Geophysical mapping and research have demonstrated that the seabed on the inner continental shelf has a variety of shapes which are linked to long-term evolution of the barrier island. Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation case sand, gravel, and other materials to be transported by tides, winds, waves, fresh water fluxes, and density variations.
The inner shelf adjacent to Fire Island is where geologic and oceanographic processes interact to influence the long-term behavior of the island and shoreline. First, mapping the geology of the inner shelf allows us to identify the sources of sediment that have contributed to the formation of Fire Island over the last several thousand years. Next, studying patterns of sediment distribution influence how much sand is transported along and across the shelf during stormy and fair-weather periods, contributing to our understanding of the historical behavior of the island. Finally, changes in inner shelf shape and slo pe alter waves as they approach the coast which can lead to spatial variability in coastal response to storms. All of this information helps coastal managers understand the sediment budget of the island so they can make sound sediment management decisions.
Coastal Change Processes
The USGS has been actively studying sediment distribution, morphology, and sub-seafloor structure of the inner shelf off of Fire Island for more than 20 years. As instrumentation has improved and as data resolution has increased, we have been able to build upon previous work to augment and refine our understanding of the geological processes that shaped the coastal landscape in the past and will continue to influence coastal behavior in the future.
Tides, winds, and waves drive currents offshore that erode and deposit sediment and change offshore morphology. Using a combination of oceanographic observations and modeling, the USGS is quantifying the processes that drive the connections between shelf geology and modern coastal behavior.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Back-barrier and Estuarine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Coastal Change Processes- Fire Island, NY
- Overview
Geophysical mapping and research have demonstrated that the seabed on the inner continental shelf has a variety of shapes which are linked to long-term evolution of the barrier island. Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation case sand, gravel, and other materials to be transported by tides, winds, waves, fresh water fluxes, and density variations.
The inner shelf adjacent to Fire Island is where geologic and oceanographic processes interact to influence the long-term behavior of the island and shoreline. First, mapping the geology of the inner shelf allows us to identify the sources of sediment that have contributed to the formation of Fire Island over the last several thousand years. Next, studying patterns of sediment distribution influence how much sand is transported along and across the shelf during stormy and fair-weather periods, contributing to our understanding of the historical behavior of the island. Finally, changes in inner shelf shape and slo pe alter waves as they approach the coast which can lead to spatial variability in coastal response to storms. All of this information helps coastal managers understand the sediment budget of the island so they can make sound sediment management decisions.
Coastal Change Processes
The USGS has been actively studying sediment distribution, morphology, and sub-seafloor structure of the inner shelf off of Fire Island for more than 20 years. As instrumentation has improved and as data resolution has increased, we have been able to build upon previous work to augment and refine our understanding of the geological processes that shaped the coastal landscape in the past and will continue to influence coastal behavior in the future.
Tides, winds, and waves drive currents offshore that erode and deposit sediment and change offshore morphology. Using a combination of oceanographic observations and modeling, the USGS is quantifying the processes that drive the connections between shelf geology and modern coastal behavior.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Fire Island is a 50-km long barrier island along the south shore of Long Island, New York. The island is comprised of seventeen year-round communities; federal, state, and county parks; and supports distinct ecosystems alongside areas of economic and cultural value. In addition to providing resources to its residents, the barrier island also protects the heavily-populated mainland from storm waves...Back-barrier and Estuarine - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Regional-scale modeling forecasts how atmospheric forcing and oceanographic circulation influence estuarine circulation and water levels, sediment transport, and wetland change.Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Oceanfront research at Fire Island, New York, is primarily focused on understanding the long- and short-term behavior of the ocean-facing terrestrial barrier island system, including human influences. The USGS has had ongoing research activities on Fire Island since the late 1990s, providing science to help inform management decisions. Recent efforts include monitoring the response to and recovery...Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
The nearshore is the submerged portion of the shoreface between the inner shelf and the shoreline and includes the surf zone, where waves break. Along with beaches and dunes, nearshore morphology and geology adjusts to changes in waves, sediment supply, human alterations, and sea level rise. By measuring nearshore morphologic and geologic variations, we can understand how quickly beaches and dunes...Coastal Change Processes- Fire Island, NY
Fire Island, a 50-km long barrier-island system between Fire Island Inlet and Moriches Inlet, attracts significant tourism, includes federal, state, and county parks, contains a number of coastal communities, provides storm damage protection to the adjacent heavily populated mainland, and supports a distinct barrier island ecosystem, all of which are affected by coastal change. Mitigating the... - Data
- Publications