cliff erosion
Coastal rock crumbling
Cliff erosion is the gradual wearing away of cliff faces by natural forces, particularly waves, wind, rain, and freeze-thaw cycles.
Coastal cliffs are especially vulnerable as waves undercut the base, causing upper sections to collapse.
The process shapes dramatic landscapes but threatens buildings and infrastructure near cliff edges.
The homeowners were warned about accelerating cliff erosion along the bluffs.
- wave actionMotion of ocean swells
- sea stacksIsolated coastal rock formations
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
- rock strataLayered geological deposits
- waveOscillating motion through medium
seawalls · undercutting · collapse · freeze-thaw cycles · storm surges · fault lines · groynes · coastal flooding · talus · coastal retreat · tidal currents · headlands · white cliffs · coastal development · danger signs · debris · fissure · falling rocks
- Cliffsbluff, crag, escarpment, precipice, scarp
- coastal processeswaves, tides, currents, surf, breakers
- erosionwearing, wearing down, abrasion, corrosion, weathering
- shoreline erosionwave action, storm surge, tidal currents, undercutting, scouring
- coastal erosionabrasion, attrition, coastal retreat, undercutting, wave action
- coastal floodingsea level rise, storm surge, king tide, king tides, high tide
cliff erosionmountain building
Geological uplift process
accretion · uplift · sedimentation · orogeny · deposition