1. Wave and Current Erosion
Earth Science
Mr. Cloud

2. How do waves form?
waves passing through deep water create brief circular water movements
when waves enter shallow water, they drag against the bottom, causing them to become unstable and eventually break!
Wind Direction

3. Cowabunga ! What makes Hawaii such a great surfing location?

4. Why are the waves in Hawaii and California much larger than the waves on the east coast?
the prevailing winds
the continental shelf
the ocean fetch

5. Wave Refraction
Breaking waves continually pound against the shore, unleashing a great amount of energy
Refraction, or bending, commonly occurs making waves arrive at an angle to the shore.
Refraction concentrates energy on parts of the land protruding from the shore causing them to erode away.

7. Longshore Current water current moving parallel to the beach
caused by refracting waves constantly hitting the shore at the same angle

8. Long Island Barrier Beaches
(Photo taken by the Space Shuttle)
Long Island Sound
We are here-
Barrier Islands
< Direction of Longshore current
Atlantic Ocean

9. Features of Wave Erosion/ Depostion
Sandbars: mounds of deposited sediment near the zone of break
sandbars barrier beaches barrier islands
South Shore of Long Island

10. Features of Wave Erosion/ Depostion
Sea Stacks
Sea Caves
Sea Arches
Sea Stacks at Port Campbell National Park, southwestern Victoria, Australia

11. Features of Wave Erosion/ Depostion
Sea arch
Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii