Science and Products
Seven decades of coastal change at Barter Island, Alaska: Exploring the importance of waves and temperature on erosion of coastal permafrost bluffs
Changing storm conditions in response to projected 21st century climate change and the potential impact on an arctic barrier island–lagoon system—A pilot study for Arey Island and Lagoon, eastern Arctic Alaska
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 erosion, there is increased demand for accurate info
Catastrophic landscape modification from a massive landslide tsunami in Taan Fiord, Alaska
The October 17th, 2015 Taan Fiord landslide and tsunami generated a runup of 193 m, nearly an order of magnitude greater than most previously surveyed tsunamis. To date, most post-tsunami surveys are from earthquake-generated tsunamis and the geomorphic signatures of landslide tsunamis or their potential for preservation are largely uncharacterized. Additionally, clear modifications described duri
Sedimentary evidence of prehistoric distant-source tsunamis in the Hawaiian Islands
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 models derived from a survey-grade form of structure
Towards determining spatial methane distribution on Arctic permafrost bluffs with an unmanned aerial system
Organic geochemical investigation of far‐field tsunami deposits of the Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i
A decade of remotely sensed observations highlight complex processes linked to coastal permafrost bluff erosion in the Arctic
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
Hurricane Sandy washover deposits on southern Long Beach Island, New Jersey
Seasonal electrical resistivity surveys of a coastal bluff, Barter Island, North Slope Alaska
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Coastal Climate Impacts
Climate impacts to Arctic coasts
Tsunami Hazards, Modeling, and the Sedimentary Record
Tsunami Field Studies
Using Video Imagery to Study Coastal Change: Barter Island, Alaska
A GIS compilation of vector shorelines and coastal bluff edge positions, and associated rate-of-change data for Barter Island, Alaska
Modeled 21st century storm surge, waves, and coastal flood hazards and supporting oceanographic and geological field data (2010 and 2011) for Arey and Barter Islands, Alaska and vicinity
Core logs, scans, photographs, grain size, and radiocarbon data from coastal wetlands on the Hawaiian islands of Kaua`i, O`ahu, and Hawai`i
National Assessment of Shoreline Change: A GIS compilation of updated vector shorelines and associated shoreline change data for the north coast of Alaska, U.S. Canadian border to Icy Cape
Hurricane Sandy washover deposit data from southern Long Beach Island, New Jersey: Grain-size, elevations, and graphic core logs
Atlas of natural hazards in the Hawaiian coastal zone
Map Showing Seacliff Response to Climatic and Seismic Events, Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County, California
Map Showing Seacliff Response to Climatic and Seismic Events, Seabright Beach, Santa Cruz County, California
Map Showing Seacliff Response to Climatic and Seismic Events, Seacliff State Beach, Santa Cruz County, California
Science and Products
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Seven decades of coastal change at Barter Island, Alaska: Exploring the importance of waves and temperature on erosion of coastal permafrost bluffs
Observational data of coastal change over much of the Arctic are limited largely due to its immensity, remoteness, harsh environment, and restricted periods of sunlight and ice-free conditions. Barter Island, Alaska, is one of the few locations where an extensive, observational dataset exists, which enables a detailed assessment of the trends and patterns of coastal change over decadal to annual tAuthorsAnn E. Gibbs, Li H. Erikson, Benjamin M. Jones, Bruce M. Richmond, Anita C EngelstadChanging storm conditions in response to projected 21st century climate change and the potential impact on an arctic barrier island–lagoon system—A pilot study for Arey Island and Lagoon, eastern Arctic Alaska
Executive SummaryArey Lagoon, located in eastern Arctic Alaska, supports a highly productive ecosystem, where soft substrate and coastal wet sedge fringing the shores are feeding grounds and nurseries for a variety of marine fish and waterfowl. The lagoon is partially protected from the direct onslaught of Arctic Ocean waves by a barrier island chain (Arey Island) which in itself provides importanAuthorsLi H. Erikson, Ann E. Gibbs, Bruce M. Richmond, Curt D. Storlazzi, Benjamin M. Jones, Karin OhmanNational 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 erosion, there is increased demand for accurate info
AuthorsAnn E. Gibbs, Alexander G. Snyder, Bruce M. RichmondCatastrophic landscape modification from a massive landslide tsunami in Taan Fiord, Alaska
The October 17th, 2015 Taan Fiord landslide and tsunami generated a runup of 193 m, nearly an order of magnitude greater than most previously surveyed tsunamis. To date, most post-tsunami surveys are from earthquake-generated tsunamis and the geomorphic signatures of landslide tsunamis or their potential for preservation are largely uncharacterized. Additionally, clear modifications described duri
AuthorsColin K Bloom, Breanyn MacInnes, Bretwood Higman, Dan H. Shugar, Jeremy G. Venditti, Bruce M. Richmond, Eric L. BilderbackSedimentary evidence of prehistoric distant-source tsunamis in the Hawaiian Islands
Over the past 200 years of written records, the Hawaiian Islands have experienced tens of tsunamis generated by earthquakes in the subduction zones of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" (e.g., Alaska-Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatka, Chile, and Japan). Mapping and dating anomalous beds of sand and silt deposited by tsunamis in low-lying areas along Pacific coasts, even those distant from subduction zones, is crAuthorsSeanpaul La Selle, Bruce M. Richmond, Bruce E. Jaffe, Alan Nelson, Frances Griswold, Maria E.M. Arcos, Catherine Chague, James M. Bishop, Piero Bellanova, Haunani H. Kane, Brent D. Lunghino, Guy R. GelfenbaumByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Multi-Sensor Core Logger Laboratory, Sediment Lab Suite and Carbon Analysis LaboratoryAssessing 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 models derived from a survey-grade form of structure
AuthorsAnn E. Gibbs, Matt Nolan, Bruce M. Richmond, Alexander G. Snyder, Li EriksonTowards 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. Here we present a reliable and an easily replicableAuthorsFerdinand K. J. Oberle, Ann E. Gibbs, Bruce M. Richmond, Li H. Erikson, Mark P. Waldrop, Peter W. SwarzenskiOrganic geochemical investigation of far‐field tsunami deposits of the Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i
Far‐field tsunami deposits observed in the Kahana Valley, O'ahu, Hawai'i (USA), were investigated for their organic‐geochemical content. During short high‐energy events, (tsunamis and storms) organic and chemical components are transported with sediment from marine to terrestrial areas. This study investigates the use of anthropogenic based organic geochemical compounds (such as polycyclic aromatiAuthorsPiero Bellanova, Mike Frenken, Bruce M. Richmond, Jan Schwarzbauer, Seanpaul La Selle, Frances Griswold, Bruce E. Jaffe, Alan R. Nelson, Klaus ReicherterA 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-scale erosion rates with changing environmental conditAuthorsBenjamin M. Jones, Louise M. Farquharson, Carson Baughman, Richard M. Buzard, Christopher D. Arp, Guido Grosse, Diana L. Bull, Frank Günther, Ingmar Nitze, Frank Urban, Jeremy L. Kasper, Jennifer M. Frederick, Matthew A. Thomas, Craig Jones, Alejandro Mota, Scott Dallimore, Craig E. Tweedie, Christopher V. Maio, Daniel H. Mann, Bruce M. Richmond, Ann E. Gibbs, Ming Xiao, Torsten Sachs, Go Iwahana, Mikhail Z. Kanevskiy, Vladimir E. RomanovskyNational 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 were used to compute rates where the previous rate-AuthorsAnn E. Gibbs, Bruce M. RichmondHurricane Sandy washover deposits on southern Long Beach Island, New Jersey
Sedimentologic and topographic data from Hurricane Sandy washover deposits were collected from southern Long Beach Island, New Jersey, in order to document changes to the barrier-island beaches, dunes, and coastal wetlands caused by Hurricane Sandy and subsequent storm events. These data will provide a baseline dataset for use in future coastal change descriptive and predictive studies and assessmAuthorsJames M. Bishop, Bruce M. Richmond, Nicholas J. Zaremba, Brent D. Lunghino, Haunani H. KaneSeasonal 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) active layer that responds variably to seasonal tAuthorsPeter W. Swarzenski, Cordell Johnson, Thomas Lorenson, Christopher H. Conaway, Ann E. Gibbs, Li H. Erikson, Bruce M. Richmond, Mark P. WaldropNon-USGS Publications**
Gibbs, A.E., Ohman, K.A., Coppersmith, R., and Richmond, B.M., 2017, A GIS compilation of 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 data release, doi: 10.5066/F72Z13N1Schneider, J.-L., Chagué-Goff, C., Bouchez, J.-L., Goff, J., Sugawara, D., Goto, K., Jaffe, B., and Richmond, B., 2014, Using magnetic fabric to reconstruct the dynamics of tsunami deposition on the Sendai Plain, Japan — The 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami: Marine Geology, v. 358, pp. 89–106, doi: 10.1016/j.margeo.2014.06.010.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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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...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.Tsunami Hazards, Modeling, and the Sedimentary Record
Basic research to develop the geologic record of paleotsunamis and improve the ability to interpret that record is needed to mitigate tsunami risk in the U.S.ByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 3-D CT Core Imaging Laboratory, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Multi-Sensor Core Logger Laboratory, Sediment Lab Suite and Carbon Analysis LaboratoryTsunami Field Studies
Our tsunami scientists work on international teams to study the aftermath of tsunamis around the world, to gain a better understanding the impact of potential tsunamis on coastal communities of the United States. Their work helps inform local, state, and federal coastal planning, protection, and resiliency.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. - Data
A GIS compilation of vector shorelines and coastal bluff edge positions, and associated rate-of-change data for Barter Island, Alaska
This dataset consists of rate-of-change statistics for the coastal bluffs and shorelines at Barter Island, Alaska, for the time period 1947 to 2020. Rate calculations were computed within a GIS using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 5.0, an ArcGIS extension developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. A reference baseline was used as the originating point for the orthogonal transecModeled 21st century storm surge, waves, and coastal flood hazards and supporting oceanographic and geological field data (2010 and 2011) for Arey and Barter Islands, Alaska and vicinity
Changes in Arctic coastal ecosystems in response to global warming may be some of the most severe on the planet. A better understanding and analysis of the rates at which these changes are expected to occur over the coming decades is crucial in order to delineate high-priority areas that are likely to be affected by climate changes. The data provided in this release are part of a study that assessCore logs, scans, photographs, grain size, and radiocarbon data from coastal wetlands on the Hawaiian islands of Kaua`i, O`ahu, and Hawai`i
Over the past 200 years of written records, the Hawaiian Islands have experienced tens of tsunamis generated by earthquakes in the subduction zones of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" (for example, Alaska-Aleutian, Kuril-Kamchatka, Chile, and Japan). Mapping and dating anomalous beds of sand and silt along the coasts of these subduction zones are critical for assessing the hazard from distant as well asNational Assessment of Shoreline Change: A GIS compilation of updated vector shorelines and associated shoreline change data for the north coast of Alaska, U.S. Canadian border to Icy Cape
Beaches are a dynamic interface between water and land and are frequently subjected to a range of natural hazards, which include flooding, storm effects, and coastal erosion. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a national assessment of coastal change hazards across the Nation. One component of this research effort, the National Assessment of Shoreline Change Project, documents changesHurricane Sandy washover deposit data from southern Long Beach Island, New Jersey: Grain-size, elevations, and graphic core logs
Sedimentologic and topographic data from Hurricane Sandy washover deposits were collected from Southern Long Beach Island, New Jersey, in order to document changes to the barrier-island beaches, dunes, and coastal wetlands due to Hurricane Sandy and subsequent storm events. These data will provide a baseline dataset for use in future coastal change descriptive and predictive studies and assessment - Maps
Atlas of natural hazards in the Hawaiian coastal zone
The purpose of this report is to communicate to citizens and regulatory authorities the history and relative intensity of coastal hazards in Hawaii. This information is the key to the wise use and management of coastal resources. The information contained in this document,we hope,will improve the ability of Hawaiian citizens and visitors to safely enjoy the coast and provide a strong data set forMap Showing Seacliff Response to Climatic and Seismic Events, Depot Hill, Santa Cruz County, California
INTRODUCTION The coastal cliffs along much of the central California coast are actively retreating. Large storms and periodic earthquakes are responsible for most of the documented seacliff slope failures. Long-term average erosion rates calculated for this section of coast (Moore and others, 1999) do not provide the spatial or temporal data resolution necessary to identify the processes responMap Showing Seacliff Response to Climatic and Seismic Events, Seabright Beach, Santa Cruz County, California
Introduction The coastal cliffs along much of the central California coast are actively retreating. Large storms and periodic earthquakes are responsible for most of the documented sea cliff slope failures. Long-term average erosion rates calculated for this section of coast do not provide the spatial or temporal data resolution necessary to identify the processes responsible for retreat of theMap Showing Seacliff Response to Climatic and Seismic Events, Seacliff State Beach, Santa Cruz County, California
INTRODUCTION The coastal cliffs along much of the central California coast are actively retreating. Large storms and periodic earthquakes are responsible for most of the documented seacliff slope failures. Long-term average erosion rates calculated for this section of coast (Moore and others, 1999) do not provide the spatial or temporal data resolution necessary to identify the processes respon - News
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