Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Images

St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center images.

Filter Total Items: 760
Image taken prior to the peak of the Nor'Ida storm event
Image taken prior to the peak of the Nor'Ida storm event
Image taken prior to the peak of the Nor'Ida storm event
Image taken prior to the peak of the Nor'Ida storm event

Though this image was taken prior to the peak of the Nor'Ida storm event, elevated water levels have already eroded the oceanside of a primary dune.

View along the railroad tracks on Cape Canaveral
View along the railroad tracks on Cape Canaveral
View along the railroad tracks on Cape Canaveral
View along the railroad tracks on Cape Canaveral

Low dunes on Cape Canaveral often overwash during storm events, transporting sand landward. Critical infrastructure may be buried or flooded. In addition, significant landward transport of sand may lead to extensive shoreline erosion. 

Low dunes on Cape Canaveral often overwash during storm events, transporting sand landward. Critical infrastructure may be buried or flooded. In addition, significant landward transport of sand may lead to extensive shoreline erosion. 

Scientists operate scientific sediment coring equipment with a tall metal barrel and tripod on a sandy beach near the water.
USGS staff collecting vibracore on Ft. DeSoto Beach, Florida
USGS staff collecting vibracore on Ft. DeSoto Beach, Florida
USGS staff collecting vibracore on Ft. DeSoto Beach, Florida

USGS staff collecting a sediment core on Ft. Desoto Beach, Florida using vibracoring equipment. This type of sediment coring uses the vibration of an electric motor to sink an aluminum core barrel into the ground. When the core barrel enters the ground the sediment in the ground fills up the barrel and the crew uses the tripod to pull the core out of the ground.

USGS staff collecting a sediment core on Ft. Desoto Beach, Florida using vibracoring equipment. This type of sediment coring uses the vibration of an electric motor to sink an aluminum core barrel into the ground. When the core barrel enters the ground the sediment in the ground fills up the barrel and the crew uses the tripod to pull the core out of the ground.

A band of red, yellow and green with white dots showing lidar derived elevations from Santa Rosa Island, FL
Lidar derived elevations from Santa Rosa Island, Florida
Lidar derived elevations from Santa Rosa Island, Florida
Lidar derived elevations from Santa Rosa Island, Florida

Image 2: Lidar-derived elevations from Santa Rosa Island, Florida, collected September 8, 2008, after Hurricane Gustav. White dots indicate the extracted position of the dune base, while black dots indicate the extracted position of the dune crest. Beach slope and shoreline can also be determined from this data.

Image 2: Lidar-derived elevations from Santa Rosa Island, Florida, collected September 8, 2008, after Hurricane Gustav. White dots indicate the extracted position of the dune base, while black dots indicate the extracted position of the dune crest. Beach slope and shoreline can also be determined from this data.

A coastal dune with white sand and vegetation growing on the slope of the dune
A coastal dune on Ponquogue Beach, Long Island, NY
A coastal dune on Ponquogue Beach, Long Island, NY
A coastal dune on Ponquogue Beach, Long Island, NY

Image 2A. A healthy coastal dune, which is wide, covered with vegetation, and rises to a tall crest, on Ponquogue Beach, Long Island, NY. 

A wide sandy beach with a tall dune covered in vegetation
A tall, vegetated dune, Long Island, NY
A tall, vegetated dune, Long Island, NY
A tall, vegetated dune, Long Island, NY

Image 2B. A tall, vegetated dune at Ponquogue Beach, Long Island, New York, with the dune toe and dune crest visible. Extended dune development has created a wide additional dune portion seaward of the existing dune toe/base, known as an embryonic dune.

Image 2B. A tall, vegetated dune at Ponquogue Beach, Long Island, New York, with the dune toe and dune crest visible. Extended dune development has created a wide additional dune portion seaward of the existing dune toe/base, known as an embryonic dune.

A wide vegetated dune with a developed berm and tall crest
A wide vegetated dune with a developed berm and tall crest
A wide vegetated dune with a developed berm and tall crest
A wide vegetated dune with a developed berm and tall crest

Image 2A. A typical beach system east of Shinnecock Inlet on Long Island, NY, near Ponquogue Beach, with a developed berm, dune toe/base, and dune crest. The dune is healthy, with a wide vegetated section leading up to a tall crest.

Image 2A. A typical beach system east of Shinnecock Inlet on Long Island, NY, near Ponquogue Beach, with a developed berm, dune toe/base, and dune crest. The dune is healthy, with a wide vegetated section leading up to a tall crest.

A wide coastal dune with vegetation growing across it and a blue sky in the distance
A healthy coastal dune with a wide vegetated region, Ponguogue Beach, Long Island, NY
A healthy coastal dune with a wide vegetated region, Ponguogue Beach, Long Island, NY
A healthy coastal dune with a wide vegetated region, Ponguogue Beach, Long Island, NY

Image 2A: A typical beach system east of Shinnecock Inlet on Long Island, NY, near Ponquogue Beach, with a developed berm, dune toe/base, and dune crest. The dune is healthy, with a wide vegetated section leading up to a tall crest.

Dauphin Island, Alabama
Dauphin Island, Alabama
Dauphin Island, Alabama
Dauphin Island, Alabama

Dauphin Island, Alabama. Three-dimensional views of island topography (A-C), post-Katrina oblique aerial photograph (D), and differences in topography from Hurricanes Ivan (E) and Katrina (F). The view is along the island, looking from east to west, with the Gulf of Mexico to the left and Mississippi Sound to the right.

Dauphin Island, Alabama. Three-dimensional views of island topography (A-C), post-Katrina oblique aerial photograph (D), and differences in topography from Hurricanes Ivan (E) and Katrina (F). The view is along the island, looking from east to west, with the Gulf of Mexico to the left and Mississippi Sound to the right.

Before and after photos showing destroyed pier house and antebellum home
Before and after photos showing destroyed pier house and classic home
Before and after photos showing destroyed pier house and classic home
Before and after photos showing destroyed pier house and classic home

In the top image, taken in 1998, notice the pier, pier house, and the antebellum house. The bottom image shows the same location on August 31, 2005, two days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. This photo shows the complete destruction of these landmarks.

In the top image, taken in 1998, notice the pier, pier house, and the antebellum house. The bottom image shows the same location on August 31, 2005, two days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. This photo shows the complete destruction of these landmarks.

Photo sets of Waveland, Mississippi, pre- and post-Katrina
Photo sets of Waveland, Mississippi, pre- and post-Katrina
Photo sets of Waveland, Mississippi, pre- and post-Katrina
Photo sets of Waveland, Mississippi, pre- and post-Katrina

The top image, taken off the coast of Waveland, Mississippi, in July 1998, shows several large oceanfront homes, and thick wooded vegetation bordering the sandy beach. The bottom image shows the same location on August 31, 2005, two days after landfall of Hurricane Katrina.

The top image, taken off the coast of Waveland, Mississippi, in July 1998, shows several large oceanfront homes, and thick wooded vegetation bordering the sandy beach. The bottom image shows the same location on August 31, 2005, two days after landfall of Hurricane Katrina.

Dauphin Island, Alabama, map views
Dauphin Island, Alabama, map views
Dauphin Island, Alabama, map views
Dauphin Island, Alabama, map views

Dauphin Island, Alabama. Map views of post-storm difference grids for Hurricanes Ivan (A) and Katrina (B), and vertical photography of the same location (C). The lidar images show elevation gains (green) and losses (red).

Dauphin Island, Alabama. Map views of post-storm difference grids for Hurricanes Ivan (A) and Katrina (B), and vertical photography of the same location (C). The lidar images show elevation gains (green) and losses (red).

Photo sets of Waveland, Mississippi, pre- and post-Katrina
Photo sets of Waveland, Mississippi, pre- and post-Katrina
Photo sets of Waveland, Mississippi, pre- and post-Katrina
Photo sets of Waveland, Mississippi, pre- and post-Katrina

The top image was taken off the coast of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, in July 1998 by researchers at the University of New Orleans. In this image, notice the large multi-story houses, some of which are built on stilts to protect the homes from flooding. The bottom image shows the same location on August 31, 2005, two days after landfall of Hurricane Katrina.

The top image was taken off the coast of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, in July 1998 by researchers at the University of New Orleans. In this image, notice the large multi-story houses, some of which are built on stilts to protect the homes from flooding. The bottom image shows the same location on August 31, 2005, two days after landfall of Hurricane Katrina.

Leptogorgia chilensis, Stylaster californicus, and a painted greenling (Oxylebius pictus) at 42 meters depth on Farnsworth Bank.
Leptogorgia chilensis, Stylaster californicus, and a painted greenling
Leptogorgia chilensis, Stylaster californicus, and a painted greenling
Leptogorgia chilensis, Stylaster californicus, and a painted greenling

Leptogorgia chilensis, Stylaster californicus, and a painted greenling (Oxylebius pictus) at 42 meters depth on Farnsworth Bank.

Coral reef and Loggerhead Key in Dry Tortugas National Park
Coral reef surrounding Loggerhead Key in Dry Tortugas National Park
Coral reef surrounding Loggerhead Key in Dry Tortugas National Park
Coral reef surrounding Loggerhead Key in Dry Tortugas National Park

Looking south over the coral reef surrounding Loggerhead Key, Dry Tortugas National Park. Dry Tortugas Lighthouse stands on Loggerhead Key. To the right in the background is Garden Key, where civil-war era Fort Jefferson is located.

Was this page helpful?