Erosion of Headlands (arches and stacks)

Erosion of headlands (arches and stacks) is a process that involves the removal of material from coastal landforms - such as rocky promontories, or headlands - by breaking them down into smaller pieces and removing sediment into the sea. This process is driven by the power of the sea, and is often compounded by strong winds and wave activity. It can occur slowly over time, or quickly with violent storms. The erosion of headlands leads to the formation of a variety of coastal landforms, such as caves, arches, stacks, and stumps. When a headland erodes, the sediment gets scattered as abrasion, which forms an arch connecting the two headlands over time. Eventually, when the inner side of the arch erodes faster than the outer side, an isolated stack is left behind. As the sea continues to erode the stack, the stack gets smaller and eventually a stump remains.