Costal Erosion, What costal erosion is and what causes it..

Essay by Kcaz3High School, 11th gradeA+, May 2003

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A factor in coastal erosion is the sea level rise. It cause erosion and it takes

from centuries to milleniums. It is relative to the rise and fall of the sea. As the sea

level rises it covers more sediments and as it lowers some of the sediments that it

covers is taken back out with the tide. A storm surge causes erosion. It takes from a

few hours to a few days. A major effect of a storm surge is a large wave which will

erode a coastline quickly. The larger the wave the more sediments it will carry out.

Normal waves will take longer to erode a shoreline but eventually be as effective as a

larger wave.

Along shore currents will not erode a beach away but will change the shape

of one. Within a time period of a few hours to a millenium the updrift or downdrift

will carry the sand from one point to another thus fort changing the shape of the

beach. Rip currents will erode a beach within a couple of hours to a many months.

The rip currents can carry significant amounts of sediment, and during a storm can

carry even more sediments away from the shore line. Another factor of along shore

currents is a under flow which a near-bottom current that will carry the same if not

more amount of sediments than a rip current. Underflow is also increased by a

coastal storm.

Wind is a major effect of coastal erosion. Wind can blow the sand from the

beach into the water helping to cause sandbars that are close to the shoe. It can also

blow sand away from the water causing the water to more closer inland. This can

take up to a few centuries.

Subsidence, Ttectonic causes erosion and...