Wave, Reflected

That part of an incident wave that is returned seaward when a wave impinges on a steep beach, barrier, or other reflecting surface.

Glossary of Terms

Mean Low Water (MLW)

The average height of the low water over a 19-year period. For shorter periods of observations, corrections are applied to eliminate known variations and reduce the results to the equivalent of a mean 19-year value. All low water heights are included in the average where the type of tide is either semi-diurnal or mixed.

Hydrology

The study of the processes affecting the movement of freshwater, including underground waters.

Active Beach

The portion of the littoral system that is frequently (daily or at least seasonally) subject to transport by wind, waves, and currents.

Continental Shelf

The zone bordering a continent extending from the line of permanent immersion to the depth, usually about 100 m to 200 m, where there is a marked or rather steep descent toward the great depths of the ocean.

The region of the oceanic bottom that extends outward from the shoreline, with an average slope of less than 1:100, to a line where the gradient begins to exceed 1:40 (the continental slope).

Marsh

A track of soft wet land, usually vegetated by reeds, grasses and occasionally small shrubs.

Soft, wet area periodically or continuously flooded to a shollow depth, usually characterised by a particular subclass of grasses, cattails and other low plants.

Sediment Transport

The main agencies by which sedimentary materials are moved are: gravity (gravity transport); running water (rivers and streams); ice (glaciers); wind; the sea (currents and longshore drift). Running water and wind are the most widespread transporting agents. In both cases, three mechanisms operate, although the particle size of the transported material involved is very different, owing to the differences in density and viscosity of air and water. The three processes are: rolling or traction, in which the particle moves along the bed but is too heavy to be lifted from it; saltation; and suspension, in which particles remain permanently above the bed, sustained there by the turbulent flow of the air or water.

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Wave, Reflected