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St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center images.

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Woman in a green shirt labeled USGS leans over and points at a table display of water and sand, with a child watching nearby
Donya Frank-Gilchrist explains coastal erosion for Great American Teach-In
Donya Frank-Gilchrist explains coastal erosion for Great American Teach-In
Donya Frank-Gilchrist explains coastal erosion for Great American Teach-In

Research Physical Scientist Donya Frank-Gilchrist visited three classes at Lakeview Fundamental Elementary School for the 2022 Great American Teach-In to discuss wave dynamics, extreme storms, and how these processes alter coastal ecosystems.

Earth colored map of North America has the coastlines of the U.S. highlighted in bright blue
Map of U.S. Coastlines
Map of U.S. Coastlines
Map of U.S. Coastlines

Our Nation’s coastlines are almost 100,000 miles long. These extensive coastal areas stretch from Maine’s Atlantic shores in the northeast, south along the shores of the Gulf of America and insular areas in the Caribbean.

Our Nation’s coastlines are almost 100,000 miles long. These extensive coastal areas stretch from Maine’s Atlantic shores in the northeast, south along the shores of the Gulf of America and insular areas in the Caribbean.

Heavily vegetated dunes with yellow flowering plants and patches of sand, with the sea in the background on a clear blue day.
Inter-dune coastal scrub and grass barrier island habitat
Inter-dune coastal scrub and grass barrier island habitat
Inter-dune coastal scrub and grass barrier island habitat

Inter-dune habitat with a mix of coastal scrub, bare ground, and grass vegetation, on Santa Rosa Island, Gulf Islands National Seashore, FL. The foredune (in background) separates the inter-dune habitat from beach habitat (not visible) behind the foredune.

Inter-dune habitat with a mix of coastal scrub, bare ground, and grass vegetation, on Santa Rosa Island, Gulf Islands National Seashore, FL. The foredune (in background) separates the inter-dune habitat from beach habitat (not visible) behind the foredune.

A SCUBA diver rests next to a large instrument, which sits on the sea floor.
Legna Torres-Garcia with oceanographic instrumentation
Legna Torres-Garcia with oceanographic instrumentation
Legna Torres-Garcia with oceanographic instrumentation

Legna Torres-Garcia deploys oceanographic instrumentation to measure waves, currents, water temperature and water levels in Dorado, Puerto Rico in October 2022. This deployment will improve computer model accuracy related to total water level forecast. USGS Photo by David Thompson.

Legna Torres-Garcia deploys oceanographic instrumentation to measure waves, currents, water temperature and water levels in Dorado, Puerto Rico in October 2022. This deployment will improve computer model accuracy related to total water level forecast. USGS Photo by David Thompson.

Eroded dunes topped with palmetto shrubs on a beach at dusk
Hurricane Ian eroded Florida dunes
Hurricane Ian eroded Florida dunes
Hurricane Ian eroded Florida dunes

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts. This dune in Flagler County, Florida experienced severe erosion due to waves from the storm.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts. This dune in Flagler County, Florida experienced severe erosion due to waves from the storm.

A coastal road lined with homes and vegetated dunes is covered by sand
Hurricane Ian overwashed roads
Hurricane Ian overwashed roads
Hurricane Ian overwashed roads

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts.

Ocean waves crash against a shallow beach near a dune reinforced by rocks and a stairway that has collapsed into the sea
Waves from Hurricane Ian eroded dunes in Florida
Waves from Hurricane Ian eroded dunes in Florida
Waves from Hurricane Ian eroded dunes in Florida

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts. In Flagler County, Florida, large waves caused by the storm (on top of storm surge and tides) caused damage to coastal structures, dunes to erode, and roads to be overwashed with sand.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts. In Flagler County, Florida, large waves caused by the storm (on top of storm surge and tides) caused damage to coastal structures, dunes to erode, and roads to be overwashed with sand.

Eroded dunes topped with palmetto shrubs on a beach at dusk
Hurricane Ian eroded Florida dunes
Hurricane Ian eroded Florida dunes
Hurricane Ian eroded Florida dunes

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts. This dune in Flagler County, Florida experienced severe erosion due to waves from the storm.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts. This dune in Flagler County, Florida experienced severe erosion due to waves from the storm.

Eroded dunes topped with palmetto shrubs on a beach at dusk
Hurricane Ian eroded Florida dunes
Hurricane Ian eroded Florida dunes
Hurricane Ian eroded Florida dunes

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts. This dune in Flagler County, Florida experienced severe erosion due to waves from the storm.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in September 2022 and impacted both the Gulf of America and Atlantic coasts. This dune in Flagler County, Florida experienced severe erosion due to waves from the storm.

Stats about USGS ocean science over a green tinted image of the deck of a research vessel at sea. Full text in caption.
USGS Ocean Science
USGS Ocean Science
USGS Ocean Science

USGS Ocean Science

The USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program is the only federal science program focused on the geology and processes of coastal and marine landscapes.

USGS Ocean Science

The USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program is the only federal science program focused on the geology and processes of coastal and marine landscapes.

Stats about USGS coastal science over a blue tinted aerial image of a mountainous coastline. Full text in caption.
USGS Coastal Science
USGS Coastal Science
USGS Coastal Science

USGS Coastal Science

The USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program is the only federal science program focused on the geology and processes of coastal and marine landscapes.

USGS Coastal Science

The USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program is the only federal science program focused on the geology and processes of coastal and marine landscapes.

Sinuous ripples of sand are lit under shallow water with scientific equipment on a short post in the distance
Sand Ripples
Sand Ripples
Sand Ripples

The wavelength and height of wave generated ripples can be more accurately predicted with the method developed in the new manuscript, available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2022.105509.

The wavelength and height of wave generated ripples can be more accurately predicted with the method developed in the new manuscript, available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2022.105509.

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