Erosion

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Definition of Erosion:
The process of wearing away material from the coastal profile due to imbalance in the supply and export of material from a certain section[1].
This is the common definition for Erosion, other definitions can be discussed in the article

Notes

Erosion will take place on the shoreface and on the beach if the export is greater than the supply of material, this means that the level of the seabed and the beach will decrease. The deficit can be due to both cross-shore processes and longshore processes. Erosion due to cross-shore processes mainly occurs during extreme events associated with storm surge, which partially is a reversible process. The most important reason for long-term erosion is a deficit in the littoral drift budget, which is often caused by a deficit in supply of sand to the area in question.

References

  1. Mangor K. (2004). Shoreline Management Guideline. DHI Water and Environment, 294pp.

See also

Biogeomorphology of aquatic systems
Coastal zone characteristics
Threats to the coastal zone
Transport and dispersion of pollutants, nutrients, tracers in mixed nearshore water