FACTOID # 59: People might eat oats when they're hungry, but people from Hungary don't eat oats.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

FACTS & STATISTICS    Simple view

  1. Select countries to view: (hold down Control key and click to select several)

     

     

    Compare:

     

     
  1. Select fact or statistic: (* = graphable)

     

     

     

  2. (OPTIONAL) Compare to statistic: (both need to be graphable)

     

     

     

  3. View result as:

     

       
(OR) SEARCH ALL encyclopedia, stats & forums:   

Encyclopedia > Wave cut platform
The formation of a wave cut platform
The formation of a wave cut platform

A wave cut platform refers to the narrow flat area often seen at the base of a sea cliff caused by the action of the waves. First forms a notch, serving as a point of weakness, where erosion starts to occur. This notch then enlarges into a cave. The waves undermine this portion till the roof of the cave cannot hold, and collapses. This results in the landward retreating of cliff. The base of the cave forms the wave cut platform, while the deposition that may be washed towards the sea, extending the end of the platform, forms a off-shore terrace. Where the coast line itself is changing due to seismic action there may be a series of platforms showing earlier sea levels and giving an indication of the amount of uplift caused by various earthquakes. Formation of wave cut platform drawn by Steinsky. ... It has been proposed below that Sea Cliff be renamed and moved to Sea Cliff, San Francisco. ... A wave is a disturbance that propagates through space, often transferring energy. ... A coastal beach in the Philippines. ... An earthquake is a phenomenon that results from and is powered by the dynamic release of stored energy that radiates seismic waves. ...


Because of the continual wave action a wave cut platform represents an extremely hostile environment and few but the toughest of organisms can utilize such a niche. In biology and ecology, an organism (in Greek organon = instrument) is a complex adaptive system of organs that influence each other in such a way that they function as a more or less stable whole and have properties of life. ... In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in an ecosystem. ...


The phenomenon is also known as a marine terrace.

Wave cut platform at Southerndown, South Wales
Enlarge
Wave cut platform at Southerndown, South Wales

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2393x1200, 1737 KB) Summary Wavecut platform, a geological feature caused by the seas erosion of cliffs, seen at Southerndown near Bridgend, South Wales. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2393x1200, 1737 KB) Summary Wavecut platform, a geological feature caused by the seas erosion of cliffs, seen at Southerndown near Bridgend, South Wales. ... Close to St Brides Major, Llanwit Major and Ogmore by Sea, Southerndown is a shingle beach at high tide. ... For an explanation of often confusing terms such as Great Britain, Britain, United Kingdom, England and Wales and England, see British Isles (terminology). ...

See also


  Results from FactBites:
 
Coastal Studies Template (637 words)
a cliff formed by wave erosion, usu at the landward portion of a wave-cut platform; commonly the landward limit of the shorezone and the dominant feature of mountainous coastlines.
It extends from the depth where waves move sediment, landward to the highest point acted upon by waves during storms, and includes the shorerise and the beach or shore.
the area traversed by breaking waves and their bores and swash; it extends from the wave breakpoints to the maximum runup of the swash.
Cross section from Highway to Mono Lake (868 words)
"The waves of a rising lake thus create a relatively broad platform that, depending on the erodibility of the substrate, may widen until the transgression ceases." (Stine, 1992, p.7) The lowest wave cut that you see in the profile is from the 6385.1 foot highstand in 1999.
The next one is at 6390 feet and was cut during wet years in 1967 and 1969.
Wave energy will also be greater than now due to a larger lake surface.
  More results at FactBites »


 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:
 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.