Download Earth Science 12th Edition Vocabulary Chapter 15

Earth Science 12th Edition
Chapter 15 Vocabulary
By Megan Andrews (GLY 1001 Student North Campus Fall 2006)
abrasion-the grinding and scraping of a rock surface by the friction and impact of rock particles
carried by water, wind, or ice.
backshore- the inner portion of the shore lying landward of the high tide shoreline. It is usually
dry, being affected by waves.
barrier island- a low elongated ridge of sand that parallels the coast.
baymouth bar- a sandbar that completely crosses a bay sealing it off from the open ocean.
beach- an accumulation of sediment found along the landward margin of the ocean or a lake.
beach drift - the transport of sediment in a zigzag pattern along a beach caused by the uprush of
water from obliquely breaking waves.
beach face- the wet breaking surface that extends from the berm to the shoreline.
beach nourishment- the process by which large quantities of sand are added to the beach
system to offset losses caused by wave erosion.
berm- the dry gently sloping zone on the backshore of a beach at the foot of the coastal cliffs or
dunes.
breakwater- a structure protecting a near shore area.
coast- A strip of land that extends island from the coastline as far as ocean-related features can
be found.
coastline- coasts seaward edge the landward limit of the effect of the highest storm waves off the
shore.
Coriolis effect- the deflective force of earth's rotation on all free moving objects.
diurinal tidal pattern- tidal pattern exhibiting one high tide and one low tide during the tidal day,
a daily tide.
emergent coast- a coast where land that has been formally below sea level has been exposed
either because of a crustal uplift or a drop in sea level or both.
estuary- a partially enclosed coastal water body that is connected to the ocean. salinity here is
measured reduced by the freshwater flow of rivers.
fetch- the distance that the wind traveled across the open water.
foreshore- that portion of the shore lying between the normal high and low water marks; the
internal zone.
gyre – A large circular surface current pattern found in each ocean.
groin- a short wall built at a right angle to the shore to trap moving sand.
hard stabilization- any form of artificial structure built to protect a coast or to prevent the
movement of sand along the beach.
longshore current- a near shore current that flows parallel to the shore.
marine terrace- a wave cut platform that as been exposed above sea level.
mixed tidal pattern- a tidal pattern exhibiting two high tides and two low tides per tidal day with a
large in equality in high water heights, low water heights, or both.
neap tide- lowest tidal range occurring near the times of the 1st and 3rd quarter phases of the
moon.
nearshore zone- the sone of the beach that extends from the low tide shoreline seaward where
waves break at low tide.
offshore zone- the relatively flat submerged zone that extends from a breakerline to the edge of
the continental shelf.
rip current – A strong narrow surface or near-surface current of short duration and high speed
flowing seaward through the breaker zone at nearly right angles to the shore. It represents the
return to the ocean of water that has piled up on the shore by incoming waves.
sea arch- an arch formed by wave erosion when caves on opposite
sea stack- an isolated mass of rock standing just off shore produced by wave erosion of a head
land.
seawall- a barrier constructed to prevent waves from reaching the area behind the wall. its
purpose is to defend property from the force of breaking waves.
semidiurnal tidal patterns- 2 high tides and two low tides per tidal day with small inequalities
between successive highs and successive lows, semidaily tide.
shore- seaward of the coast this zone extends from the highest level of wave action during the
storms to the lowest tide level.
shoreline- the line that marks the contact between land and sea. It migrates up and down as the
tide rises and falls.
spit- an elongated ridge of sand that projects from the land in to the mouth of the adjacent bay.
spring tide- highest tidal range that occurs near the times of the new and full moons.
submergent coast- a coast with a form that is largely the result of the partial drowning of a
former land surface either because of a rise of sea level or subsidence of the crust or both.
surf- a collective term of breakers also the wave activity in the area between the shoreline and
the outer limit of breakers.
thermohaline circulation- movements of ocean water caused by density differences brought
about by variations in temperature and salinity.
tidal current- alternating horizontal movement of water associated with the rise and fall of tide.
tidal delta- a delta like feature created when a rapidly moving tidal current emerges from a
narrow inlet and slows depositing its load of sediments.
tidal flat- marshy or muddy area that is uncovered by the rise and fall of tide.
tide- periodic change in the elevation of the ocean surface.
tomboro- a ridge of sand that connects an island to the mainland or to another island.
upwelling- the rising of cold water from deeper layers to replace warmer water that has moved
away.
wave-cut-cliff- a seaward facing cliff along a steep shoreline formed by wave erosion at its base,
mass, and wasting.
wave-cut platform – A bench or shelf in the bedrock at sea level, cut by wave erosion
wave height- vertical distance between the trough and crest of a wave.
wavelength- horizontal distance separating successive crests or troughs.
wave period- the time interval between the passage of successive crests at a stationary point.
wave refraction- process by which the portion of a wave in shallow water slows. causing the
wave to bend and tend to align itself with the underwater contours.