Final exam study guide

Because this course is largely field oriented the material chosen for testing is that which I believe is necessary for you to understand the regional and local setting of your study area and the processes observed on your beach. Read and review the course materials while focussing on answering the questions given below.

Readings:

• Davis and Dolan, 1993, Northeasters
• Carter and Orford, 1992, The morphodynamics of coarse clastic beaches and barriers: A short- and long-term perspective.*
• Hayes, M.O., 1972, Forms of Sediment Accumulation in the beach zone*
• Hayes, M. O., 1979, Barrier island morphology as a function of wave and tide regime*
• Davis, R. A. Jr. and Hayes, M. O., 1983, What is a wave-dominated coasts*
• Inman and Nordstrom, 1971, On the tectonic and morphologic classification of coasts*
• Pethick, 1984, Wave induced currents in An introduction to coastal geomorphology*
• Shepard, 1973, Seacoast classification in Submarine Geology
• Wright, 1985, Elementary notes concerning the physical energy regime of the coastal zone
• Wright and Short, 1984, Morphodynamic variability of surf zones and beaches: a synthesis
• USAC Coastal Geology (Chapters 2 - 4)*
• USAC, 1995, Coastal littoral transport (Chapters 2-5.4)

Outlines:

• Introduction to coasts
• Classification of Coasts and Shorelines
• Tectonic Classification of Coasts
• Factors controlling the morphology of coasts and shorelines
• Waves
• Tides
• An Introduction to Beaches
• Beach Profile: Descriptive Terminology
• Factors that influence the beach profile
• The Beach Cycle
• Morphodynamics
• Deltas
• Barrier Islands
• Environmental Issues

Questions:

• Diagram the profile of the shore zone and label the following: backshore, foreshore, inshore, offshore, depth of closure, berm, berm crest, beach face.
• On sandy beaches the height and width of the berm on a sandy beach changes seasonally. Explain.
  • How does a berm grow in width and height?
• Define the following: upland, backshore, foreshore, inshore, offshore, depth of closure, berm, berm crest, beach face, swash zone, surf zone, breaker zone, ridge and runnel system.
• Outline and briefly discuss the first and second order influences of the coast.
• Two popular classifications of coasts are those of Inman and Nordstrom (1971) and Shepard (1973). State and explain the criteria used in each classification and give a brief outline of each. What are some of the pros and cons of each.
• Explain the roles that geologic history, sediment supply, hydrographic regime, climate, and rising sea level have in shaping the New England Coast.
• Briefly explain how the following waves and currents are generated and briefly discuss their importance as related to beach dynamics:
  • tides
  • (incident) waves
  • longshore current
  • edge waves
• Define and discuss the significance of the following wave phenomena:
  • refraction
  • dispersion
  • defraction
• Define each of the following and discuss the importance of the following in the onshore and offshore movement of sediment:
  • velocity asymmetry beneath a wave
  • settling velocity
  • wave period
  • slope
  • wave height
• Discuss how and why the following situations affect the slope of a beachface.
  • sediment size and sorting
  • wave period
  • wave height
  • depth to water table
• Morphodynamics:
  • Define the concept of morphodynamics.
  • What is meant by modal beach state. What factors determine it?
  • How do dissipative beaches handle energy differently than reflective beaches? What are the factors that determine whether a beach is dissipative, intermediate or reflective?
  • What determines the direction and rate of change from one beach state to another.
• Dimensionless Numbers:
  • What is a dimensionless parameter? Why do scientists create them?
  • The following parameters are typically used to characterize beach state:
    • Dean's (1973) omega parameter: ý =H_b/(W_sT)
    • Sunamura's (1988) dimensionless K* parameter: = H_b²/(gT²D)
    • Surf scaling factor (Guza and Inman, 1975): E = a * (2ÿ/T)²gtan²ß
  • Identify and discuss the significance of the following variables: H_b, W_s,T, ß, D
• Explain how and why a coarse gravel beach and a fine sand beach would respond differently to the same storm event.
• Describe and explain the the variations in a microtidal, mesotidal and macrotidal coast as discussed by Hayes (1979).
• According to Davies and Hayes (1993) not all coasts conform to Hayes classification. Why?
• How and why does the morphology of a tide dominated delta differ from that of a wave dominated or riverine dominated delta.
• What are transgressive and regressive barrier islands and how are they identified. Why are most barrier island systems along the Atlantic coast transgressive and why does this fact present a problem?
• List and discuss the various mechanisms that enable barrier islands to migrate landward.
• What are some of the detrimental consequences of mining sand for beach replenishment?
• See the questions on the environmental outline