The Delmarva Peninsula is a 220-kilometer-long headland, spit, and barrier island complex that was significantly affected by Hurricane Sandy. In order to better constrain controls on coastal vulnerability and evolution, the region’s sediment sources, transport pathways and sediment sinks must be identified. This project defines the geologic framework of the Delmarva coastal system through geophysical mapping of the inner continental shelf. Such information can then be related to the physical processes that govern coastal system evolution at storm-event and longer timescales. Similar efforts conducted in Fire Island, NY, North Carolina, South Carolina and Massachusetts have proven crucial to the assessment of coastal hazards as well as to habitat characterization and identification of cultural resources in those regions. Defining the geologic framework of the Delmarva coastal system through geophysical mapping of the inner continental shelf provides the scientific foundation for effective management of this dynamic coastal system as it responds to storms, sea-level rise, and anthropogenic activities.
Sound Waves Articles
Coastal and Marine Research News from across the USGS
Project Outcomes
Geophysical Mapping and Sea Floor Sampling: Geophysical Surveys conducted during the summers of 2014 and 2015 acquired post-Sandy bathymetric, backscatter, seismic-reflection profile, sediment sample and bottom-photograph data.
Interpretive Products and Data Releases: Journal articles, Open-file Reports and Data Releases related to recently conducted geophysical, geological and hydrographic studies are now available!
USGS_Delmarva_SedTexture_Geomorph: Sediment Texture and Geomorphology of the Sea Floor from Fenwick Island, Maryland to Fisherman's Island, Virginia (polygon shapefile, Geographic, WGS84)
High-resolution geophysical data collected along the Delmarva Peninsula 2015, U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity 2015-001-FA
High-resolution geophysical data collected along the Delmarva Peninsula 2014, USGS Field Activity 2014-002-FA
Seismic stratigraphic framework of the continental shelf offshore Delmarva, U.S.A.: Implications for Mid-Atlantic Bight evolution since the Pliocene
Molluscan aminostratigraphy of the US Mid-Atlantic Quaternary coastal system: Implications for onshore-offshore correlation, paleochannel and barrier island evolution, and local late Quaternary sea-level history
Optimizing an inner-continental shelf geologic framework investigation through data repurposing and machine learning
Sand ridge morphology and bedform migration patterns derived from bathymetry and backscatter on the inner-continental shelf offshore of Assateague Island, USA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hydrographic survey data used in a U.S. Geological Survey regional geologic framework study along the Delmarva Peninsula
- Overview
The Delmarva Peninsula is a 220-kilometer-long headland, spit, and barrier island complex that was significantly affected by Hurricane Sandy. In order to better constrain controls on coastal vulnerability and evolution, the region’s sediment sources, transport pathways and sediment sinks must be identified. This project defines the geologic framework of the Delmarva coastal system through geophysical mapping of the inner continental shelf. Such information can then be related to the physical processes that govern coastal system evolution at storm-event and longer timescales. Similar efforts conducted in Fire Island, NY, North Carolina, South Carolina and Massachusetts have proven crucial to the assessment of coastal hazards as well as to habitat characterization and identification of cultural resources in those regions. Defining the geologic framework of the Delmarva coastal system through geophysical mapping of the inner continental shelf provides the scientific foundation for effective management of this dynamic coastal system as it responds to storms, sea-level rise, and anthropogenic activities.
Sound Waves ArticlesCoastal and Marine Research News from across the USGS
Project Outcomes
Geophysical Mapping and Sea Floor Sampling: Geophysical Surveys conducted during the summers of 2014 and 2015 acquired post-Sandy bathymetric, backscatter, seismic-reflection profile, sediment sample and bottom-photograph data.
Interpretive Products and Data Releases: Journal articles, Open-file Reports and Data Releases related to recently conducted geophysical, geological and hydrographic studies are now available!
Clockwise: Map of Chesapeake Bay and the Delmarva Peninsula; Radar Image of Hurricane Sandy; Seismic Reflection Profile data collected offshore of the Delmarva Peninsula; Shipwreck off of Ocean City, MD imaged in side scan sonar backscatter; Bathymetric data showing sand ridges; photo of sea floor ripples. - Data
USGS_Delmarva_SedTexture_Geomorph: Sediment Texture and Geomorphology of the Sea Floor from Fenwick Island, Maryland to Fisherman's Island, Virginia (polygon shapefile, Geographic, WGS84)
These data are a qualitatively derived interpretive polygon shapefile defining surficial sediment type and distribution, and geomorphology, for nearly 1,400 square kilometers of sea floor on the inner-continental shelf from Fenwick Island, Maryland to Fishermans Island, Virginia, USA. These data are classified according to Barnhardt and others (1998) bottom-type classification system, which was moHigh-resolution geophysical data collected along the Delmarva Peninsula 2015, U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity 2015-001-FA
The Delmarva Peninsula is a 220-kilometer-long headland, spit, and barrier island complex that was significantly affected by Hurricane Sandy in the fall of 2012. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted cruises during the summers of 2014 and 2015 to map the inner continental shelf of the Delmarva Peninsula using geophysical and sampling techniques to define the geologic framework that governs coastalHigh-resolution geophysical data collected along the Delmarva Peninsula 2014, USGS Field Activity 2014-002-FA
The Delmarva Peninsula is a 220-kilometer-long headland, spit, and barrier island complex that was significantly affected by Hurricane Sandy. A USGS cruise was conducted in the summer of 2014 to map the inner-continental shelf of the Delmarva Peninsula using geophysical and sampling techniques to define the geologic framework that governs coastal system evolution at storm-event and longer timescal - Multimedia
- Publications
Seismic stratigraphic framework of the continental shelf offshore Delmarva, U.S.A.: Implications for Mid-Atlantic Bight evolution since the Pliocene
Understanding how past coastal systems have evolved is critical to predicting future coastal change. Using over 12,000 trackline kilometers of recently collected, co-located multi-channel boomer, sparker and chirp seismic reflection profile data integrated with previously collected borehole and vibracore data, we define the upper (< 115 m below mean lower low water) seismic stratigraphic frameworkAuthorsLaura L. Brothers, David S. Foster, Elizabeth A. Pendleton, Wayne E. BaldwinMolluscan aminostratigraphy of the US Mid-Atlantic Quaternary coastal system: Implications for onshore-offshore correlation, paleochannel and barrier island evolution, and local late Quaternary sea-level history
The Quaternary record of the US Mid-Atlantic coastal system includes onshore emergent late Pleistocene shoreline deposits, offshore inner shelf and barrier island units, and paleovalleys formed during multiple glacial stage sea-level lowstands. The geochronology of this coastal system is based on uranium series, radiocarbon, amino acid racemization (AAR), and optically stimulated luminescence (OSLAuthorsJohn Wehmiller, Laura L. Brothers, Kelvin Ramsey, David S. Foster, C.R. Mattheus, Christopher Hein, Justin L. ShawlerOptimizing an inner-continental shelf geologic framework investigation through data repurposing and machine learning
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have collected approximately 5,400 km2 of geophysical and hydrographic data on the Atlantic continental shelf between Delaware and Virginia over the past decade and a half. Although originally acquired for different objectives, the comprehensive coverage and variety of data (bathymetry, backscatter, imagerAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, Laura L. Brothers, Ed SweeneySand ridge morphology and bedform migration patterns derived from bathymetry and backscatter on the inner-continental shelf offshore of Assateague Island, USA
The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration conducted geophysical and hydrographic surveys, respectively, along the inner-continental shelf of Fenwick and Assateague Islands, Maryland and Virginia over the last 40 years. High resolution bathymetry and backscatter data derived from surveys over the last decade are used to describe the morphology and pAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, Laura L. Brothers, E. Robert Thieler, Edward SweeneyNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hydrographic survey data used in a U.S. Geological Survey regional geologic framework study along the Delmarva Peninsula
The U.S. Geological Survey initiated a research effort in 2014 to define the geologic framework of the Delmarva Peninsula inner continental shelf, which included new data collection and assembly of relevant extant datasets. Between 2006 and 2011, Science Applications International Corporation, under contract to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service, carried outAuthorsElizabeth A. Pendleton, Laura L. Brothers, E. Robert Thieler, William W. Danforth, Castle E. Parker - Partners