JPEG images of chirp seismic data from inner shelf U.S. Geological Survey research cruise 2002-012-FA collected by the U.S. Geological Survey

The northeastern North Carolina coastal system, from False Cape, Virginia, to Cape Lookout, North Carolina, has been studied by a cooperative research program that mapped the Quaternary geologic framework of the estuaries, barrier islands, and inner continental shelf. This information provides a basis to understand the linkage between geologic framework, physical processes, and coastal evolution at time scales from storm events to millennia. The study area attracts significant tourism to its parks and beaches, contains a number of coastal communities, and supports a local fishing industry, all of which are impacted by coastal change. Knowledge derived from this research program can be used to mitigate hazards and facilitate effective management of this dynamic coastal system.
This regional mapping project produced spatial datasets of high-resolution geophysical (bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic reflection) and sedimentary (core and grab-sample) data. The high-resolution geophysical data were collected during numerous surveys within the back-barrier estuarine system, along the barrier island complex, in the nearshore, and along the inner continental shelf. Sediment cores were taken on the mainland and along the barrier islands, and both cores and grab samples were taken on the inner shelf. Data collection was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and several other institutions including East Carolina University (ECU), the North Carolina Geological Survey, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).
The high-resolution geophysical data of the inner continental shelf were collected during six separate surveys conducted between 1999 and 2004 (four USGS surveys north of Cape Hatteras: 1999-045-FA, 2001-005-FA, 2002-012-FA, 2002-013-FA, and two USGS surveys south of Cape Hatteras: 2003-003-FA and 2004-003-FA) and cover more than 2600 square kilometers of the inner shelf. Single-beam bathymetry data were collected north of Cape Hatteras in 1999 using a Furuno fathometer. Swath bathymetry data were collected on all other inner shelf surveys using a SEA, Ltd. SwathPLUS 234-kHz bathymetric sonar. Chirp seismic data as well as sidescan-sonar data were collected with a Teledyne Benthos (Datasonics) SIS-1000 north of Cape Hatteras along with boomer seismic reflection data (cruises 1999-045-FA, 2001-005-FA, 2002-012-FA and 2002-013-FA). An Edgetech 512i was used to collect chirp seismic data south of Cape Hatteras (cruises 2003-003-FA and 2004-003-FA) along with a Klein 3000 sidescan-sonar system. Sediment samples were collected with a Van Veen grab sampler during four of the USGS surveys (1999-045-FA, 2001-005-FA, 2002-013-FA, and 2004-003-FA). Additional sediment core data along the inner shelf are provided from previously published studies.
A cooperative study, between the North Carolina Geological Survey and the Minerals Management Service (MMS cores), collected vibracores along the inner continental shelf offshore of Nags Head, Kill Devils Hills and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1996. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers collected vibracores along the inner shelf offshore of Dare County in August 1995 (NDC cores) and July-August 1995 (SNL cores). These cores are curated by the North Carolina Geological Survey and were used as part of the ground validation process in this study.
Nearshore geophysical and core data were collected by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. The nearshore is defined here as the region between the 10-m isobath and the shoreline. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and chirp seismic data were collected between June 2002 and May 2004. Vibracore samples were collected in May and July 2005.
Shallow subsurface geophysical data were acquired along the Outer Banks barrier islands using a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system. Data were collected by East Carolina University from 2002 to 2005. Rotasonic cores (OBX cores) from five drilling operations were collected from 2002 to 2006 by the North Carolina Geological Survey as part of the cooperative study with the USGS. These cores are distributed throughout the Outer Banks as well as the mainland.
The USGS collected seismic data for the Quaternary section within the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system between 2001 and 2004 during six surveys (2001-013-FA, 2002-015-FA, 2003-005-FA, 2003-042-FA, 2004-005-FA, and 2004-006-FA). These surveys used Geopulse Boomer and Knudsen Engineering Limited (KEL) 320BR Chirp systems, except cruise 2003-042-FA, which used an Edgetech 424 Chirp and a boomer system. The study area includes Albemarle Sound and selected tributary estuaries such as the South, Pungo, Alligator, and Pasquotank Rivers; Pamlico Sound and trunk estuaries including the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers; and back-barrier sounds including Currituck, Croatan, Roanoke, Core, and Bogue.

北卡罗来纳州东北部沿海系统（范围从弗吉尼亚州假角（False Cape）至北卡罗来纳州卢考特角（Cape Lookout））已通过一项合作研究计划开展系统性研究，该计划完成了河口湾（estuaries）、障壁岛（barrier islands）及陆架内缘（inner continental shelf）的第四纪（Quaternary）地质框架填图工作。上述研究成果为理解不同时间尺度（从风暴事件到千年尺度）下地质框架、物理过程与海岸演化之间的内在关联提供了核心依据。本研究区域的公园与海滩吸引了大量游客，区域内分布有多个沿海社区，同时支撑着当地渔业，所有这些社会经济要素均受到海岸变化的直接影响。本研究项目所得的知识可用于减缓海岸灾害风险，并助力对这一动态沿海系统开展高效管理。

本区域填图项目生成了高分辨率地球物理（含测深（bathymetry）、后向散射强度（backscatter intensity）与地震反射（seismic reflection））及沉积（含岩芯（core）与抓斗取样（grab-sample））空间数据集。高分辨率地球物理数据通过多次勘测获取，覆盖范围包括障壁后河口湾系统、障壁岛群、近岸（nearshore）区域及陆架内缘。沉积岩芯采集于大陆及障壁岛沿线，而岩芯与抓斗取样均在陆架内缘开展。数据采集工作由美国地质调查局（U.S. Geological Survey, USGS）与东卡罗来纳大学（East Carolina University, ECU）、北卡罗来纳州地质调查局、弗吉尼亚海洋科学研究所（Virginia Institute of Marine Science, VIMS）等多家机构合作完成。

陆架内缘的高分辨率地球物理数据通过1999年至2004年间开展的6次独立勘测获取（其中4次为哈特拉斯角以北的USGS勘测：1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-012-FA、2002-013-FA；另外2次为哈特拉斯角以南的USGS勘测：2003-003-FA与2004-003-FA），覆盖陆架内缘超过2600平方千米的区域。1999年，研究人员使用古野（Furuno）测深仪（fathometer）在哈特拉斯角以北采集了单波束测深（single-beam bathymetry）数据。其余所有陆架内缘勘测均采用SEA有限公司SwathPLUS 234 kHz测深声呐获取条带测深（swath bathymetry）数据。在哈特拉斯角以北的4次勘测（1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-012-FA及2002-013-FA）中，研究人员使用Teledyne Benthos（Datasonics）SIS-1000采集了chirp地震数据（Chirp seismic data）与侧扫声呐（sidescan-sonar）数据，并同步获取电火花地震反射（boomer seismic reflection）数据。在哈特拉斯角以南的2次勘测（2003-003-FA与2004-003-FA）中，研究人员采用Edgetech 512i采集chirp地震数据，并搭配Klein 3000侧扫声呐系统。USGS的4次勘测（1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-013-FA及2004-003-FA）中，使用范维恩抓斗取样器（Van Veen grab sampler）采集了沉积样品。陆架内缘的补充沉积岩芯数据来自已发表的前期研究成果。

1996年，北卡罗来纳州地质调查局与矿产管理局（Minerals Management Service, MMS）开展合作研究，在北卡罗来纳州纳格斯黑德、基尔德维尔希尔斯与基蒂霍克近海的陆架内缘采集了振动岩芯（vibracores）。美国陆军工程兵团（U.S. Army Corps of Engineers）于1995年8月（NDC岩芯）及1995年7-8月（SNL岩芯）在戴尔县近海的陆架内缘采集了振动岩芯。上述岩芯由北卡罗来纳州地质调查局保存，并作为本研究地面验证工作的一部分。

近岸地球物理与岩芯数据由弗吉尼亚海洋科学研究所采集。本研究中近岸定义为10米等深线与海岸线之间的区域。2002年6月至2004年5月期间，研究人员采集了高分辨率测深、后向散射强度与chirp地震数据。2005年5月与7月，采集了振动岩芯样品。

外岸（Outer Banks）障壁岛沿线采用探地雷达（ground-penetrating radar, GPR）系统采集了浅部地下地球物理数据，该项数据采集工作由东卡罗来纳大学于2002年至2005年间完成。北卡罗来纳州地质调查局作为与USGS的合作研究项目一部分，于2002年至2006年间通过5次钻探作业采集了旋转声波岩芯（rotasonic cores，OBX岩芯）。上述岩芯分布于外岸区域及大陆沿线。

USGS于2001年至2004年间通过6次勘测（2001-013-FA、2002-015-FA、2003-005-FA、2003-042-FA、2004-005-FA及2004-006-FA）采集了阿尔伯马尔-帕姆利科河口湾系统（Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system）内第四纪地层的地震数据。除2003-042-FA航次采用Edgetech 424 Chirp系统与电火花系统（Geopulse Boomer）外，其余航次均采用Geopulse电火花系统与Knudsen工程有限公司（Knudsen Engineering Limited, KEL）320BR Chirp系统。本研究区域包括阿尔伯马尔湾及指定支流河口湾（如南河、庞戈河、短吻鳄河与帕斯科坦克河）、帕姆利科湾及主干河口湾（如纽斯河与帕姆利科河），以及障壁后海湾（如库里蒂克湾、克罗阿坦湾、罗阿诺克湾、科尔湾与博格湾）。