Longshore driftSediment moved by the longshore currentDiagram demonstrating longshore drift:beachsealongshore current directionincoming wavesswashbackwashLongshore drift from longshore current is a geological process that consists of the transportation of sediments (clay, silt, pebbles, sand, shingle, shells) along a coast parallel to the shoreline, which is dependent on the angle of incoming wave direction.
LagoonA lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as a reef, a barrier island or islands, a barrier peninsula, or an isthmus. Lagoons are commonly divided into coastal lagoons (or barrier lagoons) and atoll lagoons. They have also been identified as occurring on mixed-sand and gravel coastlines. There is an overlap between bodies of water classified as coastal lagoons and bodies of water classified as estuaries.
Salt marshCoastal ecosystem between land and open saltwater that is regularly floodedSalt marsh during low tide, mean low tide, high tide and very high tide (spring tide).A coastal salt marsh in Perry, Florida, USA.A salt marsh, saltmarsh or salting, also known as a coastal marsh, is a tidal wetland in the upper coastalintertidal zone between land and sea that is regularly flooded by tides of seawater or brackish water.
ShoalA shoal is a natural submerged ridge, bank, or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material, and rises from the bed of a body of water close to the surface or above it, which poses a danger to navigation. Shoals are also known in oceanography, geomorphology, and geoscience, as sandbanks, sandbars, gravelbars, or bars.
BeachA recreational beach in Fort Lauderdale, FloridaLake beach along the Lake Lavarone, Trentino-Alto Adige, ItalySt Oswalds Bay, Dorset, England. Wild sand and shingle beaches are shaped and maintained naturally by wave actions.A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles.
Sediment transportSediment transport is the movement of solid particles (sediment), typically due to a combination of gravity acting on the sediment, and the movement of the fluid in which the sediment is entrained. Sediment transport occurs in natural systems where the particles are clastic rocks (sand, gravel, boulders, etc.), mud, or clay; the fluid is air, water, or ice; and the force of gravity acts to move the particles along the sloping surface on which they are resting.
CoastA coast (also called the coastline, shoreline, or 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, such as that caused by waves. The geological composition of rock and soil dictates the type of shore that is created. Earth has about 620,000.0 km (385,250.1 mi) of coastline.
TomboloA tombolo is a sandy or shingle isthmus. It is a deposition landform by which an island becomes attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land such as a spit or bar. Once attached, the island is then known as a tied island. The word tombolo is from the Italian tombolo, meaning 'pillow' or 'cushion', and sometimes translated incorrectly as ayre (an ayre is a shingle beach of any kind).
RefractionIn physics, refraction is the redirection of a wave as it passes from one medium to another. The redirection can be caused by the wave's change in speed or by a change in the medium. Refraction of light is the most commonly observed phenomenon, but other waves such as sound waves and water waves also experience refraction.
HeadlandA headland, also known as a head, is a coastallandform, a point of land usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends into a body of water. It is a type of promontory. A headland of considerable size often is called a cape. Headlands are characterised by high, breaking waves, rocky shores, intense erosion, and steep sea cliff. Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline.
Deposition (geology)Deposition is the geological process in which sediments, soil and rocks are added to a landform or landmass. Wind, ice, water, and gravitytransport previously weathered surface material, which, at the loss of enough kinetic energy in the fluid, is deposited, building up layers of sediment.
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