Recent Publications - April-May 2020
By Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
June 1, 2020
List of recent USGS publications and data releases based on coastal and marine research.
This article is part of the April-May 2020 issue of the Sound Waves newsletter.
Related Content
Time Series of Autonomous Carbonate System Parameter Measurements in Eastern Gulf of Mexico near Tampa Bay, Florida, USA
This data set contains time series measurements of carbonate system parameters including water temperature (degrees C), pressure (dbars), salinity, pHT (pH on the total scale), carbon dioxide (ppm), dissolved oxygen (milligrams/L), and photosynthetically active radiation (microEinsteins). These data were collected in the eastern Gulf of Mexico near Tampa Bay, Florida, at the University of South Fl
National Assessment of Hurricane-Induced Coastal Erosion Hazards
These datasets contain information on the probabilities of hurricane-induced erosion (collision, inundation, and overwash) for each 1-km section of the United States sandy open-ocean coastline for category 1-5 hurricanes. The analysis is based on a storm-impact scaling model (Sallenger, 2000; https://www.jstor.org/stable/4300099) that uses observations of beach morphology combined with sophisticat
Southeast Florida and Florida Keys: Antibiotic Resistance in Association with Ocean Outfalls and the Antibiotic Treatment of Diseased Corals
The purpose of these datasets was to define which samples contained antibiotic resistance genes (screened antibiotic resistance gene targets) and the number of detectable targets per sample (sediment, coral mucus and water). These data were determined from samples collected in Southeast Florida and the Florida Keys, in support of the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative.
Coral reef profiles for wave-runup prediction
This data release includes representative cluster profiles (RCPs) from a large (>24,000) selection of coral reef topobathymetric cross-shore profiles (Scott and others, 2020). We used statistics, machine learning, and numerical modelling to develop the set of RCPs, which can be used to accurately represent the shoreline hydrodynamics of a large variety of coral reef-lined coasts around the globe.
Model parameter input files to compare wave-averaged versus wave-resolving XBeach coastal flooding models for coral reef-lined coasts
This data release includes the XBeach input data files used to evaluate the importance of explicitly modeling sea-swell waves for runup. This was examined using a 2D XBeach short wave-averaged (surfbeat, XB-SB) and a wave-resolving (non-hydrostatic, XB-NH) model of Roi-Namur Island on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of Marshall Islands. Results show that explicitly modelling the sea-swell componen
Oceanographic measurements collected in the Stillaguamish River Delta, Port Susan, Washington, USA from March 2014 to July 2015
This data release includes time-series and discrete measurements made within two breaches constructed in a former flood-control levee of a restored agricultural area in Port Susan, Washington. An area of approximately 61 ha near the mouth of the Stillaguamish River was reconnected to tidal flow via levee breaches as part of a larger restoration effort that took place in 2012. These observations we
Sediment transport and aquatic vegetation data from three locations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, 2017 to 2018
We measured currents, suspended-sediment concentration (SSC), bed sediment characteristics, and vegetation biomass density in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in 2017-2018, as part of a project investigating the influence of invasive aquatic vegetation (IAV) on flow and sediment flux. This data release includes data from three sites: Lindsey Slough (April 2017), Middle River (March 2018) and the l
Quaternary faults offshore of California
A comprehensive map of Quaternary faults has been generated for offshore of California. The Quaternary fault map includes mapped geometries and attribute information for offshore fault systems located in California State and Federal waters. The polyline shapefile and matching KML file have been compiled from previously published mapping where relatively dense, high-resolution marine geophysical da
Chirp, multichannel minisparker, and boomer seismic-reflection data from USGS field activity G-01-13-GA collected in Port Valdez, Alaska, in September 2013
Multichannel minisparker and boomer seismic-reflection and chirp sub bottom data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in September of 2013 in Port Valdez, Alaska. Data were collected aboard the USGS R/V Alaskan Gyre during field activity G-01-13-GA. Sub-bottom acoustic penetration spans several hundreds of meters and is variable by location. High-resolution multichannel seismic-reflection
Ground Control Point Locations, Elevations and Photographs From North Topsail Beach and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 2019
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center collected location data (horizontal and vertical coordinates) for 53 Ground Control Points (GCP) in North Topsail Beach and within the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, North Carolina, in June 2019. These GCPs were used to georectify aerial imagery taken post-Hurricane Florence (landfall September 14,
Projected flooding extents and depths based on 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year wave-energy return periods, with and without coral reefs, for the States of Hawaii and Florida, the Territories of Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands,
This data release provides flooding extent polygons (flood masks) and depth values (flood points) based on wave-driven total water levels for 22 locations within the States of Hawaii and Florida, the Territories of Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. For each of the 22 locations there are eight associated flood mask
Filter Total Items: 13
Observations of coastal change and numerical modeling of sediment-transport pathways at the mouth of the Columbia River and its adjacent littoral cell
Bathymetric and topographic surveys performed annually along the coastlines of northern Oregon and southwestern Washington documented changes in beach and nearshore morphology between 2014 and 2019. Volume change analysis revealed measurable localized erosion and deposition throughout the study area, but significant net erosion at the regional scale (several kilometers [km]) was limited to Benson
Authors
Andrew W. Stevens, Edwin Elias, Stuart Pearson, George M. Kaminsky, Peter R Ruggiero, Heather M. Weiner, Guy R. Gelfenbaum
Sediments and the sea floor of the continental shelves and coastal waters of the United States—About the usSEABED integrated sea-floor-characterization database, built with the dbSEABED processing system
Since the second half of the 20th century, there has been an increase in scientific interest, research effort, and information gathered on the geologic sedimentary character of the continental margins of the United States. Data and information from thousands of sources have increased our scientific understanding of the character of the margin surface, but rarely have those data been combined and i
Authors
Brian J. Buczkowski, Jane A. Reid, Chris J. Jenkins
Lessons learned from monitoring of turbidity currents and guidance for future platform designs
Turbidity currents transport globally significant volumes of sediment and organic carbon into the deep-sea and pose a hazard to critical infrastructure. Despite advances in technology, their powerful nature often damages expensive instruments placed in their path. These challenges mean that turbidity currents have only been measured in a few locations worldwide, in relatively shallow water depths
Authors
Michael Clare, D. Gwyn Lintern, Kurt J. Rosenberger, John Hughes Clarke, Charles K. Paull, Roberto Gwiazda, Matthieu J.B. Cartigny, Peter J. Talling, Daniel Perara, Jingping Xu, Daniel Parsons, Ricardo Silva Jacinto, Ronan Apprioual
Surface methane concentrations along the mid-Atlantic bight driven by aerobic subsurface production rather than seafloor gas seeps
Relatively minor amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, are currently emitted from the oceans to the atmosphere, but such methane emissions have been hypothesized to increase as oceans warm. Here, we investigate the source, distribution, and fate of methane released from the upper continental slope of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight, where hundreds of gas seeps have been discovered between the
Authors
Mihai Leonte, Carolyn D. Ruppel, Angel Ruiz-Angelo, John D. Kessler
Potential freshening impacts on fines migration and pore-throat clogging during gas hydrate production: 2-D micromodel study with Diatomaceous UBGH2 sediments
The methane gas hydrate stored in natural sediments is considered a potential gas resource. Countries such as China, India, Japan, and Korea are interested in commercializing this resource, and offshore field pilot tests for gas production have been conducted using depressurization methods to destabilize gas hydrate and facilitate the migration of methane to the production well. However, fine-gr
Authors
Junbong Jang, Shaung Cao, Laura A. Stern, William F. Waite, Jongwon Jung, Joo Yong Lee
Steps to develop early warning systems and future scenarios of wave-driven flooding along coral reef-lined coasts
Tropical coral reef-lined coasts are exposed to storm wave-driven flooding. In the future, flood events during storms are expected to occur more frequently and to be more severe due to sea-level rise, changes in wind and weather patterns, and the deterioration of coral reefs. Hence, disaster managers and coastal planners are in urgent need of decision-support tools. In the short-term, these tools
Authors
Gundula Winter, Curt D. Storlazzi, Sean Vitousek, Ap van Dongeren, Robert T. McCall, Ron Hoeke, William Skirving, John Marra, Johan Reyns, Jerome Aucan, Matthew J. Widlansky, Janet Becker, Chris Perry, Gerd Masselink, Ryan Lowe, Murray Ford, Andrew Pomeroy, Fernando J. Mendez, Ana C. Rueda, Moritz Wandres
Molecular indicators of methane metabolisms at cold seeps along the United States Atlantic margin
A lipid biomarker study was undertaken to determine the microbial composition and variability in authigenic carbonates and associated soft bottom habitats from the Norfolk and the Baltimore Canyon seep fields along the US mid-Atlantic margin. Results from this study capture a distinct molecular signal from methane oxidizing archaea, including archaeol (I), sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol, pentamethylicosane
Authors
Nancy G. Prouty, Pamela L. Campbell, Hilary Close, Jennifer F. Biddle, Sabrina Beckmann
Short and long-term movement of mudflows of the Mississippi River Delta Front and their known and potential impacts on oil and gas infrastructure
Mudflows on the Mississippi River Delta Front (MRDF) are recognized hazards to oil and gas infrastructure in the shallow (20 – 300 m water depth) Gulf of Mexico. Preconditioning of the seafloor for failure results from high sedimentation rates coupled with slope over-steepening, under-consolidation, and abundant biogenic gas production. Catastrophic failure of production platforms and pipelines du
Authors
Jason Chaytor, Wayne E. Baldwin, Samuel J. Bentley, Melanie Damour, Douglas Jones, Jillian Maloney, Michael Miner, Jeff Obelcz, Kehui Xu
Defining active, inactive, and extinct seafloor massive sulfide deposits
Hydrothermal activity results in the formation of hydrothermal mineral deposits, including seafloor massive sulfide deposits, at oceanic spreading ridges, arcs, and back-arcs. As hydrothermal systems age, the mineral deposits eventually become severed from the heat source and fluid-flow pathways responsible for their formation and become extinct. The timescales and processes by which this cessatio
Authors
John W. Jamieson, Amy Gartman
Digging into the geologic record of environmentally driven changes in coral-reef development
This lesson uses data based on real-world geological archives to guide students toward understanding how climate and oceanography have impacted coral-reef growth over the last 5000 years. The objective of the lesson is for students to determine the relationship between environmental variability and coral-reef development over millennial timescales. In this activity, students will:
1. Characterize
Authors
Philip M. Gravinese, Richard B. Aronson, Lauren Toth
An important biogeochemical link between organic and inorganic carbon cycling: Effects of organic alkalinity on carbonate chemistry in coastal waters influenced by intertidal salt marshes
Organic acid charge groups in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contribute to total alkalinity (TA), i.e. organic alkalinity (OrgAlk). Its effect is often ignored or treated as a calculation uncertainty in many aquatic CO2 studies. This study evaluated the variability, sources, and characteristics of OrgAlk in estuarine waters exchanged tidally with a groundwater-influenced salt marsh in the northeas
Authors
Shuzhen Song, Zhaohui Aleck Wang, Meagan Gonneea Eagle, Kevin D. Kroeger, Sophie N. Chu, Daoji Li, Haorui Liang
Mapping metabolic activity at single cell resolution in intact volcanic fumarole soil
Interactions among microorganisms and their mineralogical substrates govern the structure, function, and emergent properties of microbial communities. These interactions are predicated on spatial relationships, which dictate metabolite exchange and access to key substrates. To quantitatively assess links between spatial relationships and metabolic activity, this study presents a novel approach to
Authors
Jeffrey J. Marlow, Isabella Colocci, Sean Jungbluth, Nils Moritz Weber, Amy Gartman, Jens Kallmeyer
Related Content
Time Series of Autonomous Carbonate System Parameter Measurements in Eastern Gulf of Mexico near Tampa Bay, Florida, USA
This data set contains time series measurements of carbonate system parameters including water temperature (degrees C), pressure (dbars), salinity, pHT (pH on the total scale), carbon dioxide (ppm), dissolved oxygen (milligrams/L), and photosynthetically active radiation (microEinsteins). These data were collected in the eastern Gulf of Mexico near Tampa Bay, Florida, at the University of South Fl
National Assessment of Hurricane-Induced Coastal Erosion Hazards
These datasets contain information on the probabilities of hurricane-induced erosion (collision, inundation, and overwash) for each 1-km section of the United States sandy open-ocean coastline for category 1-5 hurricanes. The analysis is based on a storm-impact scaling model (Sallenger, 2000; https://www.jstor.org/stable/4300099) that uses observations of beach morphology combined with sophisticat
Southeast Florida and Florida Keys: Antibiotic Resistance in Association with Ocean Outfalls and the Antibiotic Treatment of Diseased Corals
The purpose of these datasets was to define which samples contained antibiotic resistance genes (screened antibiotic resistance gene targets) and the number of detectable targets per sample (sediment, coral mucus and water). These data were determined from samples collected in Southeast Florida and the Florida Keys, in support of the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative.
Coral reef profiles for wave-runup prediction
This data release includes representative cluster profiles (RCPs) from a large (>24,000) selection of coral reef topobathymetric cross-shore profiles (Scott and others, 2020). We used statistics, machine learning, and numerical modelling to develop the set of RCPs, which can be used to accurately represent the shoreline hydrodynamics of a large variety of coral reef-lined coasts around the globe.
Model parameter input files to compare wave-averaged versus wave-resolving XBeach coastal flooding models for coral reef-lined coasts
This data release includes the XBeach input data files used to evaluate the importance of explicitly modeling sea-swell waves for runup. This was examined using a 2D XBeach short wave-averaged (surfbeat, XB-SB) and a wave-resolving (non-hydrostatic, XB-NH) model of Roi-Namur Island on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of Marshall Islands. Results show that explicitly modelling the sea-swell componen
Oceanographic measurements collected in the Stillaguamish River Delta, Port Susan, Washington, USA from March 2014 to July 2015
This data release includes time-series and discrete measurements made within two breaches constructed in a former flood-control levee of a restored agricultural area in Port Susan, Washington. An area of approximately 61 ha near the mouth of the Stillaguamish River was reconnected to tidal flow via levee breaches as part of a larger restoration effort that took place in 2012. These observations we
Sediment transport and aquatic vegetation data from three locations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, 2017 to 2018
We measured currents, suspended-sediment concentration (SSC), bed sediment characteristics, and vegetation biomass density in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in 2017-2018, as part of a project investigating the influence of invasive aquatic vegetation (IAV) on flow and sediment flux. This data release includes data from three sites: Lindsey Slough (April 2017), Middle River (March 2018) and the l
Quaternary faults offshore of California
A comprehensive map of Quaternary faults has been generated for offshore of California. The Quaternary fault map includes mapped geometries and attribute information for offshore fault systems located in California State and Federal waters. The polyline shapefile and matching KML file have been compiled from previously published mapping where relatively dense, high-resolution marine geophysical da
Chirp, multichannel minisparker, and boomer seismic-reflection data from USGS field activity G-01-13-GA collected in Port Valdez, Alaska, in September 2013
Multichannel minisparker and boomer seismic-reflection and chirp sub bottom data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in September of 2013 in Port Valdez, Alaska. Data were collected aboard the USGS R/V Alaskan Gyre during field activity G-01-13-GA. Sub-bottom acoustic penetration spans several hundreds of meters and is variable by location. High-resolution multichannel seismic-reflection
Ground Control Point Locations, Elevations and Photographs From North Topsail Beach and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 2019
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center collected location data (horizontal and vertical coordinates) for 53 Ground Control Points (GCP) in North Topsail Beach and within the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, North Carolina, in June 2019. These GCPs were used to georectify aerial imagery taken post-Hurricane Florence (landfall September 14,
Projected flooding extents and depths based on 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year wave-energy return periods, with and without coral reefs, for the States of Hawaii and Florida, the Territories of Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands,
This data release provides flooding extent polygons (flood masks) and depth values (flood points) based on wave-driven total water levels for 22 locations within the States of Hawaii and Florida, the Territories of Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. For each of the 22 locations there are eight associated flood mask
Filter Total Items: 13
Observations of coastal change and numerical modeling of sediment-transport pathways at the mouth of the Columbia River and its adjacent littoral cell
Bathymetric and topographic surveys performed annually along the coastlines of northern Oregon and southwestern Washington documented changes in beach and nearshore morphology between 2014 and 2019. Volume change analysis revealed measurable localized erosion and deposition throughout the study area, but significant net erosion at the regional scale (several kilometers [km]) was limited to Benson
Authors
Andrew W. Stevens, Edwin Elias, Stuart Pearson, George M. Kaminsky, Peter R Ruggiero, Heather M. Weiner, Guy R. Gelfenbaum
Sediments and the sea floor of the continental shelves and coastal waters of the United States—About the usSEABED integrated sea-floor-characterization database, built with the dbSEABED processing system
Since the second half of the 20th century, there has been an increase in scientific interest, research effort, and information gathered on the geologic sedimentary character of the continental margins of the United States. Data and information from thousands of sources have increased our scientific understanding of the character of the margin surface, but rarely have those data been combined and i
Authors
Brian J. Buczkowski, Jane A. Reid, Chris J. Jenkins
Lessons learned from monitoring of turbidity currents and guidance for future platform designs
Turbidity currents transport globally significant volumes of sediment and organic carbon into the deep-sea and pose a hazard to critical infrastructure. Despite advances in technology, their powerful nature often damages expensive instruments placed in their path. These challenges mean that turbidity currents have only been measured in a few locations worldwide, in relatively shallow water depths
Authors
Michael Clare, D. Gwyn Lintern, Kurt J. Rosenberger, John Hughes Clarke, Charles K. Paull, Roberto Gwiazda, Matthieu J.B. Cartigny, Peter J. Talling, Daniel Perara, Jingping Xu, Daniel Parsons, Ricardo Silva Jacinto, Ronan Apprioual
Surface methane concentrations along the mid-Atlantic bight driven by aerobic subsurface production rather than seafloor gas seeps
Relatively minor amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, are currently emitted from the oceans to the atmosphere, but such methane emissions have been hypothesized to increase as oceans warm. Here, we investigate the source, distribution, and fate of methane released from the upper continental slope of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight, where hundreds of gas seeps have been discovered between the
Authors
Mihai Leonte, Carolyn D. Ruppel, Angel Ruiz-Angelo, John D. Kessler
Potential freshening impacts on fines migration and pore-throat clogging during gas hydrate production: 2-D micromodel study with Diatomaceous UBGH2 sediments
The methane gas hydrate stored in natural sediments is considered a potential gas resource. Countries such as China, India, Japan, and Korea are interested in commercializing this resource, and offshore field pilot tests for gas production have been conducted using depressurization methods to destabilize gas hydrate and facilitate the migration of methane to the production well. However, fine-gr
Authors
Junbong Jang, Shaung Cao, Laura A. Stern, William F. Waite, Jongwon Jung, Joo Yong Lee
Steps to develop early warning systems and future scenarios of wave-driven flooding along coral reef-lined coasts
Tropical coral reef-lined coasts are exposed to storm wave-driven flooding. In the future, flood events during storms are expected to occur more frequently and to be more severe due to sea-level rise, changes in wind and weather patterns, and the deterioration of coral reefs. Hence, disaster managers and coastal planners are in urgent need of decision-support tools. In the short-term, these tools
Authors
Gundula Winter, Curt D. Storlazzi, Sean Vitousek, Ap van Dongeren, Robert T. McCall, Ron Hoeke, William Skirving, John Marra, Johan Reyns, Jerome Aucan, Matthew J. Widlansky, Janet Becker, Chris Perry, Gerd Masselink, Ryan Lowe, Murray Ford, Andrew Pomeroy, Fernando J. Mendez, Ana C. Rueda, Moritz Wandres
Molecular indicators of methane metabolisms at cold seeps along the United States Atlantic margin
A lipid biomarker study was undertaken to determine the microbial composition and variability in authigenic carbonates and associated soft bottom habitats from the Norfolk and the Baltimore Canyon seep fields along the US mid-Atlantic margin. Results from this study capture a distinct molecular signal from methane oxidizing archaea, including archaeol (I), sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol, pentamethylicosane
Authors
Nancy G. Prouty, Pamela L. Campbell, Hilary Close, Jennifer F. Biddle, Sabrina Beckmann
Short and long-term movement of mudflows of the Mississippi River Delta Front and their known and potential impacts on oil and gas infrastructure
Mudflows on the Mississippi River Delta Front (MRDF) are recognized hazards to oil and gas infrastructure in the shallow (20 – 300 m water depth) Gulf of Mexico. Preconditioning of the seafloor for failure results from high sedimentation rates coupled with slope over-steepening, under-consolidation, and abundant biogenic gas production. Catastrophic failure of production platforms and pipelines du
Authors
Jason Chaytor, Wayne E. Baldwin, Samuel J. Bentley, Melanie Damour, Douglas Jones, Jillian Maloney, Michael Miner, Jeff Obelcz, Kehui Xu
Defining active, inactive, and extinct seafloor massive sulfide deposits
Hydrothermal activity results in the formation of hydrothermal mineral deposits, including seafloor massive sulfide deposits, at oceanic spreading ridges, arcs, and back-arcs. As hydrothermal systems age, the mineral deposits eventually become severed from the heat source and fluid-flow pathways responsible for their formation and become extinct. The timescales and processes by which this cessatio
Authors
John W. Jamieson, Amy Gartman
Digging into the geologic record of environmentally driven changes in coral-reef development
This lesson uses data based on real-world geological archives to guide students toward understanding how climate and oceanography have impacted coral-reef growth over the last 5000 years. The objective of the lesson is for students to determine the relationship between environmental variability and coral-reef development over millennial timescales. In this activity, students will:
1. Characterize
Authors
Philip M. Gravinese, Richard B. Aronson, Lauren Toth
An important biogeochemical link between organic and inorganic carbon cycling: Effects of organic alkalinity on carbonate chemistry in coastal waters influenced by intertidal salt marshes
Organic acid charge groups in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contribute to total alkalinity (TA), i.e. organic alkalinity (OrgAlk). Its effect is often ignored or treated as a calculation uncertainty in many aquatic CO2 studies. This study evaluated the variability, sources, and characteristics of OrgAlk in estuarine waters exchanged tidally with a groundwater-influenced salt marsh in the northeas
Authors
Shuzhen Song, Zhaohui Aleck Wang, Meagan Gonneea Eagle, Kevin D. Kroeger, Sophie N. Chu, Daoji Li, Haorui Liang
Mapping metabolic activity at single cell resolution in intact volcanic fumarole soil
Interactions among microorganisms and their mineralogical substrates govern the structure, function, and emergent properties of microbial communities. These interactions are predicated on spatial relationships, which dictate metabolite exchange and access to key substrates. To quantitatively assess links between spatial relationships and metabolic activity, this study presents a novel approach to
Authors
Jeffrey J. Marlow, Isabella Colocci, Sean Jungbluth, Nils Moritz Weber, Amy Gartman, Jens Kallmeyer
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