Survey of Oceanography
Homework Set 6
Due 5 April 2004

Late homework will cost 15 points per week or part of a week it is late.

1. Movement of underwater sediments is an important cause of change in coastal waters.
   • What causes sediment to move underwater? List at least two processes.
   • When is sediment transport the greatest?
   • How did sediment transport cause a problem at Shell Island?
   
   
2. Sand and sediments are also moved on land.
   • What causes sand to move on the beach? List at least three processes. See some information in the Dunes and Beaches section of the Seafriends oceanography book.
   • Look at the escarpment in this photograph taken at Torrey Pines State Beach north of San Diego on 23 November 2001.What caused the escarpment (steep slope)?
   • Why is sediment piled up on one side of the groin seen in this photograph of a groin on Cape Hattaras? Here is a different view of a similar groin on the Cape.
   • Why is there a dune just inland of the beach in this photograph from near Cape Hattaras?
   
   
3. Why is the California coast much different than the Texas gulf coast?
   
   
4. Biological processes also influence sediment transport. Go to the Image Gallery of the Gulf of Mexico Tidal Wetlands page published by the US Geological Survey. Look also at the pages linked to this page and displayed on the left column.
   • What biological processes influence sediment transport in this tidal marsh?
   
   
5. Rip currents frighten swimmers, transport sediments, and have strong currents. Here is another link.
   • What processes lead to the formation of rip currents?
   • How can swimmers avoid drowning in rip currents?

Revised on: 5 September, 2004