highest elevation on land that is affected by storm waves
Term
Coast
Definition
Area that extends from the shore as far as ocean related features can be found
Term
Coastline
Definition
Boundary between the shore and coast
Term
Shoreline
Definition
The waters edge
Term
Backshore
Definition
Area above the high tide shoreline and covered with water only during storms
Term
Foreshore
Definition
Area exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide
Term
Nearshore
Definition
Area that extends seaward from low tide shoreline to low tide breaker line
Term
Offshore
Definition
Area beyond the low tide breakers, which is deep enough that waves rarely affect the bottom
Term
Beach
Definition
Deposit of shore area that consists of wave worked sediments; from the coastline across the nearshore area; entire active area of a coast that experiences chances due to breaking waves
Term
Recreation Beach
Definition
Area of beach above the shroeline
Term
Wave-Cut Bench
Definition
Flat, wave eroded surface
Term
Berm
Definition
Dry, gently sloping region at the foot of the Coastal cliff or dunes; often made of sand
Term
Beach Face or Low Tide Terrace
Definition
Wet, sloping surface that extends from the berm to the shoreline
Term
Longshore Bars
Definition
Sandbars that are parallel to the coast
Term
Longshore Trough
Definition
A trough that separates the longshore bar from the beach face
Term
Swash
Definition
Water rushing up the beach face toward the berm
Term
Backwash
Definition
Water that drains away from shore
Term
Light Wave Activity
Definition
Less energetic waves, swash dominates
Term
Heavy Wave Activity
Definition
High energy waves, backwash dominates
Term
Summertime Beach
Definition
Light wave activity produces a wide sandy berm and overall steep beach face
Term
Wintertime Beach
Definition
Heavy wave activity produces a narrow rocky berm and overall flattened beach face and prominent offshore bars
Term
Longshore Current
Definition
The zigzag movement of water along a shoreline
Term
Longshore Drift or Longshore Transport
Definition
Movement of sand in a zigzag fashion by the longshore current
Term
Eustatic Changes
Definition
Worldwide sea level changes
Term
Eustatic Changes
Definition
Worldwide sea level changes
Term
Coastal Plain Estuaries
Definition
Estuary that forms as sea level rises creating flooded river valleys. Ex: Chesapeake Bay, Galveston Bay
Term
Fjords
Definition
Form as sea level rises and floods glaciated valley; common where glaciers flowed into sea during ice age
Term
Bar-built Estuaries
Definition
Estuary that is shallow and separated from the open ocean by sand bars that are deposited parallel to the coast by wave action; includes lagoons behind barrier islands
Term
Tectonic Estuaries
Definition
Estuary that forms when faulting or folding of rocks creates a restricted down-dropped area into which rivers flow
Term
Barrier Islands
Definition
Extremely long offshore deposits of mainly sand parallel to shore
Term
Emergent Coastlines
Definition
Coastlines caused by drop in sea level or by tectonically or isostatically rising land
Term
Wave Cut Terraces
Definition
Flat areas well above current coastline; often found along tectonically active coastlines, or where lake levels have dropped
Term
Stranded Beach Deposits
Definition
Deposits located above the current beach; may be old beach ridges
Term
Headlands
Definition
Where the energy is concentrated on a coast
Term
Stacks
Definition
Isolated remnants of former headlands
Term
Spits
Definition
Coastal feature that results from long shore drift of material
Term
Baymouth Bars
Definition
Spit that almost completely or completely blocks the mouth of a bay
Term
Tombolos
Definition
A deposit of sand or gravel connecting offshore island with shoreline
Term
Groin
Definition
Perpendicular to coastline, made of rip-rap
Term
Jetty
Definition
Perpendicular to coastline, made of rip-rap, made to protect harbor entrances
Term
Breakwaters
Definition
Parallel to shoreline, often made to create artificial harbor
Term
Seawalls
Definition
Parallel to shore but on the landward side of the berm. An expensive and usually only a very temporary slowing of erosion
Term
Beach Starvation
Definition
When sand from rivers is stopped by dames or by lining rivers with concrete
Term
Beach Replenishment
Definition
Expensive human delivery of sand for beaches
Term
Tides
Definition
Result from gravitation effect of sun and moon
Term
Spring Tides
Definition
Highest high tides and lowest low tides, from gravity of sun and moon together
Term
Proxigean Tides
Definition
When Spring Tides coincide with perigee of the moon
Term
Neap Tides
Definition
Lowest high tides and highest low tides, results when gravity of sun and moon cancel each other
Term
Bay of Fundy
Definition
Bay between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick; worlds largest tidal range
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