JPEG images of boomer seismic data from back-barrier research cruise 2003-005-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.

以弗吉尼亚州假角（False Cape）至北卡罗来纳州卢考特角（Cape Lookout）为范围的美国北卡罗来纳州东北部海岸系统，已由一项合作研究计划开展系统性研究，该计划完成了河口、障壁岛与陆架内缘的第四纪（Quaternary）地质格架测绘。该研究成果可为理解不同时间尺度（从风暴事件至千年尺度）下地质格架、物理过程与海岸演化之间的关联提供理论基础。本研究区域内的公园与海滩拥有极高的旅游吸引力，沿岸分布多个沿海社区，同时支撑着本地渔业，而所有这些都受到海岸变迁的影响。本研究计划所获取的知识可用于降低海岸灾害风险，并助力该动态海岸系统的精细化管理。

本区域测绘项目生成了两类空间数据集：高分辨率地球物理（geophysical）数据（包括水深测量、背散射强度与地震反射数据）以及沉积学（sedimentary）数据（包括岩芯与抓斗采样数据）。高分辨率地球物理数据采集自障壁后河口系统、障壁岛群、近岸区域以及陆架内缘的多轮野外调查。沉积岩芯采集于大陆沿岸与障壁岛区域，而陆架内缘则同时采集了岩芯与抓斗样品。本次数据采集由美国地质调查局（U.S. Geological Survey, USGS）联合东卡罗来纳大学（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）等多家机构共同完成。

陆架内缘的高分辨率地球物理数据采集自1999至2004年间开展的6次独立调查：其中4次为哈特拉斯角（Cape Hatteras）以北的USGS调查（编号分别为1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-012-FA与2002-013-FA），另外2次为哈特拉斯角以南的USGS调查（编号分别为2003-003-FA与2004-003-FA），覆盖面积超过2600平方千米的陆架内缘区域。1999年，研究团队使用古野（Furuno）测深仪采集了哈特拉斯角以北的单波束水深数据。其余所有陆架内缘调查均使用SEA有限公司SwathPLUS 234kHz测深声呐采集条带式水深数据。在哈特拉斯角以北的4次调查（航次编号1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-012-FA与2002-013-FA）中，研究团队使用Teledyne Benthos（Datasonics）SIS-1000采集了啁啾（Chirp）地震数据与侧扫声呐数据，并同步采集了boom地震反射数据。在哈特拉斯角以南的2次调查（航次编号2003-003-FA与2004-003-FA）中，研究团队使用Edgetech 512i采集啁啾地震数据，并搭配Klein 3000侧扫声呐系统开展数据采集。在4次USGS调查（航次编号1999-045-FA、2001-005-FA、2002-013-FA与2004-003-FA）中，研究团队使用Van Veen抓斗采样器采集了沉积物样品。陆架内缘的补充沉积岩芯数据源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服务局（Minerals Management Service, MMS）开展合作研究，在北卡罗来纳州纳格斯黑德（Nags Head）、基尔迪维尔希尔斯（Kill Devils Hills）与基蒂霍克（Kitty Hawk）近岸的陆架内缘采集了振动岩芯（vibracore）样品。美国陆军工程兵团分别于1995年8月与1995年7-8月，在戴尔县（Dare County）近岸的陆架内缘采集了振动岩芯样品（分别标记为NDC岩芯与SNL岩芯）。上述岩芯由北卡罗来纳州地质调查局负责保管，并作为本次研究的地面验证数据之一。

弗吉尼亚海洋科学研究所采集了近岸区域的地球物理数据与岩芯数据。本次研究中，近岸区域被定义为10米等深线与海岸线之间的海域。2002年6月至2004年5月间，研究团队采集了高分辨率水深数据、背散射强度数据与啁啾地震数据；2005年5月与7月则完成了振动岩芯样品的采集。

研究团队使用探地雷达（ground-penetrating radar, GPR）系统在外岸障壁岛（Outer Banks）区域采集了浅地表地球物理数据，该数据由东卡罗来纳大学于2002至2005年间完成采集。作为与USGS合作研究的一部分，北卡罗来纳州地质调查局于2002至2006年间通过5次钻探作业采集了旋转声波岩芯（rotasonic core，标记为OBX岩芯），这些岩芯分布于外岸障壁岛与大陆沿岸区域。

2001至2004年间，USGS通过6次航次（编号分别为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。除航次2003-042-FA使用Edgetech 424啁啾系统与boom系统外，其余航次均采用Geopulse Boom与Knudsen工程有限公司（Knudsen Engineering Limited, KEL）320BR啁啾系统开展数据采集。本研究区域涵盖阿尔伯马尔湾（Albemarle Sound）及其支流河口（包括南河、庞戈河、短吻鳄河与帕斯科坦克河）、帕姆利科湾（Pamlico Sound）及其主干河口（包括纽斯河与帕姆利科河），以及障壁后海湾（包括柯里塔克湾、克罗阿坦湾、罗阿诺克湾、科尔湾与博格湾）。