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Glossary

Glossary of Terms

Crest

Highest point on a beach face, breakwater, or seawall.

Beach Face

The section of the beach normally exposed to the action of the wave uprush. Also referred to as the foreshore of a beach.

Oceanic Gyre

A very large, more or less circular, pattern of water circulation in an open ocean basin.

POPs (persistent organic pollutants)

A diverse group of chemicals that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. A group of twelve POPs (the "dirty dozen") have been initially selected for international action by the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS).

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).

Coastal Processes

Collective term covering the action of natural forces on the shoreline, and near shore seabed.

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