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Publications

Scientific reports, journal articles, and information products produced by USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center scientists.

Filter Total Items: 1420

Towards determining spatial methane distribution on Arctic permafrost bluffs with an unmanned aerial system Towards determining spatial methane distribution on Arctic permafrost bluffs with an unmanned aerial system

Arctic permafrost stores vast amounts of methane (CH4) in subsurface reservoirs. Thawing permafrost creates areas for this potent greenhouse gas to be released to the atmosphere. Identifying ‘hot spots’ of methane flux on a local scale has been limited by the spatial scales of traditional ground-based or satellite-based methane-sampling methods. Here we present a reliable and an easily...
Authors
Ferdinand K. J. Oberle, Ann E. Gibbs, Bruce M. Richmond, Li H. Erikson, Mark P. Waldrop, Peter W. Swarzenski

Geochemically distinct oil families in the onshore and offshore Santa Maria basins, California Geochemically distinct oil families in the onshore and offshore Santa Maria basins, California

The purpose of this work is to identify genetic affinities among 48 crude oil samples from the onshore and offshore Santa Maria basins. A total of 21 source-related biomarker and stable carbon isotope ratios among the samples were assessed to assure that they were unaffected by secondary processes. Chemometric analysis of these data identifies six oil families with map and stratigraphic
Authors
Kenneth E. Peters, Paul G. Lillis, Thomas Lorenson, J. E. Zumberge

Morphodynamics of a field of crescent-shaped rippled scour depressions: Northern Monterey Bay, CA Morphodynamics of a field of crescent-shaped rippled scour depressions: Northern Monterey Bay, CA

Despite the prevalence of rippled scour depression (RSD) on the world's continental shelves and their importance as nursery habitats for many commercially-important species, the processes responsible for their formation and geomorphic evolution are still not well understood. Most studies that focused on RSD evolution have been based on data acquired over multiple years to decades, and...
Authors
Kurt J. Rosenberger, Curt D. Storlazzi, Peter Dartnell

Slough evolution and legacy mercury remobilization induced by wetland restoration in South San Francisco Bay Slough evolution and legacy mercury remobilization induced by wetland restoration in South San Francisco Bay

Coastal wetlands have a long history of degradation and destruction due to human development. Now recognized as one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, substantial efforts are being made to restore this critical habitat. While wetland restoration efforts are generally viewed as beneficial in terms of providing wildlife habitat and flood control, they are often accompanied by...
Authors
Amy C. Foxgrover, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Bruce E. Jaffe, Theresa A. Fregoso

Organic geochemical investigation of far‐field tsunami deposits of the Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i Organic geochemical investigation of far‐field tsunami deposits of the Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i

Far‐field tsunami deposits observed in the Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i (USA), were investigated for their organic‐geochemical content. During short high‐energy events, (tsunamis and storms) organic and chemical components are transported with sediment from marine to terrestrial areas. This study investigates the use of anthropogenic based organic geochemical compounds (such as...
Authors
Piero Bellanova, Mike Frenken, Bruce M. Richmond, Jan Schwarzbauer, SeanPaul La Selle, Frances Griswold, Bruce E. Jaffe, Alan R. Nelson, Klaus Reicherter

Physical mechanisms influencing localized patterns of temperature variability and coral bleaching within a system of reef atolls Physical mechanisms influencing localized patterns of temperature variability and coral bleaching within a system of reef atolls

Interactions between oceanic and atmospheric processes within coral reefs can significantly alter local-scale ( 60%) over most of this system; however, the bleaching patterns were not uniform. Little is known about the processes governing thermodynamic variability within atolls, particularly those that are dominated by large amplitude tides. Here, we identify three mechanisms at Scott...
Authors
Rebecca H. Green, Ryan J. Lowe, Mark L. Buckley, Taryn M. Lopez, James Gilmour

Contaminant baselines and sediment provenance along the Puget Sound Energy Transport Corridor, 2015 Contaminant baselines and sediment provenance along the Puget Sound Energy Transport Corridor, 2015

The transport of coal and oil can result in contaminated soil, water, and organisms from unintended releases. Trains carrying coal and crude oil regularly pass through Puget Sound, Washington, and an increase in the number of coal and oil trains is expected in the future. This study characterized levels of potentially toxic contaminants in sediment in September 2015: arsenic, metals, and
Authors
Renee K. Takesue, Pamela L. Campbell

Seismic velocity structure across the 2013 Craig, Alaska rupture from aftershock tomography: Implications for seismogenic conditions Seismic velocity structure across the 2013 Craig, Alaska rupture from aftershock tomography: Implications for seismogenic conditions

The 2013 Craig, Alaska MW 7.5 earthquake ruptured along ∼150 km of the Queen Charlotte Fault (QCF), a right-lateral strike-slip plate boundary fault separating the Pacific and North American plates. Regional shear wave analyses suggest that the Craig earthquake rupturepropagated in the northward direction faster than the S-wave (supershear). Theoretical studies suggest that a bimaterial...
Authors
Maureen A. L. Walton, Emily C. Roland, Jacob I. Walter, Sean P. S. Gulick, Peter J. Dotray

Conceptualizing ecological responses to dam removal: If you remove it, what's to come? Conceptualizing ecological responses to dam removal: If you remove it, what's to come?

One of the desired outcomes of dam decommissioning and removal is the recovery of aquatic and riparian ecosystems. To investigate this common objective, we synthesized information from empirical studies and ecological theory into conceptual models that depict key physical and biological links driving ecological responses to removing dams. We define models for three distinct spatial...
Authors
J. Ryan Bellmore, George R. Pess, Jeffrey J. Duda, Jim E. O'Connor, Amy E. East, Melissa M. Foley, Andrew C. Wilcox, Jon J. Major, Patrick B. Shafroth, Sarah A. Morley, Christopher S. Magirl, Chauncey W. Anderson, James E. Evans, Christian E. Torgersen, Laura S. Craig

Initial dispersal (1986-1987) of the invasive foraminifera Trochammina hadai Uchio in San Francisco Bay, California, USA Initial dispersal (1986-1987) of the invasive foraminifera Trochammina hadai Uchio in San Francisco Bay, California, USA

A time series of three closely-spaced data sets are used to track the early expansion of the invasive Japanese benthic foraminifera Trochammina hadai in the southern portion of San Francisco Bay known as South Bay. The species initially appeared in 1983, comprising only 1.5% of the assemblage in one of four samples that were dominated by the native species Ammonia tepida and...
Authors
Mary McGann

The occurrence of the invasive foraminifera Trochammina hadai Uchio in Flamengo Inlet, Ubatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil The occurrence of the invasive foraminifera Trochammina hadai Uchio in Flamengo Inlet, Ubatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil

The agglutinated foraminifera Trochammina hadai Uchio (1962), a dominant species in Japan, first appeared as an invasive species in San Francisco Bay, US, in 1983. Trochammina hadai's first appearance in the Brazilian coastal waters of Flamengo Inlet, Ubatuba, Sao Paulo State, is recorded nearly three decades later, in two of thirty-four sediment samples collected in the western portion...
Authors
Patricia P. B. Eichler, Mary McGann, Andre R. Rodrigues, Alison Mendonca, Audrey Amorim, Carla Bonetti, Cristiane Cordeito de Farias, Silvia H. Mello e Sousa, Helenice Vital, Moab Praxedes Gomes

On the contribution of waves to total coastal water level changes in the context of sea level rise: a response to Melet, et al. (2018) On the contribution of waves to total coastal water level changes in the context of sea level rise: a response to Melet, et al. (2018)

Response to Melet, A., Meyssignac, B., Almar, R. & Le Cozannet, G. Under-estimated wave contribution to coastal sea-level rise. Nat. Clim. Change 8, 234–239 (2018). In a recent paper, Melet et al.1 claim that the contribution of wind-waves to coastal sea-level rise has been under-estimated. Although we agree with the overall premise that coastal wind-wave dynamics are important when...
Authors
Jerome Aucan, Ron Hoeke, Curt D. Storlazzi, Justin Stopa, Moritz Wandres, Ryan J. Lowe
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