0.3 meter backscatter JPEG image (with world file) of the nearshore seafloor off of Duck, NC (mosaic2.jpg UTM, Zone 18N, WGS84)

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海岸系统（从弗吉尼亚州假海角至北卡罗来纳州卢考特角）已被一项合作研究计划开展研究，该计划对河口、障壁岛与内陆架的第四纪（Quaternary）地质框架进行了填图。这些数据为理解地质框架、物理过程与海岸演化在从风暴事件到千年尺度的时间范围内的关联提供了基础。该研究区域的公园与海滩吸引了大量游客，分布有多个沿海社区，并支撑着当地渔业，所有这些都受到海岸变化的影响。本研究计划所获得的知识可用于减缓灾害风险，并助力对这一动态海岸系统开展有效管理。

本区域填图项目生成了高分辨率地球物理（水深测量（bathymetry）、背散射强度（backscatter intensity）与地震反射（seismic reflection））与沉积（岩芯（core）与抓取采样（grab-sample））数据的空间数据集。高分辨率地球物理数据采集自障后河口系统、障壁岛群、近岸区域以及内陆架的多次勘测。岩芯样品采集于大陆及障壁岛沿岸，内陆架则同时采集了岩芯与抓取样品。数据采集由美国地质调查局（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。

1999年至2004年间开展的6次独立勘测采集了内陆架的高分辨率地球物理数据（哈特拉斯角以北的4次USGS勘测：1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-012-FA、2002-013-FA，以及哈特拉斯角以南的2次USGS勘测：2003-003-FA与2004-003-FA），覆盖面积超过2600平方千米的内陆架区域。1999年，研究团队使用Furuno测深仪在哈特拉斯角以北采集了单波束水深测量数据。其余所有内陆架勘测均使用SEA有限公司SwathPLUS 234千赫兹测深声呐采集条带测深数据。哈特拉斯角以北的勘测中，研究团队使用Teledyne Benthos（Datasonics）SIS-1000采集了啁啾地震数据（chirp seismic data）与侧扫声呐（sidescan-sonar）数据，并在1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-012-FA及2002-013-FA航次中采集了boom地震反射数据。哈特拉斯角以南的2003-003-FA与2004-003-FA航次中，研究团队使用Edgetech 512i采集啁啾地震数据，并搭配Klein 3000侧扫声呐系统。在4次USGS勘测（1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-013-FA与2004-003-FA）中，研究团队使用Van Veen抓取采样器采集了沉积物样品。内陆架的额外岩芯数据来自已发表的相关研究。

1996年，北卡罗来纳州地质调查局与矿产管理局（Minerals Management Service，即MMS岩芯项目）开展合作研究，在北卡罗来纳州纳格斯黑德、基尔迪夫希尔与基蒂霍克近海的内陆架采集了振动岩芯（vibracore）。美国陆军工程兵团于1995年8月（NDC岩芯）及1995年7-8月（SNL岩芯）在戴尔县近海的内陆架采集了振动岩芯。这些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被使用。

近岸地球物理数据与岩芯数据由弗吉尼亚海洋科学研究所采集。本研究中将近岸定义为10米等深线与海岸线之间的区域。2002年6月至2004年5月间，研究团队采集了高分辨率水深测量、背散射强度与啁啾地震数据。2005年5月与7月采集了振动岩芯样品。

外岸（Outer Banks）障壁岛沿岸使用探地雷达（ground-penetrating radar, GPR）系统采集了浅地表地球物理数据。2002年至2005年，东卡罗来纳大学完成了该数据采集工作。2002年至2006年，北卡罗来纳州地质调查局作为与USGS合作研究的一部分，通过5次钻探作业采集了旋转声波岩芯（rotasonic cores，即OBX岩芯）。这些岩芯分布于外岸区域及大陆沿岸。

2001年至2004年间，USGS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-帕姆利科河口系统内第四纪地层的地震数据。除2003-042-FA航次使用Edgetech 424啁啾系统与boom系统外，其余航次均使用Geopulse Boom与Knudsen Engineering Limited（KEL）320BR啁啾系统。本研究区域包括阿尔伯马尔湾及其支流河口（如南河、庞戈河、短吻鳄河与帕斯科坦克河）、帕姆利科湾及其主干河口（如纽斯河与帕姆利科河），以及障后海湾（如库里蒂克湾、克罗阿坦湾、罗阿诺克湾、科尔湾与博格湾）。