D'Antonio, N.L., and Gibbs, A.E., 2016, Still-image frame grabs and benthic habitat interpretation of underwater video footage, March 2014, Faga`alu Bay, Tutuila Island, American Samoa: U.S. Geological Survey data release, doi: 10.5066/F7N877V1.
Ann Gibbs
Science and Products
Date published: May 15, 2021
Status: Active Alaska North Slope LiDAR
High-resolution light detection and ranging (lidar) elevation data were acquired along the north coast of Alaska between 2009 and 2012. The lidar acquisition, from Icy Cape, Alaska to the United States/Canadian border, comprised approximately 11,000 km2. The airborne lidar data were acquired in support of the U.S. Geological Survey...
Date published: December 16, 2019
Status: Active Coastal Climate Impacts
The impacts of climate change and sea-level rise around the Pacific and Arctic Oceans can vary tremendously. Thus far the vast majority of national and international impact assessments and models of coastal climate change have focused on low-relief coastlines that are not near seismically active zones. Furthermore, the degree to which extreme waves and wind will add further stress to coastal...
Date published: December 16, 2019
Status: Active Using Video Imagery to Study Wave Dynamics: Unalakleet
Two video cameras overlook the coast from atop a windmill tower in Unalakleet, Alaska where they look westward over Norton Sound.
Contacts: Ann Gibbs, Li Erikson
Date published: December 16, 2019
Status: Active Climate impacts to Arctic coasts
The Arctic region is warming faster than anywhere else in the nation. Understanding the rates and causes of coastal change in Alaska is needed to identify and mitigate hazards that might affect people and animals that call Alaska home.
Date published: April 1, 2019
Status: Completed Using Video Imagery to Study Coastal Change: Barter Island, Alaska
For a short study period, two video cameras overlooked the coast from atop the coastal bluff of Barter Island in northern Alaska. The purpose was to observe and quantify coastal processes such as wave run-up, development of rip channels, bluff erosion, and movement of sandbars and ice floes.
Read more about our Arctic research projects:
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Year Published: 2019
National assessment of shoreline change—Historical shoreline change along the north coast of Alaska, Icy Cape to Cape Prince of Wales
Beach erosion is a persistent problem along most open-ocean shores of the United States. Along the Arctic coast of Alaska, coastal erosion is widespread and threatens communities, defense and energy-related infrastructure, and coastal habitat. As coastal populations continue to expand and infrastructure and habitat are increasingly threatened by...
Gibbs, Ann E.; Snyder, Alexander G.; Richmond, Bruce M.View Citation
Gibbs, A.E., Snyder, A.G., and Richmond, B.M., 2019, National assessment of shoreline change—Historical shoreline change along the north coast of Alaska, Icy Cape to Cape Prince of Wales: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019–1146, 52 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191146.
Year Published: 2019
The major coral reefs of Maui Nui, Hawai‘i—distribution, physical characteristics, oceanographic controls, and environmental threats
Coral reefs are widely recognized as critical to Hawaiʻi’s economy, food resources, and protection from damaging storm waves. Yet overfishing, land-based pollution, and climate change are threatening the health and sustainability of those reefs, and accordingly, both the Federal and State governments have called for protection and effective...
Field, Michael E.; Storlazzi, Curt D.; Gibbs, Ann E.; D'Antonio, Nicole L.; Cochran, Susan A.Attribution: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
View Citation
Field, M.E., Storlazzi, C.D., Gibbs, A.E., D’Antonio, N.L., and Cochran, S.A, 2019, The major coral reefs of Maui Nui, Hawai‘i—Distribution, physical characteristics, oceanographic controls, and environmental threats: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019–1019, 71 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191019.
Year Published: 2019
Rigorously valuing the role of U.S. coral reefs in coastal hazard risk reduction
The degradation of coastal habitats, particularly coral reefs, raises risks by increasing the exposure of coastal communities to flooding hazards. The protective services of these natural defenses are not assessed in the same rigorous economic terms as artificial defenses, such as seawalls, and therefore often are not considered in decision making...
Storlazzi, Curt D.; Reguero, Borja G.; Cole, Aaron D.; Lowe, Erik; Shope, James B.; Gibbs, Ann E.; Nickel, Barry A.; McCall, Robert T.; van Dongeren, Ap R.; Beck, Michael W.Attribution: Coasts, Natural Hazards, Other, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Natural Hazards, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, United States of America, Samoa
View Citation
Storlazzi, C.D., Reguero, B.G., Cole, A.D., Lowe, E., Shope, J.B., Gibbs, A.E., Nickel, B.A., McCall, R.T., van Dongeren, A.R., and Beck, M.W., 2019, Rigorously valuing the role of U.S. coral reefs in coastal hazard risk reduction: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019–1027, 42 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191027.
Year Published: 2019
Assessing patterns of annual change to permafrost bluffs along the North Slope coast of Alaska using high-resolution imagery and elevation models
Coastal permafrost bluffs at Barter Island, on the North Slope, Beaufort Sea Coast of Alaska are among the most rapidly eroding along Alaska’s coast, having retreated up to 132 m between 1955 and 2015. Here we quantify rates and patterns of change over a single year using very-high resolution orthophotomosaics and co-registered surface elevation...
Gibbs, Ann E.; Nolan, Matt; Richmond, Bruce M.; Snyder, Alexander G.; Erikson, LiAttribution: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Year Published: 2019
Towards determining spatial methane distribution on Arctic permafrost bluffs with an unmanned aerial system
Arctic permafrost stores vast amounts of methane (CH4) in subsurface reservoirs. Thawing permafrost creates areas for this potent greenhouse gas to be released to the atmosphere. Identifying ‘hot spots’ of methane flux on a local scale has been limited by the spatial scales of traditional ground-based or satellite-based methane-sampling methods....
Oberle, Ferdinand K. J.; Gibbs, Ann E.; Richmond, Bruce M.; Erikson, Li H.; Waldrop, Mark P.; Swarzenski, Peter W.Attribution: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Year Published: 2018
A decade of remotely sensed observations highlight complex processes linked to coastal permafrost bluff erosion in the Arctic
Eroding permafrost coasts are indicators and integrators of changes in the Arctic System as they are susceptible to the combined effects of declining sea ice extent, increases in open water duration, more frequent and impactful storms, sea-level rise, and warming permafrost. However, few observation sites in the Arctic have yet to link decadal-...
Jones, Benjamin M.; Farquharson, Louise M.; Baughman, Carson; Buzard, Richard M.; Arp, Christopher D.; Grosse, Guido; Bull, Diana L.; Günther, Frank; Nitze, Ingmar; Urban, Frank; Kasper, Jeremy L.; Frederick, Jennifer M.; Thomas, Matthew A.; Jones, Craig; Mota, Alejandro; Dallimore, Scott; Tweedie, Craig E.; Maio, Christopher V.; Mann, Daniel H.; Richmond, Bruce M.; Gibbs, Ann E.; Xiao, Ming; Sachs, Torsten; Iwahana, Go; Kanevskiy, Mikhail Z.; Romanovsky, Vladimir E.Attribution: Alaska Science Center, Region 11: Alaska
View Citation
Benjamin M. Jones et al 2018 Environ. Res. Lett. in press https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aae471
Year Published: 2017
National assessment of shoreline change—Summary statistics for updated vector shorelines and associated shoreline change data for the north coast of Alaska, U.S.-Canadian Border to Icy Cape
Long-term rates of shoreline change for the north coast of Alaska, from the U.S.-Canadian border to the Icy Cape region of northern Alaska, have been updated as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Assessment of Shoreline Change Project. Short-term shoreline change rates are reported for the first time. Additional shoreline position data...
Gibbs, Ann E.; Richmond, Bruce M.Attribution: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
View Citation
Gibbs, A.E., and Richmond, B.M., 2017, National assessment of shoreline change—Summary statistics for updated vector shorelines and associated shoreline change data for the north coast of Alaska, U.S.-Canadian border to Icy Cape: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2017–1107, 21 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20171107.
Year Published: 2017
National assessment of shoreline change: A GIS compilation of updated vector shorelines and associated shoreline change data for the Southeast Atlantic coast
Sandy ocean beaches in the United States are popular tourist and recreational destinations and constitute some of the most valuable real estate in the country.The boundary between land and water along the coastline is often the location of concentrated residential and commercial development and is frequently exposed to a range of natural hazards,...
Kratzmann, Meredith; Himmelstoss, Emily; Thieler, E. RobertAttribution: Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
View Citation
Kratzmann, M.G., Himmelstoss, E.A., and Thieler, E.R., 2017, National assessment of shoreline change – A GIS compilation of updated vector shorelines and associated shoreline change data for the Southeast Atlantic Coast: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F74X55X7.
Year Published: 2017
Rigorously valuing the role of coral reefs in coastal protection: An example from Maui, Hawaii, U.S.A.
The degradation of coastal habitats, particularly coral reefs, raises risks by exposing communities to flooding hazards. The protective services of these natural defenses are not assessed in the same rigorous, economic terms as artificial defenses such as seawalls, and therefore often not considered in decision-making. Here we present a new...
Storlazzi, Curt D.; Reguero, Borja G.; Lowe, Erik; Shope, James B.; Gibbs, Ann E.; Beck, Mike; Nickel, Barry A.Attribution: Coasts, Other, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Natural Hazards, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Hawaii, United States of America
View Citation
Storlazzi, C.D., Reguero, B., Lowe, E., Shope, J.B., Gibbs, A.E., Beck, M.W., and Nickel, B., 2017. “Rigorously valuing the role of coral reefs in coastal protection: An example from Maui, Hawaii, U.S.A.” Coastal Dynamics 2017, p. 665-674.
Year Published: 2016
End of the chain? Rugosity and fine-scale bathymetry from existing underwater digital imagery using structure-from-motion (SfM) technology
The rugosity or complexity of the seafloor has been shown to be an important ecological parameter for fish, algae, and corals. Historically, rugosity has been measured either using simple and subjective manual methods such as ‘chain-and-tape’ or complicated and expensive geophysical methods. Here, we demonstrate the application of...
Storlazzi, Curt D.; Dartnell, Peter; Hatcher, Gerry; Gibbs, Ann E.Attribution: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
View Citation
Storlazzi, C.D., Dartnell, P., Hatcher, G.A., and Gibbs, A.E., 2016, End of the chain? Rugosity and fine-scale bathymetry from existing underwater digital imagery using structure-from-motion (SfM) technology: Coral Reefs, v. 35, i. 3, pp. 889-894, doi: 10.1007/s00338-016-1462-8
Year Published: 2016
Benthic habitat map of U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Faga‘alu Bay priority study area, Tutuila, American Samoa
The coral reef in Faga‘alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa, has suffered numerous natural and anthropogenic stresses. Areas once dominated by live coral are now mostly rubble surfaces covered with turf or macroalgae. In an effort to improve the health and resilience of the coral reef system, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force selected Faga‘...
Cochran, Susan A.; Gibbs, Ann E.; D'Antonio, Nicole L.; Storlazzi, Curt D.Attribution: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
View Citation
Cochran, S.A., Gibbs, A.E., D’Antonio, N.L., and Storlazzi, C.D., 2016, Benthic habitat map of U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Faga‘alu Bay priority study area, Tutuila, American Samoa: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2016–1077, 32 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20161077.
Year Published: 2016
Seasonal electrical resistivity surveys of a coastal bluff, Barter Island, North Slope Alaska
Select coastal regions of the North Slope of Alaska are experiencing high erosion rates that can be attributed in part to recent warming trends and associated increased storm intensity and frequency. The upper sediment column of the coastal North Slope of Alaska can be described as continuous permafrost underlying a thin (typically less than 1–2 m...
Swarzenski, Peter W.; Johnson, Cordell; Lorenson, Thomas; Conaway, Christopher H.; Gibbs, Ann E.; Erikson, Li H.; Richmond, Bruce M.; Waldrop, Mark P.Attribution: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
View Citation
Swarzenski, P.W., Johnson, C.D., Lorenson, T.D., Conaway, C.H., Gibbs, A.E., Erikson, L.H., Richmond, B.M., and Waldrop, M.P., 2016, Seasonal Electrical Resistivity Surveys of a Coastal Bluff, Barter Island, North Slope Alaska: Journal of Environmental & Engineering Geophysics, v. 21 no. 1, pp. 37–42, doi: 10.2113/JEEG21.1.37,
Pre-USGS Publications
Gibbs, A.E., and D'Antonio, N.L., 2016, Underwater video footage, March 2014, Faga`alu Bay, Tutuila Island, American Samoa: data release, doi: 10.5066/F70V89V6.
Date published: December 11, 2017
USGS provides information about Alaska coastal change to Scientific American
USGS scientists at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center spoke by phone with Scientific American writer Andrea Thompson on November 15.
Date published: November 28, 2017
Updated assessment of erosion rates on Alaska’s Arctic coast
The USGS updated its shoreline-change rates for Alaska’s north coast between the U.S.-Canadian Border and Icy Cape as part of the National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards.
Date published: July 1, 2015
Northern Alaska Coastal Erosion Threatens Habitat and Infrastructure
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — In a new study published today, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey found that the remote northern Alaska coast has some of the highest shoreline erosion rates in the world. Analyzing over half a century of shoreline change data, scientists found the pattern is extremely variable with most of the coast retreating at rates of more than 1 meter a year.