Schematic representation of the shoreface profile

The surf zone or breaker zone is the nearshore part of a body of open water between the line at which the waves break and the shore. As

ocean surface wave In fluid dynamics, a wind wave, or wind-generated water wave, is a surface wave that occurs on the free surface of Body of water, bodies of water as a result of the wind blowing over the water's surface. The contact distance in the wind directi ...

s approach a

shore A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

, they interact with the bottom, get taller and steeper, and break, forming the foamy surface called ''surf''. The region of

breaking wave In fluid dynamics and nautical terminology, a breaking wave or breaker is a wave with enough energy to "break" at its peak, reaching a critical level at which linear energy transforms into wave turbulence energy with a distinct forward curve. ...

s defines the surf zone. After breaking in the surf zone, the waves (now reduced in height) continue to move in, and they run up onto the sloping front of the

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...

, forming an uprush of water called swash. The water then runs back again as backwash. The water in the surf zone is relatively shallow, depending on the height and period of the waves.

Animal life

The animals that often are found living in the surf zone are

crabs Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura (meaning "short tailed" in Greek), which typically have a very short projecting tail-like abdomen, usually hidden entirely under the thorax. Their exoskeleton is often thickened and ha ...

clams Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve mollusc. The word is often applied only to those that are deemed edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the sea floor or riverbeds. Clams h ...

, and

snails A snail is a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gas ...

. Surf clams and mole crabs are two species that stand out as inhabitants of the surf zone. Both of these animals are very fast burrowers. The surf clam, also known as the variable coquina, is a filter feeder that uses its gills to filter microalgae, tiny

zooplankton Zooplankton are the heterotrophic component of the planktonic community (the " zoo-" prefix comes from ), having to consume other organisms to thrive. Plankton are aquatic organisms that are unable to swim effectively against currents. Consequent ...

, and small particulates out of seawater. The mole crab is a suspension feeder that eats by capturing zooplankton with its antennae. All of these creatures burrow down into the sand to escape from being pulled into the ocean from the tides and waves. They also burrow themselves in the sand to protect themselves from predators. The surf zone is full of nutrients, oxygen, and sunlight which leaves the zone very productive with animal life.

Rip currents

The surf zone can contain dangerous rip currents: strong local currents which flow offshore and pose a threat to swimmers. Rip-current outlooks use the following set of qualifications: # ''Low-risk rip currents'': Wind and/or wave conditions are not expected to support the development of rip currents; however, rip currents can sometimes occur, especially in the vicinity of jetties and

pier A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...

s. Know how to swim and heed the advice of lifeguards. # ''Moderate-risk rip currents'': Wind and/or wave conditions support stronger or more frequent rip currents. Only experienced surf swimmers should enter the water. # ''High-risk rip currents'': Wind and/or wave conditions support dangerous rip currents. Rip currents are life-threatening to anyone entering the surf.

References

* Pinet, Paul R (2008) ''Invitation to Oceanography'', Chapter 11: The Dynamic Shoreline. Edition 5 revised. Jones & Bartlett Learning, * "Breaker Zone." ''The Free Dictionary''. Farlex Inc, 2012. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. .

External links

* ''MetEd'' (2012
Rip currents: Nearshore fundamentals
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Retrieved 17 April 2012. {{DEFAULTSORT:Surf zone Coastal geography Physical oceanography Oceanographical terminology

Animal life

Rip currents

See also

References

External links