Detailed revision/study notes on the entire of EQ1 Water. Includes Edexcel Geography A level Specification with detailed notes to match. Also includes case study details. A very useful tool for self-teaching and revision :))
Geography Consolidation 5.1
GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE INFLUENCES THE DEVELOPMENT OF COASTAL LANDSCAPES AT A
VARIETY OF SCALES
a) Geological structure is responsible for the formation of concordant and discordant
coasts
- Three key Geological Structure Key terms :
- Strata: The different layers of rock within an area and how they relate to each other
- Deformation : The degree to which rock units have been deformed by tectonic activity
- Faulting : the presence of major fractures that have moved rocks from their original position
- This geological structure produces two dominant types of coasts :
- Concordant coastline= generated when rock strata run parallel to the coastline - they are
more complexed with their features
- Marine erosion breaks through the resistant beds and then rapidly erode the wide coves
behind it
- Discordant coastline= forms when different rock strata intersects the coast at an angle, so
geology varies along the coastline they are dominated by headlands and bays
- On Discordant coastlines headlands are eroded more than bays - which smooths the
coastline over time - this is due to the effect the coast has on wave crests
b) Geological structure influences coastal morphology : Dalmatian and Haff type
concordant coasts and headlands and bays on discordant coasts
- The coast of Dalmatian in Croatia, in the Adriatic Sea is a concordant coastline
- It was drowned by sea level rise during the Holocene
- It has been folded by tectonic activity into a series of anticlines and lower syncline that lie
parallel to the modern coastline which has been drowned to form long narrow islands
- Haff Coastline on the Baltic Sea- Long sediment ridges topped with sand dunes run parallel to
the coast just offshore which creates lagoons (haffs) between ridges and the shore
c) Geological structure (jointing, dip,faulting, folding ) is an important influence on coastal
morphology and erosion rates, and also on the formation of cliff profiles and the
occurrence of micro- features, e.g caves (Glamorgan Heritage Coast)
- Dip of strata :
- Dip means the angle of rock and is a tectonic feature
- Sedimentary rocks are formed in horizontal layers but are tilted by tectonic forced
- When the dip is exploited - it can have a dramatic effect on cliff profiles
- Horizontal dip : Vertical profile with notches reflecting strata that is eroded more easily
- Seaward dip- High Angle : Sloping low angle profile with one rock layer facing the sea- its
vulnerable to rock slides down the slope
- Seaward dip - Low Angle : Profile may exceed 90 degrees producing areas of overhanging
rock which is vulnerable to rock fall
- Landward Dip : Steep profiles producing very stable cliff with reduced rock fall
- Faults :
- represents major weaknesses within rock layers.
Either side of a fault line, rocks are often heavily
fractured and broken and these weaknesses are
exploited by marine erosion
- Joints :
- Occur in most rocks, often in regular patterns,
dividing rock strata up into blocks with a regular
shape
, - Fissures :
- Much smaller cracks in rocks, often only a few centimetres long, but erosion can exploit them
- Bedding planes :
- Horizontal weaknesses formed as various layers of sediment are deposited and are common
in sedimentary and igneous rock. A weakness between two distinct rock types (strata) can be
also be referred to as a bedding plane.
- Folding :
- Occurs due to crustal compression when horizontal strata is squeezed which causes
anticlines and synclines. This also develops fissures and joints
- The location of micro features in cliffs is controlled by the location of faults or strata which have
high density of joints and fissures
- Regular jointing in rocks = sedimentary rocks folded by tectonic forced
- Glamorgan heritage coast - Consolidation separate
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