Jennifer L Miselis, Ph.D.
I study the geology of coastal margins, specifically how sediment availability and fluxes influence coastal evolution over a variety of time and space scales. My work, which spans the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, supports coastal management by providing insight into modern and future coastal behavior, the extent and quality of sediment resources, and spatial variability in ecosystem resilience.
I received a B.S. in Marine Science and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of South Carolina and a Ph.D. in Marine Science with a specialization in Coastal Geology from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. In 2008, I started an NRC Postdoctoral Research Associateship at the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. In 2010, I began working for the USGS at the Saint Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, where I explore how geologic variability influences coastal system change over a range of time scales. Using geophysics, remote sensing, and sediment sampling, I characterize coastal geology and identify relationships between geology and coastal system response to climate and storms. Also, I integrate observations with models to quantify the impact of existing variability on future coastal response.
Professional Experience
2010-present: Research Geologist, USGS, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
2008-2010: National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow, Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center
Education and Certifications
2008: Ph.D., Marine Science, Coastal Geology concentration, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary
2001: B.S. with Honors, Marine Science, University of South Carolina, Magna Cum Laude
2001: B.A. with Honors, Spanish, University of South Carolina, Magna Cum Laude
Science and Products
Storm Impacts - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Research Integration - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Predicting Future Beach Change - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Beach Change Envelope - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Beach Profiles - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Beach Recovery - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Oceanside Beaches and Dunes - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Geology and Sediment Availability - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Morphological Behavior - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Nearshore - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Geologic and Morphologic Evolution of Coastal Margins
Coastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in September-October 2019 from Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2019 From Cedar Island, Virginia
Coastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in August 2019 from Cedar Island, Virginia
Coastal Bathymetry Data Collected in August 2018 from the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Coastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2018 Offshore of Seven Mile Island, New Jersey
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2018 From the Northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Coastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in August 2017 From the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in June 2018 From Fire Island, New York
Coastal Bathymetry Data Collected in June 2018 from Fire Island, New York: Wilderness Breach and Shoreface
Coastal Bathymetry Data Collected in 2016 from the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Archive of Sediment Data from Vibracores Collected in 2016 from Fire Island, New York
Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2017 From the Northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Shoreface and Holocene sediment thickness offshore of Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Satellite-derived barrier response and recovery following natural and anthropogenic perturbations, northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Impacts of sediment removal from and placement in coastal barrier island systems
Executive SummaryOn June 24, 2019, Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to the directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to request their assistance in answering questions regarding coastal sediment resource management within the Coastal Barrier Resources System as defined by the Coastal Barrier
Quantifying thresholds of barrier geomorphic change in a cross-shore sediment-partitioning model
Barrier coasts, including barrier islands, beach-ridge plains, and associated landforms, can assume a broad spectrum of morphologies over multi-decadal scales that reflect conditions of sediment availability, accommodation, and relative sea-level rise. However, the quantitative thresholds of these controls on barrier-system behavior remain largely unexplored, even as modern sea-level rise and anth
Application of sediment end-member analysis for understanding sediment fluxes, northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Method for observing breach geomorphic evolution: Satellite observation of the Fire Island Wilderness breach
Sediment data from vibracores collected in 2016 from Fire Island, New York
A Bayesian approach to predict sub-annual beach change and recovery
Ground penetrating radar and differential global positioning system data collected in April 2016 from Fire Island, New York
Chirp subbottom profile data collected in 2015 from the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Natural and human-induced variability in barrier-island response to sea level rise
Morphologic evolution of the wilderness area breach at Fire Island, New York—2012–15
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.
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Storm Impacts - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Fire Island is vulnerable to considerable storm activity year-round from both hurricanes and nor’easters. Storms are important drivers of coastal change in barrier island settings such as Fire Island. Larger storms carry sediment to the interior of the island via overwash, helping to create new habitat and build island resilience by adding back barrier width and interior elevation. Storms also...Research Integration - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
In order to predict the future behavior of the Fire Island landscape as a whole, information from across research themes must be integrated.Predicting Future Beach Change - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Probabilistic models are used to predict future beach changes at Fire Island. These models, referred to as Bayesian networks, use statistics to estimate probabilities of future beach configurations based on existing observations. Bayesian networks are easily updated with new data or observations, making this approach ideal for use in coastal systems that experience rapid and frequent changes.Beach Change Envelope - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Given the unique challenges in quantifying the extensive, yet variable impacts of Hurricane Sandy at Fire Island, we used a time series of beach profile data at Fire Island, New York, to define a new contour-based morphologic change metric, the Beach Change Envelope (BCE).Beach Profiles - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
As part of the assessment of beach and dune morphologic change associated with Hurricane Sandy and the continuing efforts to track post-Sandy recovery, differential global positioning system (DGPS) elevation data are collected along 15 shore-perpendicular profiles extending from just inland of the crest of dune to the low-tide swash zone.Beach Recovery - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Alongshore features, such as the position of the dune crest and shoreline, are typically used to measure storm impacts and recovery. Impacts from Hurricane Sandy were so substantial to these features, however, that USGS researchers were provided a unique opportunity to develop new techniques to capture and monitor both storm impacts and recovery.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...Geology and Sediment Availability - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Sediment supply is a critical control on barrier island vulnerability and resilience over a variety of time scales (e.g., storms to sea level rise). Past work at Fire Island and elsewhere has demonstrated a link between inner shelf sediment availability and barrier island evolution over geologic and historical time scales. However, there have been few opportunities to explore nearshore sediment...Morphological Behavior - Coastal System Change at Fire Island, New York
Sand is constantly exchanged between beaches, dunes, and the submerged shoreface, which includes the nearshore sand bar system. We use specialized vessels and equipment to understand the feedbacks between nearshore morphology changes and coastal change to improve predictions of future impacts.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...Geologic and Morphologic Evolution of Coastal Margins
A combination of geophysics, sediment sampling, and chronology techniques are used to characterize the regional geomorphologic response of coastal systems to environmental changes. - Data
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Coastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in September-October 2019 from Rockaway Peninsula, New York
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida (USGS - SPCSMC), conducted a geophysical survey nearshore the Rockaway Peninsula, New York, during September and October 2019. During this study, multibeam bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data were collected aboard the R/V Sallenger (two separate survey efforts: Leg 1-OctoberArchive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2019 From Cedar Island, Virginia
As part of the Coastal Sediment Availability and Flux Project, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted a nearshore geophysical survey to map the shoreface of Cedar Island, Virginia (VA) in August of 2019. The objective of the project is to improve the understanding of barrier island geomorphic evolution and the sediment fluxes thCoastal Bathymetry and Backscatter Data Collected in August 2019 from Cedar Island, Virginia
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida (USGS SPCSMC), conducted a geophysical survey of Cedar Island, Virginia, August 2019. During this study, multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data were collected aboard the R/V Sallenger, while single-beam bathymetry were collected aboard a towed seismic sled. Efforts were supportCoastal Bathymetry Data Collected in August 2018 from the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida (USGS-SPCSMC), conducted a bathymetric survey of the Northern Chandeleur Islands, in August 2018. During this study, multibeam bathymetry data were collected aboard the research vessel (R/V) Sallenger, while single-beam bathymetry data were collected aboard the R/V Jabba Jaw. EffoCoastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in 2018 Offshore of Seven Mile Island, New Jersey
The U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS SPCMSC), collected multibeam echosounder (MBES) data off the coast of Seven Mile Island in September of 2018. This USGS data release includes the resulting processed elevation point data (xyz). For further information regarding data collection and/or processing please see the metadata associated with this data releaArchive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2018 From the Northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
As part of the Barrier Island Evolution Research Project, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted a nearshore geophysical survey around the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, in August of 2017. The objective of the project is to improve the understanding of barrier island geomorphic evolution, particularly storm-related depoCoastal Multibeam Bathymetry Data Collected in August 2017 From the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
The U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS SPCMSC), collected multibeam bathymetry data at the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, in August 2017. This USGS data release includes the resulting processed elevation point data (xyz) in the native format of the World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84) and transformed into the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88Archive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in June 2018 From Fire Island, New York
Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a long-term, coastal morphologic-change study at Fire Island, New York, prior to and after Hurricane Sandy impacted the area in October 2012. The Fire Island Coastal System Change project objectives include understanding the morphologic evolution of the barrier island system on a variety of time scales (months to centuries) and resolvingCoastal Bathymetry Data Collected in June 2018 from Fire Island, New York: Wilderness Breach and Shoreface
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, conducted a bathymetric survey of Fire Island, New York, from June 2 to 17, 2018. The U.S. Geological Survey is involved in a post-Hurricane Sandy effort to map and monitor the morphologic evolution of the wilderness breach and the adjacent shoreface environment. During this studCoastal Bathymetry Data Collected in 2016 from the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
The U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS SPCMSC), collected single-beam and swath bathymetry data at the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana in June of 2016. This USGS data release includes the resulting processed elevation point data (xyz) and an interpolated digital elevation model (DEM). For further information regarding data collection and/or processing pleasArchive of Sediment Data from Vibracores Collected in 2016 from Fire Island, New York
Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a long-term coastal morphologic-change study at Fire Island, New York, prior to and after Hurricane Sandy impacted the area in October 2012. The Fire Island Coastal Change project objectives include understanding the morphologic evolution of the barrier island system on a variety of time scales (months to centuries) and resolving storm-rArchive of Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected in 2017 From the Northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
As part of the Barrier Island Evolution Research Project, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted a nearshore geophysical survey around the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, in August of 2017. The objective of the project is to improve the understanding of barrier island geomorphic evolution, particularly storm-related depo - Multimedia
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Shoreface and Holocene sediment thickness offshore of Rockaway Peninsula, New York
During September and October 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey mapped the shoreface and inner continental shelf offshore of the Rockaway Peninsula in New York using high-resolution chirp seismic reflection and single-beam bathymetry geophysical techniques. The results from this study are important for assessing the Quaternary evolution of the Rockaway Peninsula and determining coastal sediment avaiAuthorsEmily A. Wei, Jennifer L. Miselis, Arnell S. FordeSatellite-derived barrier response and recovery following natural and anthropogenic perturbations, northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
The magnitude and frequency of storm events, relative sea-level rise (RSLR), sediment supply, and anthropogenic alterations drive the morphologic evolution of barrier island systems, although the relative importance of any one driver will vary with the spatial and temporal scales considered. To explore the relative contributions of storms and human alterations to sediment supply on de-cadal changeAuthorsJulie Bernier, Jennifer L. Miselis, Nathaniel PlantImpacts of sediment removal from and placement in coastal barrier island systems
Executive SummaryOn June 24, 2019, Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to the directors of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to request their assistance in answering questions regarding coastal sediment resource management within the Coastal Barrier Resources System as defined by the Coastal Barrier
AuthorsJennifer L. Miselis, James G. Flocks, Sara Zeigler, Davina Passeri, David R. Smith, Jill Bourque, Christopher R. Sherwood, Christopher G. Smith, Daniel J. Ciarletta, Kathryn Smith, Kristen Hart, David C. Kazyak, Alicia Berlin, Bianca Prohaska, Teresa Calleson, Kristi YanchisQuantifying thresholds of barrier geomorphic change in a cross-shore sediment-partitioning model
Barrier coasts, including barrier islands, beach-ridge plains, and associated landforms, can assume a broad spectrum of morphologies over multi-decadal scales that reflect conditions of sediment availability, accommodation, and relative sea-level rise. However, the quantitative thresholds of these controls on barrier-system behavior remain largely unexplored, even as modern sea-level rise and anth
AuthorsDaniel J. Ciarletta, Jennifer L. Miselis, Justin L. Shawler, Christopher J. HeinApplication of sediment end-member analysis for understanding sediment fluxes, northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
We analyzed grain-size distributions (GSDs) from a time-series of sediment samples to evaluate sediment transport following anthropogenic sand-berm emplacement at the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana. End-member analysis (EMA) was applied to compare the end-member (EM) GSD of a known sediment source to GSDs from surrounding environments and characterize the physical redistribution of sourceAuthorsJulie Bernier, Jennifer L. Miselis, Noreen A. Buster, James G. FlocksMethod for observing breach geomorphic evolution: Satellite observation of the Fire Island Wilderness breach
Satellite derived shorelines are extracted using the Google Earth Engine API for Landsat and Sentinel satellites from 1984 through 2018. These shorelines are evaluated against existing surveys and show satellite-derived breach shorelines are in good agreement with directly-observed shorelines and capture the trend of the Fire Island wilderness breach evolution. Results of this study show the wildeAuthorsTimothy Nelson, Jennifer L. MiselisSediment data from vibracores collected in 2016 from Fire Island, New York
Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a long-term coastal morphologic-change study at Fire Island, New York, prior to and after Hurricane Sandy impacted the area in October 2012. The Fire Island Coastal Change project objectives include understanding the morphologic evolution of the barrier island system on a variety of time scales (months to centuries) and resolving storm-rAuthorsNoreen A. Buster, Julie Bernier, Owen T. Brenner, Kyle W. Kelso, Thomas M. Tuten, Jennifer L. MiselisA Bayesian approach to predict sub-annual beach change and recovery
The upper beach, between the astronomical high tide and the dune-toe, supports habitat and recreation along many beaches, making predictions of upper beach change valuable to coastal managers and the public. We developed and tested a Bayesian network (BN) to predict the cross-shore position of an upper beach elevation contour (ZlD) following 1 month to 1-year intervals at Fire Island, New York. WeAuthorsKathleen Wilson, Erika Lentz, Jennifer L. Miselis, Ilgar Safak, Owen T. BrennerGround penetrating radar and differential global positioning system data collected in April 2016 from Fire Island, New York
Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a long-term coastal morphologic-change study at Fire Island, New York, prior to and after Hurricane Sandy impacted the area in October 2012. The Fire Island Coastal Change project objectives include understanding the morphologic evolution of the barrier island system on a variety of time scales (months to centuries) and resolving storm-rAuthorsArnell S. Forde, Julie Bernier, Jennifer L. MiselisChirp subbottom profile data collected in 2015 from the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana
As part of the Barrier Island Evolution Research project, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted a nearshore geophysical survey around the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, in September 2015. The objective of the project is to improve the understanding of barrier island geomorphic evolution, particularly storm-related depoAuthorsArnell S. Forde, Nancy T. DeWitt, Jake J. Fredericks, Jennifer L. MiselisNatural and human-induced variability in barrier-island response to sea level rise
Storm-driven sediment fluxes onto and behind barrier islands help coastal barrier systems keep pace with sea level rise (SLR). Understanding what controls cross-shore sediment flux magnitudes is critical for making accurate forecasts of barrier response to increased SLR rates. Here, using an existing morphodynamic model for barrier island evolution, observations are used to constrain model parametAuthorsJennifer L. Miselis, Jorge Lorenzo-TruebaMorphologic evolution of the wilderness area breach at Fire Island, New York—2012–15
IntroductionHurricane Sandy, which made landfall on October 29, 2012, near Atlantic City, New Jersey, had a significant impact on the coastal system along the south shore of Long Island, New York. A record significant wave height of 9.6 meters (m) was measured at wave buoy 44025, approximately 48 kilometers offshore of Fire Island, New York. Surge and runup during the storm resulted in extensive bAuthorsCheryl J. Hapke, Timothy R. Nelson, Rachel E. Henderson, Owen T. Brenner, Jennifer L. MiselisNon-USGS Publications**
McNinch, J.E. and Miselis, J.L. (2012). Geology metrics for predicting shoreline change using seabed and sub-bottom observations from the surf zone. Eds. Sherwood, C., Li, M. International Association of Sedimentologists Special Publication, Vol. 44, 99-120.Miselis, J.L. and McNinch, J.E. (2006). Calculating shoreline erosion potential using nearshore stratigraphy and sediment volume: Outer Banks, North Carolina. Journal of Geophysical Research-Earth Surface, VOL. 111, F02019, doi:10.1029/2005JF000389)Kohn, M.J., Miselis, J.L., Fremd, T.J. (2002). Oxygen isotope evidence for progressive uplift of the Cascade Range, Oregon. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 204: 151-165.**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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