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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: 1316

Evaluation of a Single-Beam Sonar System to Map Seagrass at Two Sites in Northern Puget Sound, Washington

Seagrass at two sites in northern Puget Sound, Possession Point and nearby Browns Bay, was mapped using both a single-beam sonar and underwater video camera. The acoustic and underwater video data were compared to evaluate the accuracy of acoustic estimates of seagrass cover. The accuracy of the acoustic method was calculated for three classifications of seagrass observed in underwater video: bare
Authors
Andrew W. Stevens, Jessica R. Lacy, David P. Finlayson, Guy Gelfenbaum

Carpinteria Coastal Processes Study, 2005-2007: Final report

The United States Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), conducted a two-year study of the beach and nearshore coastal processes for the City of Carpinteria and adjacent beaches. The work was performed in response to and worked directly with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Project Management Plan (PMP) for the City of Carp
Authors
Patrick L. Barnard, David L. Revell, Jodi L. Eshleman, Neomi Mustain

Cenozoic climate history from seismic reflection and drilling studies on the Antarctic continental margin

Seismic stratigraphic studies and scientific drilling of the Antarctic continental margin have yielded clues to the evolution of Cenozoic climates, depositional paleoenvironments and paleoceanographic conditions. This paper draws on studies of the former Antarctic Offshore Stratigraphy Project and others to review the geomorphic and lithostratigraphic offshore features that give insights into the
Authors
Alan K. Cooper, Giuliano Brancolini, C. Escutia, Y. Kristoffersen, R.D. Larter, G. Leitchenkov, Philip O'Brien, Wilfried Jokat

Does a boundary of the Wrangell Block extend through southern Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait, Alaska?

In southcentral Alaska, the boundaries of two different tectonic blocks extend southwestward from the Denali Fault toward Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait. We use offshore multichannel seismic reflection data and oil-well stratigraphy to evaluate whether local geologic structures are compatible with boundaries of either tectonic block and with the relative motion expected across the block boundaries
Authors
Michael A. Fisher, Ray W. Sliter, Florence L. Wong

Geologic resource evaluation of Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, Hawai'i; Part I, geology and coastal landforms

Geologic resource inventories of lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS) are important products for the parks and are designed to provide scientific information to better manage park resources. Park-specific geologic reports are used to identify geologic features and processes that are relevant to park ecosystems, evaluate the impact of human activities on geologic features and processes,
Authors
Bruce M. Richmond, Susan A. Cochran, Ann E. Gibbs

Geologic resource evaluation of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawai'i: Geology and coastal landforms

Geologic resource inventories of lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS) are important products for the parks and are designed to provide scientific information to better manage park resources. Park-specific geologic reports are used to identify geologic features and processes that are relevant to park ecosystems, evaluate the impact of human activities on geologic features and processes,
Authors
Bruce M. Richmond, Ann E. Gibbs, Susan A. Cochran

Geologic resource evaluation of Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site, Hawai'i; Part I, geology and coastal landforms

Geologic resource inventories of lands managed by the National Park Service (NPS) are important products for the parks and are designed to provide scientific information to better manage park resources. Park-specific geologic reports are used to identify geologic features and processes that are relevant to park ecosystems, evaluate the impact of human activities on geologic features and processes,
Authors
Bruce M. Richmond, Susan A. Cochran, Ann E. Gibbs

A 1000-year sediment record of recurring hypoxia off the Mississippi River: The potential role of terrestrially-derived organic matter inputs

A suite of inorganic and organic geochemical tracers and a low-oxygen tolerant benthic faunal index ('PEB') were measured in a 14C-dated 2+??m long gravity core collected on the Louisiana shelf adjacent to the Mississippi River delta to study potential millennium-scale low-oxygen events. Periodic down-core excursions in the PEB index throughout the core suggest recurring, natural bottom water low-
Authors
P.W. Swarzenski, P.L. Campbell, L.E. Osterman, R. Z. Poore

Seabed mapping and characterization of sediment variability using the usSEABED data base

We present a methodology for statistical analysis of randomly located marine sediment point data, and apply it to the US continental shelf portions of usSEABED mean grain size records. The usSEABED database, like many modern, large environmental datasets, is heterogeneous and interdisciplinary. We statistically test the database as a source of mean grain size data, and from it provide a first exam
Authors
J.A. Goff, C.J. Jenkins, Williams S. Jeffress

Geology of Hawaii reefs

The Hawaii hot spot lies in the mantle under, or just to the south of, the Big Island of Hawaii. Two active subaerial volcanoes and one active submarine volcano reveal its productivity. Centrally located on the Pacific Plate, the hot spot is the source of the Hawaii Island Archipelago and its northern arm, the Emperor Seamount Chain (Fig. 11.1).This system of high volcanic islands and associated r
Authors
Charles H. Fletcher, Christopher Bochicchio, Christopher L. Conger, Mary S. Engels, Eden J. Feirstein, Neil Frazer, Craig R. Glenn, Richard W. Grigg, Eric E. Grossman, Jodi N. Harney, Ebitari Isoun, Colin V. Murray-Wallace, John J. Rooney, Kenneth H. Rubin, Clark Sherman, Sean Vitousek

Preliminary results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission collaborative research program to assess tsunami hazard for nuclear power plants on the Atlantic and gulf coasts

In response to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) initiated a long-term research program to improve understanding of tsunami hazard levels for nuclear facilities in the United States. For this effort, the US NRC organized a collaborative research program with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other key researchers for the purpose of
Authors
A.M. Kammerer, Uri S. ten Brink, David C. Twitchell, Eric L. Geist, Jason D. Chaytor, J. Locat, H. J. Lee, Brian J. Buczkowski, M. Sansoucy

Persistent earthquake clusters and gaps from slip on irregular faults

Earthquake-producing fault systems like the San Andreas fault in California show self-similar structural variation1; earthquakes cluster in space, leaving aseismic gaps between clusters. Whether gaps represent overdue earthquakes or signify diminished risk is a question with which seismic-hazard forecasters wrestle1,2,3,4,5. Here I use spectral analysis of the spatial distribution of seismicity al
Authors
Tom Parsons