be measured only very roughly over short sections. When studying the regional
transports, researchers rarely undertake direct investigation of the transport processes. Instead, they study its integral consequences and later try to relate them to
the energetic, hydrologic, and other integral parameters. The most important
parameter of any flow is its discharge, expressed in the units of sediment mass
transported in a unit of time through a unit cross-section normal to the general flow
direction. The value of the total discharge transport of sediments through a crosssection during the averaging time interval is sometimes used for the regional flows.
In geomorphology this total discharge, as applied to the alongshore currents, is
called the “power” of the transport. Discharge distribution, normal to the direction
of the transport, results in the “cross structure” of the transport, which is of the
major importance in many practical cases. We call the combination of sediment
transport and the contact zone, in which it moves, a “lithodynamic system”. This
system can be hierarchically organized in an order of complication. The initial link
of this hierarchy is an elemental system. Only one elemental mechanism of the
transport acts in these systems. Uniform systems including only one type of
transport: hydrogenic, gravitational, or turbidity current, are the next in the hierarchy. These systems exist in the nature and can be classified according to the
parameters of the contact zone topography, sediment nature, water mass regime,
etc. Investigation of uniform systems is possible both in the laboratory and field
conditions on the specially chosen typical uniform systems. They can be considered
as the final stage of research within the dynamics of the contact zone, or dynamics
of the local systems. The study of uniform systems in certain natural conditions,
which can be referred to as “regional”, begins at this stage. In this aspect one can
find non-uniform systems, comprising transports of various types, where various
transport mechanisms exist either successively or simultaneously on the given floor
area. Regional systems include the individual ocean landscapes and the ocean
major regions: shelf, slope, continental rise and abyss, global systems of separate
seas and oceans or of their major parts and, finally, general lithodynamic systems of
the World Ocean. Real nature conditions, i.e. the environment, in which regional
systems are active, should be called a lithodynamic region rather than a contact
zone. This definition includes all the factors, causing initiation and development of
the regional flows hydrodynamic, geomorphological and lithological, sometimes,
anthropogenic.
All investigations of the regional lithodynamic systems can be attributed to the
physical geography of the ocean while the dynamics of the contact zone, i.e. the
study of elemental and typical uniform systems, should be attributed to the physical
research and considered as a branch of physics of the contact zone. Based on this
physical aspect we use the theoretical approach and experimental field measurements to study the main regularities of the formation and motion of sediment
transport and learn how their dynamics is governed by the factors of contact zone
relief, hydrodynamic regime, and floor character. Investigation of the typical
uniform systems occupies an intermediate position between the study of the
elemental systems and regional lithodynamics. These investigations can be carried
out, as mentioned above, both within the dynamics of the contact zone and within
7 Lithodynamics of the Coastal Zone
121
transports, researchers rarely undertake direct investigation of the transport processes. Instead, they study its integral consequences and later try to relate them to
the energetic, hydrologic, and other integral parameters. The most important
parameter of any flow is its discharge, expressed in the units of sediment mass
transported in a unit of time through a unit cross-section normal to the general flow
direction. The value of the total discharge transport of sediments through a crosssection during the averaging time interval is sometimes used for the regional flows.
In geomorphology this total discharge, as applied to the alongshore currents, is
called the “power” of the transport. Discharge distribution, normal to the direction
of the transport, results in the “cross structure” of the transport, which is of the
major importance in many practical cases. We call the combination of sediment
transport and the contact zone, in which it moves, a “lithodynamic system”. This
system can be hierarchically organized in an order of complication. The initial link
of this hierarchy is an elemental system. Only one elemental mechanism of the
transport acts in these systems. Uniform systems including only one type of
transport: hydrogenic, gravitational, or turbidity current, are the next in the hierarchy. These systems exist in the nature and can be classified according to the
parameters of the contact zone topography, sediment nature, water mass regime,
etc. Investigation of uniform systems is possible both in the laboratory and field
conditions on the specially chosen typical uniform systems. They can be considered
as the final stage of research within the dynamics of the contact zone, or dynamics
of the local systems. The study of uniform systems in certain natural conditions,
which can be referred to as “regional”, begins at this stage. In this aspect one can
find non-uniform systems, comprising transports of various types, where various
transport mechanisms exist either successively or simultaneously on the given floor
area. Regional systems include the individual ocean landscapes and the ocean
major regions: shelf, slope, continental rise and abyss, global systems of separate
seas and oceans or of their major parts and, finally, general lithodynamic systems of
the World Ocean. Real nature conditions, i.e. the environment, in which regional
systems are active, should be called a lithodynamic region rather than a contact
zone. This definition includes all the factors, causing initiation and development of
the regional flows hydrodynamic, geomorphological and lithological, sometimes,
anthropogenic.
All investigations of the regional lithodynamic systems can be attributed to the
physical geography of the ocean while the dynamics of the contact zone, i.e. the
study of elemental and typical uniform systems, should be attributed to the physical
research and considered as a branch of physics of the contact zone. Based on this
physical aspect we use the theoretical approach and experimental field measurements to study the main regularities of the formation and motion of sediment
transport and learn how their dynamics is governed by the factors of contact zone
relief, hydrodynamic regime, and floor character. Investigation of the typical
uniform systems occupies an intermediate position between the study of the
elemental systems and regional lithodynamics. These investigations can be carried
out, as mentioned above, both within the dynamics of the contact zone and within
7 Lithodynamics of the Coastal Zone
121