What is the meaning of longshore drift?
Longshore Drift. Longshore (littoral) drift is the movement of material along the shore by wave action. It happens when waves approach the at an angle. The (waves moving up the ) carries material up and along the .
What are the human influences on long-shore drift?
Human influences. This section consists of long-shore drift features that occur unnaturally and in some cases (e.g. groynes, detached breakwaters) have been constructed to enhance the effects of longshore drift on the coastline but in other cases have a negative impact on long-shore drift ( ports and harbours ).
What is the relationship between sediment budget and longshore drift?
This sediment then enters the coastal system and is transported by longshore drift. A good example of the sediment budget and longshore drift working together in the coastal system is inlet ebb-tidal shoals, which store sand that has been transported by long-shore transport.
Do ports and harbours pose a threat to longshore drift?
Not only do ports and harbours pose a threat to longshore drift in the short term, they also pose a threat to shoreline evolution. The major influence, which the creation of a port or harbour can have on longshore transport, is the alteration of sedimentation patterns, which in turn may lead to accretion and/or erosion of a beach or coastal system.
Do ports and harbors pose a threat to longshore drift?
Both ports and harbors pose a short-term threat to longshore drift. Similarly, they are also a threat to shoreline evolution. Change of sedimentation patterns is one of the key impacts caused by the creation of harbors and ports on a shoreline drift. Such changes may result in the erosion of a coastal system or beach.
What is a coastal spit formed by longshore drift?
Spurn Point – a coastal spit formed by longshore drift. Where do you want to go now? View the coasts menu. Find out about the sediment budget. Find out about erosional landforms.
What is the difference between a Longshore and a sandy beach?
For instance, there is a difference in longshore drift between sediments from a shingle beach and those from a sandy beach. Since shingle beaches tend to be much steeper than sandy beaches, a longshore drift is likely to form plunging breakers.
What affects the speed of a longshore current?
Longshore currents are affected by the velocity and angle of a wave. When a wave breaks at a more acute (steep) angle on a beach, encounters a steeper beach slope, or is very high, longshore currents increase in velocity. Conversely, a wider breaking angle, gentler beach slope, and lower wave height slows a longshore current’s velocity.