2 min read•Last Updated on July 22, 2024
Ocean waves and tides shape our coasts and seas. Wind creates waves, while the moon and sun cause tides. These forces constantly move water, affecting everything from tiny organisms to massive shorelines.
Coastal processes like erosion and deposition sculpt beaches and cliffs. These dynamics impact marine life and human activities, influencing where we build, swim, and sail. Understanding these patterns helps us protect and enjoy our coasts.
17.1 Waves | Physical Geology View original
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Biogeography | OpenStax Biology 2e View original
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10.1 Wave Basics – Introduction to Oceanography View original
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17.1 Waves | Physical Geology View original
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Biogeography | OpenStax Biology 2e View original
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17.1 Waves | Physical Geology View original
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Biogeography | OpenStax Biology 2e View original
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10.1 Wave Basics – Introduction to Oceanography View original
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17.1 Waves | Physical Geology View original
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Biogeography | OpenStax Biology 2e View original
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A beach is a landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake, or river, consisting of loose particles such as sand, gravel, pebbles, or cobblestones. Beaches are dynamic environments shaped by the interplay of waves, tides, and coastal processes, serving as critical interfaces between land and water. They play essential roles in coastal ecosystems, protecting inland areas from erosion and providing habitats for various marine and terrestrial species.
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A beach is a landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake, or river, consisting of loose particles such as sand, gravel, pebbles, or cobblestones. Beaches are dynamic environments shaped by the interplay of waves, tides, and coastal processes, serving as critical interfaces between land and water. They play essential roles in coastal ecosystems, protecting inland areas from erosion and providing habitats for various marine and terrestrial species.
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Ocean waves are oscillations of water surfaces caused primarily by wind, transferring energy across the surface of the ocean. These waves play a crucial role in coastal processes, impacting erosion, sediment transport, and the overall dynamics of marine ecosystems. Understanding ocean waves is essential for comprehending how they interact with tides and currents, influencing the shape and health of coastlines.
wave period: The time it takes for two successive wave crests to pass a fixed point, usually measured in seconds.
fetch: The distance over water that the wind blows in a single direction, which affects the size and energy of waves.
tsunami: A series of large ocean waves typically caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, resulting in significant and often destructive coastal flooding.
Erosion is the process by which soil, rock, and other surface materials are worn away and transported by natural forces such as wind, water, and ice. This process plays a significant role in shaping coastlines, as waves and tidal movements continually break down coastal landforms, redistributing sediments along the shoreline. Erosion not only alters the physical landscape but also affects coastal ecosystems, impacting both human activities and marine habitats.
Sediment Transport: The movement of solid particles from one location to another due to the action of wind, water, or ice.
Wave Energy: The energy generated by waves as they move across the surface of the ocean, which contributes to the erosion of coastlines.
Coastal Retreat: The process of landward movement of a coastline due to erosion, resulting in loss of land area along the shore.
Deposition is the process by which sediment, soil, and rocks are added to a landform or land mass. This natural process occurs when materials are transported by wind, water, or ice and then settle in a new location, shaping the landscape. In the context of coastal processes, deposition plays a crucial role in forming features such as beaches, deltas, and sandbars as sediment accumulates along shorelines.
Erosion: The process by which natural forces move weathered rock and soil from one location to another, often leading to the loss of landforms.
Sediment Transport: The movement of solid particles, such as sand and silt, from one place to another by natural forces like water or wind.
Longshore Drift: The process that moves sediment along the coast through the combined action of waves and currents, contributing to the formation of various coastal features.
Wave height is defined as the vertical distance between the crest of a wave and the trough of the same wave. It is a critical factor in understanding wave dynamics, influencing coastal processes, and affecting both marine and coastal ecosystems. The height of waves can impact beach erosion, sediment transport, and the behavior of marine organisms, as well as play a role in navigation and maritime activities.
wave period: Wave period is the time it takes for two successive wave crests to pass a fixed point, indicating the frequency of wave occurrence.
fetch: Fetch refers to the distance over water that wind blows in a single direction, significantly affecting wave height and energy.
wave energy: Wave energy is the energy carried by ocean waves, which is influenced by wave height, wavelength, and wave speed.
Wave period is the time it takes for two successive wave crests (or troughs) to pass a fixed point in the ocean. This measurement is crucial as it helps determine the energy and speed of waves, which are essential components of coastal processes and tidal movements. Understanding wave period also aids in predicting how waves will interact with shorelines and impact coastal erosion, sediment transport, and marine ecosystems.
wave frequency: Wave frequency is the number of waves that pass a fixed point in a given amount of time, typically measured in Hertz (Hz).
wave height: Wave height refers to the vertical distance between the crest and trough of a wave, which is an important factor in determining wave energy.
fetch: Fetch is the distance over water that the wind blows in a single direction, significantly influencing wave size and period.
Wavelength is the distance between successive crests or troughs of a wave, typically measured in meters. This key characteristic helps define the nature of waves, including those in water, and influences how they interact with coastal features, currents, and tides. Understanding wavelength is essential for grasping how energy travels through the ocean and how it affects marine environments.
Frequency: The number of wave cycles that pass a point in one second, inversely related to wavelength.
Amplitude: The height of the wave from its rest position to its crest, indicating the energy carried by the wave.
Wave Period: The time it takes for one complete wave cycle to pass a given point, related to both frequency and wavelength.
Currents are continuous, directed movements of seawater generated by various forces, including wind, temperature differences, salinity variations, and the Earth's rotation. They play a crucial role in shaping marine ecosystems, influencing climate patterns, and affecting navigation and fishing activities.
Gyres: Large systems of rotating ocean currents that are driven by wind patterns and the Coriolis effect, forming circular currents in the major oceans.
Thermohaline Circulation: A global ocean circulation system driven by differences in water density, caused by variations in temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline), which helps regulate climate and transport nutrients.
El Niño: A climate pattern characterized by the periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, leading to significant changes in weather patterns and ocean currents.
Coastal development refers to the process of altering coastal environments through construction, urbanization, and resource extraction, which impacts ecosystems and natural processes. This term is crucial when considering how human activities can affect the health and stability of coastlines, leading to changes in marine habitats and the dynamics of waves and tides. The balance between development and environmental preservation is essential to ensure the sustainability of coastal areas.
Erosion: The process by which soil and rock are removed from the Earth's surface by natural processes such as wind or water flow, significantly influenced by coastal development.
Mangroves: Coastal ecosystems characterized by salt-tolerant trees that provide crucial habitats for marine life and protect shorelines from erosion, often threatened by development.
Beach Nourishment: A method of coastal protection that involves adding sand or sediment to beaches to combat erosion and maintain beach health, often used in conjunction with coastal development.
A beach is a landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake, or river, consisting of loose particles such as sand, gravel, pebbles, or cobblestones. Beaches are dynamic environments shaped by the interplay of waves, tides, and coastal processes, serving as critical interfaces between land and water. They play essential roles in coastal ecosystems, protecting inland areas from erosion and providing habitats for various marine and terrestrial species.
Erosion: The process by which natural forces remove soil and rock from one location and transport it to another, often significantly affecting beach profiles.
Tides: The regular rise and fall of sea levels caused by the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and sun, influencing beach characteristics and dynamics.
Longshore Drift: The movement of sediment along a beach due to wave action, which can lead to changes in beach shape and position over time.