Coastal geomorphology
Coastal geomorphology studies the landforms and physical processes shaping coastlines, including erosion, sediment transport, and deposition.
Longshore drift: The movement of sediment along a shore driven by waves approaching at an angle. It redistributes beach sediment and helps build or erode coastal features.
Coastal erosion: The wearing away of coastal rock or sediment by waves, currents, weathering, and mass movement. It drives cliff retreat and the reshaping of rocky and sedimentary shores.
Coastal management: The planning and implementation of measures to manage human activity and change along coasts. Geomorphic evidence helps managers choose and assess interventions.
Barrier island: A long, narrow island of sediment separated from the mainland by a lagoon or bay. Barrier islands illustrate how waves, tides, and sediment supply shape mobile coasts.
Physical geography: The study of natural processes and features of Earth’s surface and atmosphere. Coastal geomorphology is a specialized part of physical geography.
Wave refraction: The bending of waves as they travel through water of varying depth. It concentrates wave energy on headlands and disperses it in bays.
Sediment transport: The movement of particles by fluids, including water and air. Its pathways determine where beaches, spits, and other deposits can form.
Coastal erosion hazard: The risk that shoreline retreat will damage people, property, or infrastructure. Landform change and sediment dynamics help identify places vulnerable to erosion.
Spit (landform): A narrow ridge of sediment extending from a coast, attached at one end. Spits record sediment transport along a shore and changing coastal geometry.
Marine geology: The study of the geological structure, materials, and history of the ocean floor and margins. It emphasizes subsurface geology, while coastal geomorphology focuses on landforms and active surface processes.