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Beach Processes

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Encyclopedia of Coastal Science

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Science Series ((EESS))

The continuous changes taking place in the coastal zone constitute beach processes. A beach is one part of the coastal zone, which is the transitional area between terrestrial and marine environments. The coastal zone comprises the beach; an underwater region that extends seaward to the depth where waves no longer effect the sea bottom; and inland to features such as sea cliffs, dune fields, and estuaries (q.v.). Beach studies focus on understanding spatial and temporal changes in alongshore and cross-shore geomorphic features of the beach (Beach Features: q.v.) and in the size and composition of beach sediment. Over time, the coastal zone changes in character in response to changes in wave climate and other physical processes.

Comprehensive knowledge of beach processes is crucial to society because the majority of the world’s coastlines are eroding (Thornton et al., 2000). Moreover, sea-level rise (q.v.) from global warmingcould accelerate coastal land loss, resulting in an...

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Cross-references

  1. Barrier Islands

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  2. Bars

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  3. Beach Cusps (see Rhythmic Patterns)

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  4. Beach Erosion

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  5. Beach Features

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  6. Beach Nourishment

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  7. Cliffed Coasts

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  8. Coastal Boundaries

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  9. Coral Reefs

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  10. Cross-Shore Sediment Transport

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  11. Depth of Closure on Sandy Coasts

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  12. Dune Ridges

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  13. Erosion Processes

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  14. Global Positioning Systems

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  15. Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

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  16. Longshore Sediment Transport

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  17. Meteorologic Effects on Coasts

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  18. Mining of Coastal Materials

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  19. Muddy Coasts

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  20. Nearshore Geomorphological Mapping

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  21. Profiling, Beach

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  22. Rhythmic Patterns

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  23. Ripple Marks

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  24. Rock Coast Processes

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  25. Sandy Coasts

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  26. Sea-Level Rise, Effect

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  27. Sediment Budget

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  28. Shore Protection Structures

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  29. Spits

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  30. Surf Zone Processes

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  31. Tides

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  32. Wave-Dominated Coasts

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  33. Waves

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Authors
  1. John R. Dingler
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA

    Maurice L. Schwartz

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© 2005 Springer

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Dingler, J.R. (2005). Beach Processes. In: Schwartz, M.L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Coastal Science. Encyclopedia of Earth Science Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3880-1_36

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