Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
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We conduct multidisciplinary scientific research in the coastal and offshore areas of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, and other US Pacific Islands; and in other waterways of the United States.
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Read about our science projects, find out where we are working, and why our research matters
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News
A Research Retrospective: Offshore Fault Mapping of the San Andreas
Study of New Offshore Fault Mapping Related to the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake: In 2019, for the first time ever, scientists comprehensively mapped a previously overlooked offshore section of the San Andreas Fault system which may provide insight on how the fault could rupture in the future.
Recent Coastal and Marine Fieldwork - April-July 2020
Much of the USGS fieldwork has been delayed, postponed, or canceled in the face of COVID-19. USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP) scientists were able to safely venture out to collect beach elevations; biogeochemistry samples; water, soil, and meteorological data; and coral and algal samples, in San Francisco, Florida, Massachusetts, and the US Virgin Islands.
Sound Waves Newsletter - June-July 2020
In this issue of Sound Waves, we pay tribute to a beloved USGS colleague, Monty Hampton, and highlight his work on sand waves and sand lance in the Pacific Northwest; we also highlight USGS work on sand lance in the Atlantic and on tracking sea turtles to examine how changing environment affects marine life.
Publications
Distribution and transport of Olympia oyster, Ostrea lurida, larvae in northern Puget Sound, Washington, USA
As efforts for restoring Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) populations have expanded, there is an increased need to understand local factors that could influence the long-term success of these projects. To address concerns over potential limitations to recruitment at a restoration site in northern Puget Sound, Washington, USA, a study was developed...
Grossman, S.K.; Grossman, Eric; Barber, Julie S.; Gamblewood, S.K.; Crosby, Sean C Increasing threat of coastal groundwater hazards from sea-level rise in California
Projected sea-level rise will raise coastal water tables, resulting in groundwater hazards that threaten shallow infrastructure and coastal ecosystem resilience. Here we model a range of sea-level rise scenarios to assess the responses of water tables across the diverse topography and climates of the California coast. With 1 m of sea-level rise,...
Befus, K.M.; Barnard, Patrick L.; Hoover, Daniel J.; Finzi Hart, Juliette; Voss, Clifford I. Internal tides can provide thermal refugia that will buffer some coral reefs from future global warming
Observations show ocean temperatures are rising due to climate change, resulting in a fivefold increase in the incidence of regional-scale coral bleaching events since the 1980s; analyses based on global climate models forecast bleaching will become an annual event for most of the world’s coral reefs within 30–50 yr. Internal waves at tidal...
Storlazzi, Curt D.; Cheriton, Olivia; Van Hooidonk, Ruben; Zhao, Zhongxiang; Brainard, Russell E.