When do destructive waves occur

The waves are usually very high, have a short wavelength and are very frequent. The wave has a steep front and is typically over 1 metre tall.

The backwash has less time to soak into the sand. As waves continue to hit the beach , there is more running water to transport the material out to sea. As the wave approaches the coast, it gains height and plunges onto a steep beach and does not travel far up it. The force generated by a destructive breaking wave can also erode a headland. If you've found the resources on this page useful please consider making a secure donation via PayPal to support the development of the site.

This results in a low, high tide and a high, low tide. This creates a low tidal range and results in weaker tidal currents than normal. Waves Waves are generated by wind blowing over the sea. Characteristics of a wave. Constructive wave.

Destructive wave. Wave refraction in a bay. Search for:. Coastal Landforms of Deposition. Drainage Basin Hydrological System. Landforms of Erosion. The weak backwash and suppressed wave gradients prevent any sediments from being carried back into the sea after deposition. Destructive waves, in contrast to its counterpart, help erode and remove sediments such as sand and rock particles from the coastlines. These waves are characterized by a strong backwash and a weak swash.

The dominating backwash is what helps remove material from the coastline, bringing them back into the sea. These waves are characterized by their tall features in proportion to their lengths. These waves are created in aggressive weather conditions such as storms and typhoons where high energy is transferred into these waves. Destructive waves are thus more common in winter than in summer, and usually occur in exposed bays. Because of changing weather patterns and climate change, destructive waves have become more apparent in coastlines, which poses a threat to the landscape and biodiversity that is present here.

Destructive waves have short wavelengths and high frequencies since around ten to fourteen waves can occur every minute. Because of the presence of a breaker, these waves will eventually plunge towards beaches after reaching a certain height.

Because of this, destructive waves do not usually travel far up the shorelines. Furthermore, the high frequency allows for the erosion of materials and sediments back into the ocean since there is usually more water to transport these materials out to sea.

The outcome, therefore, is a destructive phenomenon that erodes beaches and can sometimes damage coastal landscapes. Less sediment, sand and geological material becomes available to build-up the beach due to the increased erosion brought about by destructive waves.

Waves play an important role in the coastal processes that help shape coastal landscapes. Depending on the weather and wave type, waves can be involved in processes that either build-up or destroy shorelines. View mytutor2u. Account Shopping cart Logout. Explore Geography Geography Search. Explore Blog Reference library Collections Shop. Share: Facebook Twitter Email Print page. Wave action The primary cause of erosion along a coastline is by wave action. How waves are formed Waves are formed by the wind blowing across the surface of the water.

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