GEOS 3009/3909: Coastal Environments and Processes

GEOS 3009 Coastal Environments and Processes (6cp)
GEOS 3909 Coastal Environments and Processes (Advanced) (6cp)
A/Prof Gavin Birch and Dr Ana Vila-Concejo

Session: February
Prerequisites: 12 credit points of Intermediate Geosciences Units or 12 credit points of Intermediate Marine Science Units of Study.
Prohibitions: MARS 3003, MARS 3105
Classes: 2 lec, 2 prac classes/wk, weekend excursion.
Assessment: One 2hr exam, two 1500w reports. Independent assessment is required for advanced Unit of Study.

Australian coastal environments are dynamic systems responding to input sediments and processes as well as solid boundary conditions. The first half of this Unit focuses on high-energy wave and wind dominated coastal systems; in particular the beach-surf zone, dunes and barriers, including their Holocene/Quaternary evolution. The regional impact of waves, tides, embayments, and other environmental parameters in controlling morphology are addressed. The second half of this Unit focuses on the smaller-scale processes controlling beach-surf zone morphology. In particular, how waves and currents drive beach and bar morphodynamics via sediment transport. The practical program uses real data sets collected during recent research programs and during a weekend field excursion, and they address issues specifically relevant to Australia's coastline.