JPEG images of chirp seismic data from back-barrier research cruise 2003-042-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.

美国北卡罗来纳州东北部海岸系统，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），由一项合作研究计划开展了系统性研究，该计划完成了河口（estuaries）、障壁岛（barrier islands）以及内陆陆架（inner continental shelf）的第四纪（Quaternary）地质格架填图工作。该研究成果为理解地质格架、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关键基础。本研究区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，所有这些均受到海岸变化的直接影响。本研究计划所获得的认知可用于减缓海岸灾害风险，并助力对这一动态海岸系统开展高效管理。

本区域填图项目生成了高分辨率地球物理（水深测量（bathymetry）、背散射强度（backscatter intensity）与地震反射（seismic reflection））与沉积（岩心（core）与抓斗采样（grab-sample））数据的空间数据集。高分辨率地球物理数据是在障壁河口系统内部、障壁岛复合体沿线、近岸区域以及内陆陆架的多次勘测中采集得到的。沉积岩心采集于大陆沿岸与障壁岛沿线，而岩心与抓斗采样样品均采集自内陆陆架。数据采集工作由美国地质调查局（U.S. Geological Survey, USGS）与其他多家机构合作完成，包括东卡罗来纳大学（East Carolina University, ECU）、北卡罗来纳州地质调查局以及弗吉尼亚海洋科学研究所（Virginia Institute of Marine Science, VIMS）。

内陆陆架的高分辨率地球物理数据于1999年至2004年间通过六次独立勘测采集完成，其中哈特拉斯角以北的四次美国地质调查局勘测分别为1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-012-FA、2002-013-FA，哈特拉斯角以南的两次美国地质调查局勘测为2003-003-FA与2004-003-FA，整体覆盖了超过2600平方千米的内陆陆架区域。1999年，研究人员使用古野（Furuno）测深仪在哈特拉斯角以北采集了单波束水深测量数据。其余所有内陆陆架勘测均使用SEA有限公司（SEA, Ltd.）的SwathPLUS 234-kHz测深声呐采集了条带测深数据。在哈特拉斯角以北区域，研究人员使用泰莱达因·本托斯（Teledyne Benthos，原Datasonics）SIS-1000采集了浅地层地震数据与侧扫声呐数据，同时还采集了boom震源地震反射数据，对应航次为1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-012-FA与2002-013-FA。在哈特拉斯角以南区域，研究人员使用Edgetech 512i采集了浅地层地震数据，对应航次为2003-003-FA与2004-003-FA，同时搭配使用了Klein 3000侧扫声呐系统。在四次美国地质调查局勘测（1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-013-FA与2004-003-FA）中，研究人员使用Van Veen抓斗采样器（Van Veen grab sampler）采集了沉积样品。内陆陆架的额外岩心数据来自已发表的既往研究成果。

北卡罗来纳州地质调查局与矿产管理服务局（Minerals Management Service, MMS cores）合作开展的一项研究，于1996年在北卡罗来纳州纳格斯黑德、基尔迪维尔希尔斯与基蒂霍克近海的内陆陆架采集了振动岩心。美国陆军工程兵团（U.S. Army Corps of Engineers）于1995年8月（NDC岩心）与1995年7-8月（SNL岩心）在戴尔县近海的内陆陆架采集了振动岩心。这些岩心由北卡罗来纳州地质调查局馆藏，并作为本研究地面验证过程的一部分得到使用。

弗吉尼亚海洋科学研究所采集了近岸地球物理与岩心数据。本研究中近岸区域被定义为10米等深线与海岸线之间的区域。2002年6月至2004年5月间，研究人员采集了高分辨率水深测量、背散射强度与浅地层地震数据。2005年5月与7月，研究人员采集了振动岩心样品。

东卡罗来纳大学于2002年至2005年间，使用探地雷达（ground-penetrating radar, GPR）系统在外班克斯障壁岛沿线采集了浅地表地球物理数据。北卡罗来纳州地质调查局于2002年至2006年间，通过五次钻探作业采集了旋转声波岩心（OBX cores），作为与美国地质调查局合作研究的一部分。这些岩心分布于外班克斯群岛以及大陆沿岸区域。

美国地质调查局于2001年至2004年间，通过六次勘测（2001-013-FA、2002-015-FA、2003-005-FA、2003-042-FA、2004-005-FA与2004-006-FA）采集了阿尔伯马尔-帕姆利科河口系统（Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system）内第四纪地层的地震数据。除2003-042-FA航次使用了Edgetech 424浅地层系统与boom震源系统外，其余航次均使用了Geopulse Boom与Knud Engineering Limited（KEL）320BR浅地层系统。本研究区包括阿尔伯马尔湾与南河、庞戈河、阿拉加托河以及帕斯夸坦克河等选定的支流河口；帕姆利科湾与包括纽斯河、帕姆利科河在内的干流河口；以及科里塔克湾、克罗阿坦湾、罗阿诺克湾、科尔湾与博格湾等障壁后海湾。