key words

• lithology

  the physical characteristics of a rock
• morphology


  the geological structure, shape or form of a feature
• submergent coastline

  a coastline that is inundated by the sea su to eustatic or isostatic uplift/rebound (e.g Haff coast)
• Emergent coastline


  a coastline that has been exposed by receding sea levels or isostatic uplift/rebound
• concordant 


  rock structure (lithology) runs parallel to the coast (creates coves)
• discordant


  rock lithology runs perpendicular to the coast creating bands of alternate rock types (e.g headlands and bays)
• proxy records

  records or data collected from other sources (e.g books or paintings)
• geomorphology 


  the study of origins and evolution of the earth's landforms, and the factors wich affect them
• sedimentary rock


  rock formed over millions of years due to the accumulation of sediment (e.g sandstone)
• Igneous rock


  rock formed by the cooling of molten magma (e.g granite)
• Metamorphic rock


  rock formed from other rocks that have been changed due to heat or pressure (e.g glacial till)
• Unconsolidated 


  often loosely formed mass of soil, rock and other parts that is weak and easy to break
• permeability

  allows liquid to pass through it (e.g sandstone)
• impermeable


  will not allow liquid to pass through it (e.g Granite)
• temporal


  realting to time
• hydraulic action 


  mechanical weathering caused by the force of moving water currents rushing into the cracks in the rock face, forcing it apart
• attrition


  weathering away of materials as it collides together
• corrosion 


  erosion caused by the acidity within the water
• abrasion


  erosion caused by the process of scraping or wearing something away
• sediment cell


  cells within the movement of sediment is functionally separated and discrete from the next
• dynamic equilibrium


  the state in which inputs into a system is equal to the outputs
• longshore drift


  the movement of material along a coast by wave action, which approach at an angle to the shore but recede directly away form it
• tombolo


  a bar of sand or shingle joining an island to the mainland
• cuspate forelands


  formed due to longshore currents by the accretion of sediment, they extend outwards from the shoreline in a triangular shape
• rotational slump 


  when the slope fails and slides down due to undercutting or weathering or unconsolidated material
• mass movement 


  soil, sand and rock move downslope typically as a mass, largely under the force of gravity or erosion
• rotational scars 


  the scar left behind sue to a rotational slump
• fjord


  long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs formed by the submergence of a glacial valley
• isostatic


  the movement of land sue to glacial melt or thermal expansion of the oceans
• eustatic


  a change of sea level due to glacial melt or thermal expansion of the oceans
• accretion 


  the gradual growth of sediment accumulated by the coast
• storm surge 


  a rising of the sea as a result of wind and atmospheric pressure changes associated with a storm
• depression 


  a weather front where low pressure causes air to rise; as it cools it condenses and forms clouds.
• tropical cyclone


  very intense low-pressure wind system, forming over tropical oceans and with winds of hurricane force
• emergent coastline 


  a stretch along the coast that has been exposed by the sea by a relative fall in sea levels by either isostatic or eustatic change
• submerging coastline 


  a stretch along the coast that has been inundated by the sea by a relative rise in sea levels from either isostatic or eustatic change