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Newhaven Beaches Research Paper

Decent Essays

Investigate process and/ or landform(s) along a stretch of a coast
Hypothesis
‘The transport of sediment affects the morphology of Newhaven beach and Castlehead cliff’
This investigation will be exploring whether the movement of pebbles, shingle, shells and other materials found on the beach have impacted on the shape and structure of Newhaven beach and Castlehead Cliff. One of the key processes this investigation will focus on is that of long shore drift caused by strong prevailing winds, prevailing wind is the direction from which the wind usually blows. Cliffs are made from mainly two materials, chalk which is at the bottom and sand and clay at the top. If cliffs are facing the direction of prevailing wind it may lead in high rates of cliff …show more content…

Newhaven is well known for having a harbour arm built in 1890 and is 700m wide. The harbour stops any sediment from moving further and protects river Estuary from any longshore drift damage. The harbour also allows boats to preserve their acess to the river Ouse. Longshore drift occurs when waves approach the coastline at an angle of 45°. The sediment is then carried up the beach (Swash) at the same angle. The wave then moves back down (Backwash) at 90°. This results in a zigzag motion along the beach which transports and deposits sediment along the coastline. The formation of the cliff depends on erosion or weathering, the three main types of marine erosion include abrasion, attrition and hydraulic action. The two significant types of weathering in coastal areas are corrosion and wetting/drying. As a result of longshore drift, the sediments and shingle is transported from the sea and tends to be depostited on the oppersite side of the harbour arm. The beach is used mainly by locals of pleasure and lesuire. predict that the cliff will be …show more content…

Using a ranging pole ensuring a consistent height from different variable factors such as height. By using a clinometer it is securing a valid angle to create an accurate beach profile, using a tape measure with units such as cm and mm establishes more precise data. Constructing a beach profile determines how the size of the beach changes. By repeating the investigation it allows results to be as precise and reliable as possible. This ultimately helps me to either prove or disprove my hypothesis.
Beach sediment size Beach sediment classification card 1)From each ranging pole A-B, observe the sediment from the distance stretched
2)On the IPad, on the adobe reader app open the document called ‘Beach sediment classification card’
3)from this card compare the area of sediment onto the beach to the card
4)repeat steps 1-3 until the top of the beach is reached By identifying the sediment size at each station allows the amount of long shore drift happening at each stage of the beach to be assessed and evaluated. If the size of the rocks decrease in size closer to the harbour arm, it will help prove my hypothesis
Cliff profile Skitch app on iPad 1)Take a picture of the Castlehead cliff using the skitch app on the IPad at the top of the beach, further away from the sea. Label somewhere on the picture that this is the point at

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