Coastal Strip

A zone directly adjacent to the waterline, where only coast related activities take place. Usually this is a strip of some 100 m wide. In this strip, coastal defense activities take place. In this strip often there may be restrictions to land use.

Glossary of Terms

Runup, rundown

The upper and lower levels reached by a wave on a beach or coastal structure, relative to still-water level.

Mean Wave Height

The mean of all individual waves in an observation interval of approximately half an hour.

Breaker

A wave breaking on a shore or over a REEF, etc. Breakers may be classified into four types:

COLLAPSING--breaking occurs over lower half of wave, with minimal air pocket and usually no splash-up. Bubbles and foam present.
PLUNGING--crest curls over air pocket; breaking is usually with a crash. Smooth splash-up usually follows.
SPILLING--bubbles and turbulent water spill down front face of wave. The upper 25 percent of the front face may become vertical before breaking. Breaking generally occurs over quite a distance.
SURGING--wave peaks up, but bottom rushes forward from under wave, and wave slides up beach face with little or no bubble production. Water surface remains almost plane except where ripples may be produced on the beach face during runback.

Nearshore Circulation

The ocean circulation pattern composed of the nearshore currents and the coastal currents.

Littoral Transport

The movement of beach material in the littoral zone by waves and currents. Includes movement parallel (longshore drift) and sometimes perpendicular (cross-shore transport) to the shore; Also referred to as littoral drift.

Soil

A layer of weathered, unconsolidated material on top of bedrock; in geologic usage, usually defined as containing organic matter and being capable of supporting plant growth.

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Coastal Strip