Recent Publications - January-March 2020
By Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
March 30, 2020
List of recent USGS publications and data releases based on coastal and marine research.
This article is part of the January - March 2020 issue of the Sound Waves newsletter.
Related
High-resolution (1 m) digital elevation model (DEM) of San Francisco Bay, California, created using bathymetry data collected between 1999 and 2020 (ver. 2.0, July 2021) High-resolution (1 m) digital elevation model (DEM) of San Francisco Bay, California, created using bathymetry data collected between 1999 and 2020 (ver. 2.0, July 2021)
A 1-m resolution bathymetric digital elevation model (DEM) of all off San Francisco Bay was constructed from bathymetric surveys collected from 1999 to 2016. The DEM has been divided into northern and southern sections due to file size, and is available in both MLLW and NAVD88 versions. Background: In 2014 and 2015 the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) contracted the collection...
Cross-reef wave and water level data from coral reef environments (ver. 4.0, June 2025) Cross-reef wave and water level data from coral reef environments (ver. 4.0, June 2025)
Coral reefs provide important protection for tropical coastlines against the impact of large waves and storm damage by energy dissipation through wave breaking and bottom friction. However, climate change and sea level rise have led to growing concern for how the hydrodynamics across these reefs will evolve and whether these changes will leave tropical coastlines more vulnerable to large...
Multichannel sparker seismic reflection data of USGS field activity 2018-658-FA collected between Cape Blanco and Cape Mendocino from 2018-10-04 to 2018-10-18 Multichannel sparker seismic reflection data of USGS field activity 2018-658-FA collected between Cape Blanco and Cape Mendocino from 2018-10-04 to 2018-10-18
This data release contains processed high-resolution multichannel sparker seismic-reflection (MCS) data that were collected aboard Humboldt State University's R/V Coral Sea in October of 2018 on U.S. Geological Survey cruise 2018-658-FA on the shelf and slope between Cape Blanco, Oregon, and Cape Mendocino, California. MCS data were collected to characterize quaternary deformation and...
Filter Total Items: 20
Gas hydrate petroleum systems: What constitutes the “seal”? Gas hydrate petroleum systems: What constitutes the “seal”?
The gas hydrate petroleum system (GHPS) approach, which has been used to characterize gas hydrates in nature, utilizes three distinct components: a methane source, a methane migration pathway, and a reservoir that not only contains gas hydrate, but also acts as a seal to prevent methane loss. Unlike GHPS, a traditional petroleum system (PS) approach further distinguishes between the...
Authors
Junbong Jang, William F. Waite, Laura Stern
Development of a modeling framework for predicting decadal barrier island evolution Development of a modeling framework for predicting decadal barrier island evolution
Predicting the decadal evolution of barrier island systems is important for coastal managers who propose restoration or preservation alternatives aimed at increasing the resiliency of the island and its associated habitats or communities. Existing numerical models for simulating morphologic changes typically include either long-term (for example, longshore transport under quiescent...
Authors
Rangley Mickey, Joseph Long, P. Soupy Dalyander, Robert L. Jenkins, David Thompson, Davina Passeri, Nathaniel Plant
Application of decadal modeling approach to forecast barrier island evolution, Dauphin Island, Alabama Application of decadal modeling approach to forecast barrier island evolution, Dauphin Island, Alabama
Forecasting barrier island evolution provides coastal managers and stakeholders the ability to assess the resiliency of these important coastal environments that are home to both established communities and existing natural habitats. This study uses an established coupled model framework to assess how Dauphin Island, Alabama, responds to various storm and sea-level change scenarios...
Authors
Rangley Mickey, Elizabeth Godsey, P. Soupy Dalyander, Victor Gonzalez, Robert L. Jenkins, Joseph Long, David Thompson, Nathaniel Plant
Getting to the core of the matter Getting to the core of the matter
The topic of carbon sequestration in coastal salt marshes can serve as the basis of an investigation story line with plenty of authentic relevance and drama! Consider establishing the context with students as an introduction to this lesson. Many resources for teaching about carbon uptake and sequestration in coastal wetlands can be found at the Bringing Wetlands to Market website. Some...
Authors
Meagan Gonneea Eagle
Determining the drivers of suspended sediment dynamics in tidal marsh-influenced estuaries using high-resolution ocean color remote sensing Determining the drivers of suspended sediment dynamics in tidal marsh-influenced estuaries using high-resolution ocean color remote sensing
Sediment budgets are a critical metric to assess coastal marsh vulnerability to sea-level rise and declining riverine sediment inputs. However, calculating accurate sediment budgets is challenging in tidal marsh-influenced estuaries where suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) typically vary on scales of hours and meters, and where SSC dynamics are driven by a complex and often site...
Authors
Xiaohe Zhang, Cedric Fichot, Carly Baracco, Ruizhe Guo, Sydney Neugebauer, Zachary Bengtsson, Neil K. Ganju, Sergio Fagherazzi
Meteotsunamis triggered by tropical cyclones Meteotsunamis triggered by tropical cyclones
Tropical cyclones are one of the most destructive natural hazards and much of the damage and casualties they cause are flood-related. Accurate characterization and prediction of total water levels during extreme storms is necessary to minimize coastal impacts. While meteotsunamis are known to influence water levels and to produce severe consequences, they have been disregarded during...
Authors
Maitane Olabarrieta, Luming Shi, David Nolan, John C. Warner
A geospatially resolved wetland vulnerability index: Synthesis of physical drivers A geospatially resolved wetland vulnerability index: Synthesis of physical drivers
Assessing wetland vulnerability to chronic and episodic physical drivers is fundamental for establishing restoration priorities. We synthesized multiple data sets from E.B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey, to establish a wetland vulnerability metric that integrates a range of physical processes, regulatory information and physical/biophysical features. The geospatial data...
Authors
Zafer Defne, Alfredo Aretxabaleta, Neil K. Ganju, Tarandeep S. Kalra, Daniel Jones, Kathryn Smith
Forecasting future beach width- A case study along the Florida Atlantic coast Forecasting future beach width- A case study along the Florida Atlantic coast
Historical cross-shore positions of the shoreline and dune base were used as inputs for a Kalman filter algorithm to forecast the positions of these features in the year 2028. The beach width was also computed as the cross-shore distance between the forecasted 2028 shoreline and dune-base positions. While it does not evaluate the suitability of a nesting beach or identify optimal nesting...
Authors
Joseph Long, Rachel Henderson, David Thompson
Tidal wetland gross primary production across the continental United States, 2000–2019 Tidal wetland gross primary production across the continental United States, 2000–2019
We mapped tidal wetland gross primary production (GPP) with unprecedented detail for multiple wetland types across the continental United States (CONUS) at 16‐day intervals for the years 2000–2019. To accomplish this task, we developed the spatially explicit Blue Carbon (BC) model, which combined tidal wetland cover and field‐based eddy covariance tower data into a single Bayesian...
Authors
R.A. Feagin, I. Forbrich, T. Huff, J.G. Barr, J. Ruiz-Plancarte, J.D. Fuentes, R.G. Najjar, R. Vargas, A. Vazquez Lule, L. Windham-Myers, Kevin Kroeger, E. Ward, G. Moore, M. Leclerc, K. W. Krauss, C.L. Stagg, M. Alber, S. Knox, K. Schafer, T.S. Bianchi, J. A. Hutchings, H. Nahrawi, A. Noormets, B. Mitra, A. Jaimes, A.L. Hinson, Brian Bergamaschi, J.S. King, G. Miao
Seafloor change around the Mississippi barrier islands, 1920 to 2016—The influence of storm effects on inlet and island morphodynamics Seafloor change around the Mississippi barrier islands, 1920 to 2016—The influence of storm effects on inlet and island morphodynamics
The Mississippi Barrier Islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico experienced high rates of spatial change over recorded history. Wave-induced sediment transport induced island migration, landward retreat, and inlet evolution. These processes can be measured using repeat bathymetric surveys to analyze elevation change over time. This study analyzes digital elevation models created from...
Authors
James Flocks, Noreen A. Buster, Owen T. Brenner
A revised Holocene coral sea-level database from the Florida reef tract, USA A revised Holocene coral sea-level database from the Florida reef tract, USA
The coral reefs and mangrove habitats of the south Florida region have long been used in sea-level studies for the western Atlantic because of their broad geographic extent and composition of sea-level tracking biota. The data from this region have been used to support several very different Holocene sea-level reconstructions (SLRs) over the years. However, many of these SLRs did not...
Authors
Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Bernhard Riegl, Lauren Toth
Geographic and oceanographic influences on ferromanganese crust composition along a Pacific Ocean meridional transect, 14N to 14S Geographic and oceanographic influences on ferromanganese crust composition along a Pacific Ocean meridional transect, 14N to 14S
The major controls on the variability of ferromanganese (FeMn) crust composition have been generally described over the past 40 years; however, most compilation studies lack quantitative statistics and are limited to a small region of several seamounts or compare FeMn crusts from disparate areas of the global oceans. This study provides the first detailed research to address the...
Authors
Kira Mizell, James Hein, Phoebe Lam, Anthony Koppers, Hubert Staudigel
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program Decadal Science Strategy Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program Decadal Science Strategy
This geonarrative constitutes the Decadal Science Strategy of the U.S. Geological Survey's Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, for 2020 to 2030.
Related
High-resolution (1 m) digital elevation model (DEM) of San Francisco Bay, California, created using bathymetry data collected between 1999 and 2020 (ver. 2.0, July 2021) High-resolution (1 m) digital elevation model (DEM) of San Francisco Bay, California, created using bathymetry data collected between 1999 and 2020 (ver. 2.0, July 2021)
A 1-m resolution bathymetric digital elevation model (DEM) of all off San Francisco Bay was constructed from bathymetric surveys collected from 1999 to 2016. The DEM has been divided into northern and southern sections due to file size, and is available in both MLLW and NAVD88 versions. Background: In 2014 and 2015 the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) contracted the collection...
Cross-reef wave and water level data from coral reef environments (ver. 4.0, June 2025) Cross-reef wave and water level data from coral reef environments (ver. 4.0, June 2025)
Coral reefs provide important protection for tropical coastlines against the impact of large waves and storm damage by energy dissipation through wave breaking and bottom friction. However, climate change and sea level rise have led to growing concern for how the hydrodynamics across these reefs will evolve and whether these changes will leave tropical coastlines more vulnerable to large...
Multichannel sparker seismic reflection data of USGS field activity 2018-658-FA collected between Cape Blanco and Cape Mendocino from 2018-10-04 to 2018-10-18 Multichannel sparker seismic reflection data of USGS field activity 2018-658-FA collected between Cape Blanco and Cape Mendocino from 2018-10-04 to 2018-10-18
This data release contains processed high-resolution multichannel sparker seismic-reflection (MCS) data that were collected aboard Humboldt State University's R/V Coral Sea in October of 2018 on U.S. Geological Survey cruise 2018-658-FA on the shelf and slope between Cape Blanco, Oregon, and Cape Mendocino, California. MCS data were collected to characterize quaternary deformation and...
Filter Total Items: 20
Gas hydrate petroleum systems: What constitutes the “seal”? Gas hydrate petroleum systems: What constitutes the “seal”?
The gas hydrate petroleum system (GHPS) approach, which has been used to characterize gas hydrates in nature, utilizes three distinct components: a methane source, a methane migration pathway, and a reservoir that not only contains gas hydrate, but also acts as a seal to prevent methane loss. Unlike GHPS, a traditional petroleum system (PS) approach further distinguishes between the...
Authors
Junbong Jang, William F. Waite, Laura Stern
Development of a modeling framework for predicting decadal barrier island evolution Development of a modeling framework for predicting decadal barrier island evolution
Predicting the decadal evolution of barrier island systems is important for coastal managers who propose restoration or preservation alternatives aimed at increasing the resiliency of the island and its associated habitats or communities. Existing numerical models for simulating morphologic changes typically include either long-term (for example, longshore transport under quiescent...
Authors
Rangley Mickey, Joseph Long, P. Soupy Dalyander, Robert L. Jenkins, David Thompson, Davina Passeri, Nathaniel Plant
Application of decadal modeling approach to forecast barrier island evolution, Dauphin Island, Alabama Application of decadal modeling approach to forecast barrier island evolution, Dauphin Island, Alabama
Forecasting barrier island evolution provides coastal managers and stakeholders the ability to assess the resiliency of these important coastal environments that are home to both established communities and existing natural habitats. This study uses an established coupled model framework to assess how Dauphin Island, Alabama, responds to various storm and sea-level change scenarios...
Authors
Rangley Mickey, Elizabeth Godsey, P. Soupy Dalyander, Victor Gonzalez, Robert L. Jenkins, Joseph Long, David Thompson, Nathaniel Plant
Getting to the core of the matter Getting to the core of the matter
The topic of carbon sequestration in coastal salt marshes can serve as the basis of an investigation story line with plenty of authentic relevance and drama! Consider establishing the context with students as an introduction to this lesson. Many resources for teaching about carbon uptake and sequestration in coastal wetlands can be found at the Bringing Wetlands to Market website. Some...
Authors
Meagan Gonneea Eagle
Determining the drivers of suspended sediment dynamics in tidal marsh-influenced estuaries using high-resolution ocean color remote sensing Determining the drivers of suspended sediment dynamics in tidal marsh-influenced estuaries using high-resolution ocean color remote sensing
Sediment budgets are a critical metric to assess coastal marsh vulnerability to sea-level rise and declining riverine sediment inputs. However, calculating accurate sediment budgets is challenging in tidal marsh-influenced estuaries where suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) typically vary on scales of hours and meters, and where SSC dynamics are driven by a complex and often site...
Authors
Xiaohe Zhang, Cedric Fichot, Carly Baracco, Ruizhe Guo, Sydney Neugebauer, Zachary Bengtsson, Neil K. Ganju, Sergio Fagherazzi
Meteotsunamis triggered by tropical cyclones Meteotsunamis triggered by tropical cyclones
Tropical cyclones are one of the most destructive natural hazards and much of the damage and casualties they cause are flood-related. Accurate characterization and prediction of total water levels during extreme storms is necessary to minimize coastal impacts. While meteotsunamis are known to influence water levels and to produce severe consequences, they have been disregarded during...
Authors
Maitane Olabarrieta, Luming Shi, David Nolan, John C. Warner
A geospatially resolved wetland vulnerability index: Synthesis of physical drivers A geospatially resolved wetland vulnerability index: Synthesis of physical drivers
Assessing wetland vulnerability to chronic and episodic physical drivers is fundamental for establishing restoration priorities. We synthesized multiple data sets from E.B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey, to establish a wetland vulnerability metric that integrates a range of physical processes, regulatory information and physical/biophysical features. The geospatial data...
Authors
Zafer Defne, Alfredo Aretxabaleta, Neil K. Ganju, Tarandeep S. Kalra, Daniel Jones, Kathryn Smith
Forecasting future beach width- A case study along the Florida Atlantic coast Forecasting future beach width- A case study along the Florida Atlantic coast
Historical cross-shore positions of the shoreline and dune base were used as inputs for a Kalman filter algorithm to forecast the positions of these features in the year 2028. The beach width was also computed as the cross-shore distance between the forecasted 2028 shoreline and dune-base positions. While it does not evaluate the suitability of a nesting beach or identify optimal nesting...
Authors
Joseph Long, Rachel Henderson, David Thompson
Tidal wetland gross primary production across the continental United States, 2000–2019 Tidal wetland gross primary production across the continental United States, 2000–2019
We mapped tidal wetland gross primary production (GPP) with unprecedented detail for multiple wetland types across the continental United States (CONUS) at 16‐day intervals for the years 2000–2019. To accomplish this task, we developed the spatially explicit Blue Carbon (BC) model, which combined tidal wetland cover and field‐based eddy covariance tower data into a single Bayesian...
Authors
R.A. Feagin, I. Forbrich, T. Huff, J.G. Barr, J. Ruiz-Plancarte, J.D. Fuentes, R.G. Najjar, R. Vargas, A. Vazquez Lule, L. Windham-Myers, Kevin Kroeger, E. Ward, G. Moore, M. Leclerc, K. W. Krauss, C.L. Stagg, M. Alber, S. Knox, K. Schafer, T.S. Bianchi, J. A. Hutchings, H. Nahrawi, A. Noormets, B. Mitra, A. Jaimes, A.L. Hinson, Brian Bergamaschi, J.S. King, G. Miao
Seafloor change around the Mississippi barrier islands, 1920 to 2016—The influence of storm effects on inlet and island morphodynamics Seafloor change around the Mississippi barrier islands, 1920 to 2016—The influence of storm effects on inlet and island morphodynamics
The Mississippi Barrier Islands in the northern Gulf of Mexico experienced high rates of spatial change over recorded history. Wave-induced sediment transport induced island migration, landward retreat, and inlet evolution. These processes can be measured using repeat bathymetric surveys to analyze elevation change over time. This study analyzes digital elevation models created from...
Authors
James Flocks, Noreen A. Buster, Owen T. Brenner
A revised Holocene coral sea-level database from the Florida reef tract, USA A revised Holocene coral sea-level database from the Florida reef tract, USA
The coral reefs and mangrove habitats of the south Florida region have long been used in sea-level studies for the western Atlantic because of their broad geographic extent and composition of sea-level tracking biota. The data from this region have been used to support several very different Holocene sea-level reconstructions (SLRs) over the years. However, many of these SLRs did not...
Authors
Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Bernhard Riegl, Lauren Toth
Geographic and oceanographic influences on ferromanganese crust composition along a Pacific Ocean meridional transect, 14N to 14S Geographic and oceanographic influences on ferromanganese crust composition along a Pacific Ocean meridional transect, 14N to 14S
The major controls on the variability of ferromanganese (FeMn) crust composition have been generally described over the past 40 years; however, most compilation studies lack quantitative statistics and are limited to a small region of several seamounts or compare FeMn crusts from disparate areas of the global oceans. This study provides the first detailed research to address the...
Authors
Kira Mizell, James Hein, Phoebe Lam, Anthony Koppers, Hubert Staudigel
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program Decadal Science Strategy Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program Decadal Science Strategy
This geonarrative constitutes the Decadal Science Strategy of the U.S. Geological Survey's Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, for 2020 to 2030.