xiii
• Geologic Processes in Arid Climates 291
Weathering 291
The Role of Water 291
• Basin and Range: The Evolution of a
Mountainous Desert Landscape 293
Transportation of Sediment by Wind 295
Bed Load 295
Suspended Load 296
Wind Erosion 297
Deflation and Blowouts 297
Desert Pavement 297
Ventifacts and Yardangs 298
• Wind Deposits 299
Sand Deposits 299
Types of Sand Dunes 300
Loess (Silt) Deposits 303
THE CHAPTER IN REVIEW 304 KEY TERMS 304
GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT 305 COMPANION
WEBSITE 305
13 Shorelines 306
The Shoreline: A Dynamic Interface 308
The Coastal Zone 309
Basic Features 309
Beaches 310
• Waves 310
Wave Characteristics 311
Circular Orbital Motion 311
Waves in the Surf Zone 312
• Wave Erosion 313
Sand Movement on the Beach 313
Movement Perpendicular to the Shoreline 314
Wave Refraction 314
Longshore Transport 315
Rip Currents 315
Shoreline Features 316
Erosional Features 316
Depositional Features 317
The Evolving Shore 319
• Stabilizing the Shore 319
Hard Stabilization 320
Alternatives to Hard Stabilization 322
Erosion Problems along U.S. Coasts 323
Atlantic and Gulf Coasts 324
Pacific Coast 324
Hurricanes—The Ultimate Coastal Hazard 324
Profile of a Hurricane 325
Hurricane Destruction 326
Coastal Classification 328
Emergent Coasts 329
Submergent Coasts 329
Tides 330
Causes of Tides 330
Monthly Tidal Cycle 331
Tidal Currents 331
THE CHAPTER IN REVIEW 33 KEY TERMS 333
GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT 333 COMPANION
WEBSITE 333
14 Earthquakes and Earth’s
Interior 334
An Earthquake Disaster In Haiti 336
• What Is An Earthquake? 336
Discovering the Causes of Earthquakes 337
Aftershocks and Foreshocks 338
Earthquakes and Faults 339
• Seismology: The Study of Earthquake
Waves 339
• Locating the Source of An Earthquake 342
Measuring the Size of Earthquakes 343
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale 343
Magnitude Scales 344
Earthquake Belts and Plate
Boundaries 346
Earthquake Destruction 347
Destruction from Seismic
Vibrations 347
Landslides and Ground
Subsidence 348
Fire 349
What is a Tsunami? 350
Damaging Earthquakes
East of the
Rockies 352
Can Earthquakes Be
Predicted? 352
Short-Range
Predictions 352
Long-Range
Forecasts 353
• Geologic Processes in Arid Climates 291
Weathering 291
The Role of Water 291
• Basin and Range: The Evolution of a
Mountainous Desert Landscape 293
Transportation of Sediment by Wind 295
Bed Load 295
Suspended Load 296
Wind Erosion 297
Deflation and Blowouts 297
Desert Pavement 297
Ventifacts and Yardangs 298
• Wind Deposits 299
Sand Deposits 299
Types of Sand Dunes 300
Loess (Silt) Deposits 303
THE CHAPTER IN REVIEW 304 KEY TERMS 304
GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT 305 COMPANION
WEBSITE 305
13 Shorelines 306
The Shoreline: A Dynamic Interface 308
The Coastal Zone 309
Basic Features 309
Beaches 310
• Waves 310
Wave Characteristics 311
Circular Orbital Motion 311
Waves in the Surf Zone 312
• Wave Erosion 313
Sand Movement on the Beach 313
Movement Perpendicular to the Shoreline 314
Wave Refraction 314
Longshore Transport 315
Rip Currents 315
Shoreline Features 316
Erosional Features 316
Depositional Features 317
The Evolving Shore 319
• Stabilizing the Shore 319
Hard Stabilization 320
Alternatives to Hard Stabilization 322
Erosion Problems along U.S. Coasts 323
Atlantic and Gulf Coasts 324
Pacific Coast 324
Hurricanes—The Ultimate Coastal Hazard 324
Profile of a Hurricane 325
Hurricane Destruction 326
Coastal Classification 328
Emergent Coasts 329
Submergent Coasts 329
Tides 330
Causes of Tides 330
Monthly Tidal Cycle 331
Tidal Currents 331
THE CHAPTER IN REVIEW 33 KEY TERMS 333
GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT 333 COMPANION
WEBSITE 333
14 Earthquakes and Earth’s
Interior 334
An Earthquake Disaster In Haiti 336
• What Is An Earthquake? 336
Discovering the Causes of Earthquakes 337
Aftershocks and Foreshocks 338
Earthquakes and Faults 339
• Seismology: The Study of Earthquake
Waves 339
• Locating the Source of An Earthquake 342
Measuring the Size of Earthquakes 343
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale 343
Magnitude Scales 344
Earthquake Belts and Plate
Boundaries 346
Earthquake Destruction 347
Destruction from Seismic
Vibrations 347
Landslides and Ground
Subsidence 348
Fire 349
What is a Tsunami? 350
Damaging Earthquakes
East of the
Rockies 352
Can Earthquakes Be
Predicted? 352
Short-Range
Predictions 352
Long-Range
Forecasts 353