Beach Profiling Web-Lab

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Part 1: Use the Beach Dynamics Section answer the following questions.

a. Which general direction do the waves come from in the winter vs. the summer?

b. Which direction is the longshore current in the winter vs. the summer?

c. Which is the most dominant longshore transport/drift direction (north or south)?

d. Describe the differences in the wave and current energy in the winter vs. the summer.

e. Describe the materials found on the beach in terms of grain size (ie: sand, gravel, and cobbles) in the summer vs. the winter.

f. Describe the sand transport differences (on and offshore) in the summer vs. the winter.

g. The beach nourishment program dumped sand that was coarser than the existing beach sand. Why would they want to do this?

h. How do tidal changes from summer to winter effect coastal erosion? Be specific.

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Part 2: Using the data and plots generated in the Data Analysis Section answer the following questions.

1) Using Figure #2a (2001-2004 data) in the Data Analysis Section, on average is the beach larger or smaller during this period than when measured in the summer of 2001 (before the beach nourishment project was begun)?

 b) For the summer data, describe the maximum height (in centimeters) above or below the 2001 data.

 c) For the winter data describe the maximum height (in centimeters) above or below the 2001 data.

 2) Using Figure #2b (2004-present data) in the Data Analysis Section, is the beach larger or smaller during this period than when measured in the summer of 2001 (before the beach nourishment project was begun)?

 b) For the summer data, describe the maximum height (in centimeters) above or below the 2001 data.

 c) For the winter data describe the maximum height (in centimeters) above or below the 2001 data.

  3) For the period 2001 to 2004, explain why you think dumping the extra sand on the beach has been successful or not. Support your conclusions using data supplied on Figure #2a and information from the Beach Nourishment Section.

4) For the period 2004 to present, explain why you think dumping the extra sand on the beach has been successful or not. Support your conclusions using data supplied on Figure #2b and information from the Beach Nourishment Section.

5) Is there any part of this Web-lab you would improve?  Did you find any specific parts hard to follow or understand?