research natural methane seepage is widespread on the u.s. atlantic ocean … · 2019-03-15 ·...

Natural Methane Seepage Is Widespread on the U.S. Atlantic Ocean Margin By Carolyn Ruppel and Hannah Hamilton

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U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/

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Sound Waves Volume FY 2014, Issue No. 154154September/October 2014

Research

Natural methane leakage from the seafl oor is far more widespread on the U.S. Atlantic margin than previously thought, according to an August 2014 study published in Nature Geoscience (<http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NGEO2232>) by researchers from Missis-sippi State University, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and other institutions.

Methane plumes identifi ed in the water column between Cape Hatteras, North Car-olina, and Georges Bank, Massachusetts, are emanating from at least 570 seafl oor cold seeps on the outermost continental shelf and the continental slope (see map). Taken together, these areas, which lie be-tween the coastline and the deep ocean, constitute the continental margin.

Prior to 2012, only three seep areas had been identifi ed beyond the edge of the continental shelf, which occurs at ap-proximately 180 meters (590 feet) water depth between Florida and Maine on the U.S. Atlantic seafl oor. Two of the three previously known seep areas occur on the southeastern U.S. continental margin above salt diapirs, which are columns of buoyant salt that rise through the sediments. The salt diapirs were fi rst described decades ago by Bill Dillon, now a USGS scientist emeritus (<http://archives.datapages.com/data/specpubs/history2/data/a110/a110/0001/0000/0021.htm>). A study led by USGS research geologist Laura Brothers and reported in 2013 in Geology (<http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/G34217.1>) was the fi rst to use modern methods to map methane plumes from these areas. The third previously known seep area is in Baltimore Canyon, where USGS research ecologist Amanda Demopoulos partici-pated in research cruises in 2012 and 2013 (<http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2014/viewabstract.asp?AbstractID=18101>).

Cold seeps are areas where gases and fl uids leak into the overlying water from seafl oor sediments. They are designated as “cold” to distinguish them from hydro-thermal vents, which are sites where new oceanic crust is being formed and hot fl u-ids are being emitted at the seafl oor. Cold seeps can occur in a much broader range of environments than hydrothermal vents.

“Widespread seepage had not been expected on the Atlantic margin. It is not near a plate tectonic boundary like the U.S. Pacifi c coast, nor associated with a petroleum basin like the northern Gulf of Mexico,” said Adam Skarke, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor at Mississippi State University.

The gas being emitted by the seeps has not yet been sampled and analyzed, but re-searchers believe that most of the leaking

methane is produced by microbial process-es in shallow sediments. This interpreta-tion is based primarily on the locations of the seeps and knowledge of the underlying geology. Microbial methane is different from thermal methane, which is found in deep-seated reservoirs and often tapped as a natural gas resource.

Most of the newly discovered methane seeps lie at depths close to or upslope from the shallowest conditions at which deepwater marine gas hydrate can exist on the continental slope. Gas hydrate is a naturally occurring, ice-like combina-tion of methane and water that forms at temperature and pressure conditions commonly found in waters deeper than approximately 500 meters (1,640 feet). (Learn more about gas hydrate at <http://

Map of the northern U.S. Atlantic margin showing the locations of newly discovered meth-ane seeps mapped by researchers from Mississippi State University, the USGS, and other partners. None of the seeps shown here was known to researchers before 2012.

2September/October 2014 Sound Waves

Sound Waves

EditorHelen Gibbons

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Research

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Submission Guidelines

Deadline: The dead line for news items and pub- li ca tion lists for the January/February issue of Sound Waves is Wednesday, December 3, 2014. Publications: When new publications or prod ucts are re leased, please no ti fy the ed i tor with a full reference and a bulleted sum ma ry or description.Images: Please sub mit all images at pub li cation size (col umn, 2-column, or page width). Resolution of 200 to 300 dpi (dots per inch) is best. Ado be Illustrator© fi les or EPS fi les work well with vector fi les (such as graphs or di a grams). TIFF and JPEG fi les work well with ras ter fi les (pho to graphs or rasterized vec tor fi les).

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Need to fi nd natural-science data orinformation? Visit the USGS Frequently Asked Ques tions (FAQ’s) at URL http://www.usgs.gov/faq/

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Want to e-mail your question to the USGS?Send it to this address: [email protected]

Contents

Research 1Spotlight on Sandy 4Fieldwork 13Outreach 21Awards 22Staff and Center News 22Publications 24

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<http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2012/06/>), but the methane that remains in the water column can be oxidized to carbon dioxide. This in turn increases the acidity of ocean waters and reduces oxygen levels; both of these effects are deleterious to marine organ-isms (for example, see “USGS Arctic Ocean Research: A Polar Acidifi cation Study,” Sound Waves, August 2011, <http://sound-waves.usgs.gov/2011/08/>).

A key question about the newly discov-ered methane seeps is whether they emanate from any of the nearly 5,500 pockmarks recently mapped on the northern U.S. Atlan-tic margin by USGS research geophysicist Daniel Brothers, one of the new study’s co-authors, and his USGS colleagues (<http://

woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/hydrates/primer.html>.)

“Warming of ocean temperatures on seasonal, decadal, or much longer time scales can cause gas hydrate to release its methane, which may then be emitted at seep sites,” said Carolyn Ruppel, study co-author and chief of the USGS Gas Hy-drates Project (<http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/hydrates/>). “Such continental slope seeps have previously been recognized in the Arctic, but not at mid-latitudes. So this is a fi rst.”

Most seeps described in the new study are too deep for the methane to directly reach the atmosphere (see “Gas Hydrates and Warming—Why a Methane Catastrophe is Unlikely,” Sound Waves, May/June 2012,

Numerous distinct methane streams emanating from the seafl oor at a cold-seep site on the upper slope (water depth less than 500 meters [1,640 feet]) offshore Virginia. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition (<http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1304/welcome.html>).

Deepwater seep site on the New England margin (water depth approximately 1,400 meters [4,600 feet]). Seafl oor conditions here are well inside the pressure-temperature stability fi eld for methane hydrate. Gas being emitted below the rock overhang has formed gas hydrate (the white ice-like material). Distinct bubbles are visible in the foreground. The red laser dots are 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) apart. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition (<http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1304/welcome.html>).

3 Sound Waves September/October 2014Research

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dx.doi.org/10.1002/2013GL058048>). A pockmark is a seafl oor depression that can reach 10s of meters across and several me-ters deep. Pockmarks are believed to form when gas is emitted from the seafl oor. The new study carefully compares the margin’s pockmark and seep distributions, both of which have been mapped at high resolu-tion. The conclusion is that the pockmarks are not the sites of active gas emission and may therefore have been produced during an older episode of gas leakage.

The new seep study provides particular insight into processes in Hudson Canyon, an undersea gorge that represents the offshore extension of the Hudson River. Under the leadership of Brad Butman, the USGS has been involved in a num-ber of studies of Hudson Canyon and its extension onto the continental shelf (for example, see <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1441/>). The late Peter Rona, a long-time Rutgers University marine geologist, had for years conducted sur-veys in the canyon seeking seafl oor cold seeps that might explain methane values observed in the water column. The new seep study for the fi rst time identifi ed at least 50 water-column plumes in Hudson Canyon. Many of these originate in the canyon’s fl oor at a depth corresponding to the upslope pressure-temperature limit for gas hydrate stability.

Shallow-water seeps that may be re-lated to offshore groundwater discharge were detected at the edge of the shelf at various places along the margin and in the upper part of Hudson Canyon. Meth-ane emitted at these seeps could directly reach the atmosphere, contributing to increased concentrations of this potent greenhouse gas. More extensive shallow-water surveys than described in this study will be required to document the extent of such seeps and those distributed across the continental shelf.

Some of the methane seeps were discovered in 2012 (<http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/20121219_gas_seeps.html>). In summer 2013, a Brown University undergraduate and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hollings Scholar Mali’o Kodis

worked with Skarke to analyze about 94,000 square kilometers (36,000 square miles) of water-column imaging data to map the methane plumes. The data had been collected during research cruises on the vessel Okeanos Explorer between 2011 and 2013. (Read about one of these expeditions in “Exploring Undersea Terrain Off the U.S. Atlantic Coast,” Sound Waves, November/December 2013, <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2013/12/>.) The Okeanos Explorer and the Deep Discoverer remotely operated vehicle, which has photographed the seafl oor at some of the methane seeps, are managed by NOAA’s Offi ce of Ocean Exploration and Research (<http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/about/welcome.html>).

“This study continues the tradition of advancing U.S. marine science research through partnerships between federal agencies and the involvement of academic researchers,” said John Haines, coordina-tor of the USGS Coastal and Marine Geol-ogy Program. ”NOAA’s Ocean Explora-tion program acquired state-of-the-art data at the scale of the entire margin, while academic and USGS scientists teamed up to interpret these data in the context of a research problem of global signifi cance.”

The full citation for the recent report is:Skarke, A., Ruppel, C., Kodis, M.,

Brothers, D., and Lobecker, E., 2014, Widespread methane leakage from the sea fl oor on the northern US Atlantic Margin: Nature Geoscience, v. 7, p. 657–661, [http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NGEO2232].

USGS Gas Hydrates ProjectThe USGS has a globally recognized

research group studying natural gas hydrates in deepwater and permafrost settings worldwide (<http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/hydrates/>). USGS researchers focus on the potential of gas hydrates as an energy resource (<http://energy.usgs.gov/OilGas/UnconventionalOilGas/GasHydrates.aspx>), the impact of climate change on gas hydrates (<http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/hydrates/climate.html>), and seafl oor stability issues (<http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/hydrates/seafl oorstability.html>).

For more information about the newly discovered Atlantic margin methane seeps, visit the USGS Gas Hydrates Project’s website at <http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/hydrates/seeps.html>.

Many of the newly discovered Atlantic margin seeps occur in Sector 3 (upper edge of the gas hydrate stability zone and farther upslope) on this diagram modeled on “Methane Hydrates and Contemporary Climate Change,” by Carolyn Ruppel, published 2011 in Nature Education Knowl-edge (<http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/methane-hydrates-and-contemporary-climate-change-24314790>).


Spotlight on Sandy

Spotlight on Sandy

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Field Investigations at Fire Island, New York, to Better Understand Hurricane Sandy’s Impacts and Support Studies of Coastal ResilienceBy Cheryl Hapke, Owen Brenner, and M. Dennis Krohn

goal is to understand the factors that infl u-ence the vulnerability and the resiliency of the barrier island, including sediment availability and the response and behavior of the active beach system—the zone in which sand moves offshore during periods of heavy waves and back onshore during periods of fair weather. The June 2014 fi eld survey was part of an effort to meet both the short-term needs of planning for recovery and mitigation, and the longer term needs of basic science.

One of the challenges of Fire Island fi eldwork is that the island is a unique blend of National Seashore, federal wil-derness tracts, state and county parks, and several private communities. Fieldwork within the National Park entailed extra levels of logistical complexity, especially during Piping Plover nesting and hatching season (see <http://www.nps.gov/fi is/na-turescience/piping-plovers.htm>) and the beginning of the crowded tourist season.

In response to Hurricane Sandy, which struck the U.S. east coast in October 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is engaged in a research project that exam-ines the coastal dynamics of Fire Island, a 50-kilometer (30 mile)-long barrier island south of Long Island, New York. The research will provide basic scientifi c infor-mation on coastal evolution and recovery, and will aid mitigation efforts and man-agement planning.

From June 9 through June 25, 2014, Cheryl Hapke, a coastal geologist from the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Ma-rine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Flor-ida (SPCMSC, <http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/>), led a comprehensive fi eld effort to map changes and collect baseline geologic data from the coastline affected by Hur-ricane Sandy. Hapke had been conducting research on Fire Island before Hurricane Sandy (see Fire Island Coastal Change, <http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/fi re-island/>) as part of the USGS Coastal Change Pro-cesses project (<http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_change/>), and she served as a subject-matter expert at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hurricane Sandy Joint Field Offi ce in New York during the post-storm response to Sandy. Hapke and USGS personnel also conducted immedi-ate post-storm coastal-change assessments (see USGS Open-File Report 2013–1231 at <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1231/> and “USGS Scientists Predict, Measure Sandy’s Impacts on the Coastal Land-scape,” Sound Waves, November/De-cember 2012, <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2012/12/>).

Supplemental funds from the Depart-ment of the Interior are making possible numerous USGS studies to aid recovery from Hurricane Sandy and preparation for future storms (see “USGS Research to Support Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Gets Boost from Supplemental Funds,” <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2013/12/research.html>). Among these studies is the work at Fire Island, where the main

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Schematic diagram of the active beach system, which extends from the dunes to the inner edge of the continental shelf. In fair weather (shown here), sediment is stored in the upper beach and dunes. During stormy weather (not shown), waves and currents erode the beach and dunes, mov-ing sediment offshore into deeper water. From fi gure 1.2 of USGS Open-File Report 2008–1206 (<http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1206/html/implications1.html>).

5 Sound Waves September/October 2014Spotlight on Sandy

Spotlight on Sandy, continued

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Critical to the success of the research was the collection of topographic data (ground elevations) on the beach and geo-physical data—specifi cally, measurements of seafl oor depths and imagery of sedi-ment beneath the seafl oor—in shallow-water areas less than 20 meters (65 feet) deep. The shallow nearshore zone is an area of high energy and breaking waves where geophysical data collection is lo-gistically challenging and has only been accomplished on a limited basis to date. A specifi c fi eld target of interest is the breach that was opened during Sandy in the National Seashore’s Otis Pike Federal Wilderness tract (see <http://www.nps.gov/fi is/naturescience/post-hurricane-sandy-breaches.htm>). Breaches outside the wilderness tract were manually closed shortly after landfall, but because it is in a wilderness area, the Old Inlet/Sandy breach has been left open, giving the USGS an opportunity to study in detail the response of the natural system.

Field Activities and ParticipantsThe June 2014 fi eld study at Fire Island

was a multipronged effort that included fi ve main fi eld activities staffed by people from multiple USGS centers. Altogether 15 USGS staff members from four centers participated, along with four collaborators from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The teams made diverse fi eld measurements:

A mobile ground-based lidar (light de-tection and ranging) system was used to

measure beach and dune topography by personnel from the USGS Alabama Water Science Center (ALWSC, <http://al.water.usgs.gov/>). The ALWSC staff mounted their mobile ground-based lidar system (<http://al.water.usgs.gov/tlidar/>) on a truck and collected data while driving on the lower part of the dry beach. To supple-ment this topographic data collection, personnel from the SPCMSC used global positioning system (GPS) instruments to re-measure elevations along 15 beach profi les that had been established as moni-

toring locations in the days before Sandy. The pre-Sandy elevation profi les and a series of post-Sandy monitoring profi les are all available online at <http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/fi re-island/research/sandy/beach-profi les.html>.

In-situ measurements were acquired by personnel from the USGS New York Water Science Center (NYWSC, <http://ny.water.usgs.gov/>) using an Oceanscience remotely operated Q-Boat to measure bathymetry (seafl oor depth), fl ow velocities, and water levels at the Old Inlet breach and in Great South Bay immediately north of the breach. (Details at <http://ny.water.usgs.gov/projects/hurr_sandy_2012/>.)

A chirp subbottom profi ler (<http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/sfmapping/chirp.htm>) towed by a Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo (LARC) was used to collect seismic-refl ection profi les (cross-sectional views of sub-seafl oor sediment layers) in water depths from 0 to 20 meters (65 feet), ex-tending approximately 2 kilometers (a lit-tle more than a mile) offshore. The LARC vehicle, which was mobilized from the USACE Field Research Facility in Duck,

USGS research geologist Cheryl Hapke (center) explains to National Park Service (NPS) environmen-tal resource manager Mike Bilecki (right) how the USGS uses instruments mounted on personal water-craft to measure seafl oor depths in shallow water. USGS engineering technician BJ Reynolds is beside the watercraft.

Gary Wall of the USGS New York Water Science Center using a remotely operated Q-Boat (red, on right side of photograph) to measure fl ow velocities at the seaward end of the Old Inlet breach in November 2012.

Jen Miselis of the St. Petersburg (Florida) Coastal and Marine Science Center stands aboard a Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo (LARC), which was used as a platform for nearshore geophysi-cal surveys in collaboration with staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She is guiding a specially designed sled housing a chirp system for collecting seismic-refl ection profi les (cross-sectional profi les of sub-seafl oor sediment layers).

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Spotlight on Sandy

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North Carolina (<http://www.frf.usace.army.mil/>), can be driven from the beach into the water, allowing access to the high wave-energy environment of the surf zone.

Two single-beam acoustic systems mounted on personal watercraft and sev-eral GPS backpack systems carried on foot were used to collect nearshore data in shal-low water to provide detailed bathymetry of the Old Inlet breach and the shoreface (the zone seaward of the low-tide line, over which sand oscillates with changing wave conditions). The personal-watercraft and GPS surveys were conducted by USGS personnel from SPCMSC and from the USGS Pacifi c Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California (PCMSC, <http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/>).

In the ebb and fl ood shoals of the Old Inlet breach, staff from SPCMSC used GPS backpack systems to collect shallow-water bathymetric data on foot.

The June 2014 fi eld campaign on Fire Island was highly successful, acquiring almost twice the amount of data that had originally been tasked.

Other Opportunities during the Field Excursion

In addition to handling logistical opera-tions, Hapke had the opportunity to meet with local citizens’ groups during the fi eld operations. On June 14, the Point O’ Woods neighborhood association invited her to give a science presentation. Hapke had been invited to speak by late author and association member Robert F. Sayre, who passed away untimely in the spring of 2014. The association wanted to honor that request. Hapke spoke to an audience of approximately 50 residents, who were interested and engaged in coastal issues on the island. A recent book by Sayre—Fire Island, Past, Present, and Future:

The Environmental History of a Barrier Beach—went to press just before Hur-ricane Sandy’s landfall in 2012, and Sayre was able to add a coda about some of the storm’s impacts on Fire Island.

Summary and AcknowledgmentsAlthough Hurricane Sandy caused suf-

fering and loss in communities on Fire Island and in many other coastal areas in the Northeast United States, the natural disaster also presents an opportunity to gain valuable insights into natural coastal processes. The complex fi eld campaign at Fire Island was one of many USGS efforts to achieve such insights, which will help us better prepare for future storms and fur-ther our understanding of the basic science behind such events.

We would like to thank the people who participated in the June 2014 fi eld opera-tion. From the USGS: Dustin Kimbrow and Katie Lee (ALWSC); Chris Schubert and Amy Simonson (NYWSC); Jackson Currie, Tim Elfers, and Andrew Stevens (PCMSC); Owen Brenner, Mark Hansen, Cheryl Hapke, Kyle Kelso, Jen Miselis, Tim Nelson, BJ Reynolds, and Dave Thompson (SPCMSC). From the USACE: Jessie McNinch, Jason Pipes, Mark Pre-isser, and Heidi Wadman (Field Research Facility, Duck, North Carolina).

In addition to using personal watercraft to measure water depths in and near the Old Inlet breach, the team collected global-positioning-system (GPS) data on foot in the ebb and fl ood shoals of the breach. Owen Brenner of the St. Petersburg (Flor-ida) Coastal and Marine Science Center is shown here.

Dave Thompson (on personal watercraft) and (right to left) Owen Brenner, Tim Nelson, and Tim Elfers complete a beach launch of instrumented personal watercraft at Fire Island.

|Shallow-water areas surveyed during the USGS June 2014 fi eld campaign. Bathyme-try (water depth) indicated by color-coded shading. Tracklines (red) show lines along which single-beam bathymetric systems were used to collect data.

7 Sound Waves September/October 2014


Spotlight on Sandy

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USGS Scientists Conduct Comprehensive Seafl oor Mapping off the Delmarva Peninsula By Stephen Rowley

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) coastal and marine scientists continually work to provide information for improving the re-silience of coastal habitat and infrastructure to future storms and sea-level rise. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, which im-pacted the Northeast U.S. coast in the fall of 2012, new research efforts have been directed at mapping the seafl oor, imaging materials on and beneath the seafl oor, and collecting sediment samples to character-ize the geologic and surfi cial sedimentary framework of the inner continental shelf along the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) Peninsula (see <http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/del-marva/> and <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2014/04/spotlight2.html>).

As part of this project, a group of USGS scientists and technologists who dubbed themselves “Team Delmarva” conducted a 40-day research cruise, from June 15 to July 25, 2014, aboard the mo-tor vessel (M/V) Scarlett Isabella. The team collected sediment samples and geophysical data on seafl oor depths and surface materials, plus images of sedi-ment layers beneath the seafl oor, that will provide new insights into the past, pres-ent, and potential future of this coastal system. Their fi ndings will inform a vari-

Coastal and Marine Sci-ence Center (Woods Hole, Massachusetts), the team acquired just over 4 tera-bytes of geologic and sea-fl oor mapping data, along a linear distance of more than 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) and over an

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|Area off the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, Vir-ginia) Peninsula mapped by USGS scientists in June–July 2014. Blue lines are sur-vey tracklines, along which the scientists collected swath bathymetry (seafl oor depths), seismic-refl ection profi les (cross-sectional views of materials beneath the seafl oor), and acoustic-backscatter data (which give indications about seafl oor materials and roughness). Red dots are sites where they collected sediment samples and bottom photo-graphs.

Some members of Team Delmarva on the deck of the motor vessel (M/V) Scarlett Isabella: (left to right) Laura Brothers, Alex Nichols, Emile Bergeron, Wayne Baldwin, Seth Acker-man, and Eric Moore. USGS photograph by Scott Horvath.

ety of management applications, such as assessments of sand resources, habitats, and coastal vulnerability.

Led by geologists Laura Brothers and Rob Thieler of the USGS Woods Hole

Team Delmarva conducted operations 24 hours a day. (Left to right) Dave Callahan (ship’s engineer) and USGS personnel Alex Nichols, David Foster, Charles Worley, and Emile Bergeron deploy the S-Boom seismic source the fi rst night underway. USGS photograph by Rob Thieler.

area of more than 3,200 square kilometers (1,200 square miles). The team used the lat-est technology to collect swath bathymetry (seafl oor depths), seismic-refl ection profi les



Spotlight on Sandy

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(Delmarva Mapping continued on page 9)

(cross-sectional views of materials beneath the seafl oor), acoustic backscatter (data that provide information about seafl oor materi-als and roughness), water-column proper-ties, and samples of seafl oor sediment.

Such an effort required an extensive array of gear, including two seagoing lab vans, three winches, two instruments mounted on the side of the vessel, four instruments towed by the vessel, two underwater cameras, a sediment grab sampler, several navigation systems, and a suite of backups. Fortunately, the team had an excellent platform, the M/V Scarlett Isabella, that comfortably accommodated all the gear and personnel and was able to navigate the shallow water (minimum of approximately 8 meters [26 feet] water depth) of the inner shelf.

The new data provide a more detailed look than ever before at the geologic and geophysical properties of the area’s sea-fl oor and underlying sediments. Swath ba-thymetry data were collected using a 234-kHz Submetrix sidescan sonar. A moving vessel profi ler (designed to gather data at multiple depths while being pulled behind a moving ship) measured the velocity of sound traveling through the water col-umn—information that is used to improve the accuracy of bathymetric data. Acoustic backscatter data, which give an indica-tion of seafl oor type (such as gravel, sand, or mud), were collected using the side-mounted Submetrix sonar and a towed Klein sidescan sonar. In addition to aiding in geologic interpretations of sediment type and texture, these data can be used

Charles Worley (left) and Bill Danforth stand watch in the acquisition van, where monitors display data in real time. The broad red bar in the moni-tor Worley is facing, for example, is bathymetry (depth to seafl oor) along the ship’s track; the uni-form red color indicates a fl at seafl oor. USGS photo-graph by Rob Thieler.

Alex Nichols (left) and Wayne Baldwin prepare a Van Veen grab sampler for deploy-ment. Baldwin is setting a camera that will photograph the sediment surface before and after the jaws of the sampler close around the sediment sample. USGS photograph by Laura Brothers.

in mapping and understanding benthic habitats. An Edgetech 512i high-resolution subbottom profi ler imaged stratigraphy from the seafl oor to approximately 20 to 40 meters (65 to 130 feet) beneath the seafl oor, enabling geoscientists to map the sedimentary deposits and determine the volume of mobile sediment that may infl uence how the Delmarva coastline changes in response to storms and climate change. Another seismic-refl ection system employing a multichannel hydrophone (underwater microphone) array and a new sound source called the “S-Boom” imaged even deeper stratigraphy, as much as ap-proximately 100 meters (330 feet) below the seafl oor. This boomer seismic system provided data that will help defi ne the

(Left to right) Rob Thieler, Laura Brothers, and David Fos-ter pull in a cable (“streamer”) containing hydrophones (underwater microphones) after completing a boomer seismic survey. USGS photograph by Alex Nichols.

9 Sound Waves September/October 2014Spotlight on Sandy


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(Strong After Sandy continued on page 10)

deeper geologic framework and sedimen-tary history of the Delmarva Peninsula.

The research cruise collected an im-pressive amount of data that will keep the team busy for months to come. Products expected to come out of this research, in ad-dition to scientifi c publications, are regional bathymetric and acoustic-backscatter maps and other geospatial data products. These products lay the foundation for defi ning the geologic framework, which is critical to understanding coastal-change processes and vulnerability. This work is part of a long-standing, multipronged effort by the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program to conduct research that allows coastal stake-holders—including communities, landown-ers, and U.S. Department of the Interior agencies such as the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—to make scientifi cally informed coastal-man-agement decisions.

Read a profi le of co-chief scientist Laura Brothers in “This Woman ROCKS,” this is-sue, <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2014/10/spotlight4.html>. Learn more about USGS Delmarva research at <http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/delmarva/>.

Calm seas enable acquisition of particularly high-quality data. Here, the Scarlett Isabella is towing three pieces of equipment (left to right): 512i subbottom profi ler (fl anked by yellow pontoons); S-Boom (at end of blue cable extending from center of stern); and a hydrophone cable, or “streamer” (marked by orange buoy in distance). USGS photograph by Rob Thieler.

#StrongAfterSandy—A Congressional Briefi ng Hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey, September 19, 2014By Clarice Nassif Ransom

Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 devastated some of the most densely populated areas of the Atlantic Coast. The storm claimed lives, altered natural lands and wildlife habitat, and caused millions of dollars in property damage. Hurricane Sandy is a stark reminder of our nation’s need to better protect people and commu-nities from future storms.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has received $43.2 million in supplemen-tal appropriations funding to conduct post-Hurricane Sandy scientifi c investiga-tions—the largest amount of post-disaster funding the bureau has ever received (see <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2013/12/research.html>).

“As we work to implement the Hur-ricane Sandy Science Plan, the USGS is

committed to being responsive to stake-holder needs, improving and facilitat-ing access to predictive tools to protect coastal communities and resources, and enhancing our nation’s capabili-ties to respond to the next hurricane,” said Suzette M. Kimball, USGS Acting Director, in a new USGS fact sheet, “Us-ing Science to Strengthen our Nation’s Resilience to Tomorrow’s Challenges—Understanding and Preparing for Coastal Impacts” (<http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20143062>).

The USGS effort is part of an integrated response to Hurricane Sandy by its par-ent agency, the Department of the Interior (DOI). On September 19, 2014, the USGS hosted a formal briefi ng for Congress entitled “#StrongAfterSandy—The Sci-ence Supporting the Department of the Interior’s Response,” the latest installment

of the USGS Congressional Briefi ng Se-ries (<http://www.usgs.gov/solutions/>) dating to 1999. Speakers included Claude Gascon, National Fish and Wildlife Foun-dation (NFWF) executive vice president and chief science offi cer, who served as emcee for the briefi ng; Neil K. Ganju, research oceanographer with the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center; Mary Foley, chief scientist for the National Park Service (NPS) Northeast Region; and Eric Schrading, fi eld offi ce supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) New Jersey Field Of-fi ce. The briefi ng was attended by bipar-tisan congressional staff from the House and Senate, along with representatives of the Congressional Research Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Oceanic and Atmos-

10September/October 2014 Sound Waves Spotlight on Sandy

(Strong After Sandy continued from page 9)


pheric Administration (NOAA), and other agencies. The event was also tweeted live from @USG-SLive to #StrongAfterSandy.

“In the aftermath of the storm, Congress reacted quickly with emergency funds for addressing the immediate needs,” said Gas-con during his opening remarks. “Under the vision of Secretary Jewell of the Department of the Interior (DOI), part of the emer-gency resources were directed toward rebuilding coastal environ-ments that would be more resil-ient to future storms and, more importantly, protect people and their livelihoods against the types of devastation that we saw 2 years ago.”

Gascon noted that over this time, the DOI science team, and in particular the USGS and its leadership, have demonstrated the value of the department’s com-mitment to science-based conser-vation, restoration, and adaptive management.

“Putting money to good use on the ground and using science to inform those investments was a key principle of this approach,” said Gascon. “As a fellow sci-entist, I am also convinced that

Ganju showed how comparing maps of Assateague Island National Seashore made in 2009 and 2013 reveals overwash of marsh areas and movement of the bay shoreline toward the mainland. He noted that while mapping can give us a long-term perspective on landscape change, we need continuous measurements of things like storm surge, waves, and sediment movement to understand the processes by which change occurs. As examples of measurement, he said the USGS uses rapid-deployment storm tide gages to capture extreme water levels and waves during storms, and they have deployed acoustic altimeters that will measure changes to the bottom of the bay between Assateague Island and the mainland—for example, whether it is getting deeper or shallower—for a full year. Additional long-term measurements—of waves, water level, sediment movement, and water quality—are being made by instruments deployed on the bay fl oor. Using the data they have gathered, the scientists run computer models to tie changes in landscape to impacts on human infrastructure and habitat. “The

(Strong After Sandy continued on page 11)

using science as a guide to planning and a tool to measure success is key to ensuring a brighter future. As we at NFWF were asked to support the DOI in the rebuilding efforts, we relied on USGS and the DOI’s science to develop a framework for resil-ient coasts and communities and support the DOI in the investment of the emer-gency funds.”

USGS research oceanographer Ganju emphasized that understanding landscape change is key to determining the likely impacts of future storms on human infra-structure and natural habitat. He said that USGS scientists are working to fi ll sci-entifi c gaps in our understanding of how storms alter estuaries, marshes, waves pat-terns, and coastal fl ooding. To do so, they are mapping, measuring, and modeling the processes that affect coastal areas.

#StrongAfterSandy speakers in front of the Capitol. Left to right: Neil Ganju, U.S. Geological Survey; Mary Foley, National Park Service; Eric Schrading, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Claude Gascon, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. USGS pho-tograph by Clarice Nassif Ransom.

USGS science provides vital information for informed decision making … by policy makers, land managers, and coastal communities,” Ganju said.

NPS scientist Foley shared how national seashores and recreation areas in New York and New Jersey provide a natural defense for coastal communities and how these areas demonstrated natural, physical, and ecological resiliency by recovering quickly after Hurricane Sandy. She dis-cussed how the NPS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are investing in large marsh-restoration projects and explained that Hurricane Sandy actually created sub-stantial new habitat for shorebirds such as the endangered Piping Plover.

“The greatest impact from the storm to natural resources was from debris washing

Neil Ganju (USGS) shares his insights as a research oceanographer with the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center. USGS photograph by Clarice Nassif Ransom.



Spotlight on Sandy

up on shore,” said Foley, who also noted that research is continuing with the goal of building predictive models for the re-covery of beach systems. “NPS believes it is critical to understand coastal-resilience processes and how the undeveloped coastal national parks can continue to pro-vide natural defenses to adjacent coastal communities while providing outstanding recreational opportunities.”

USFWS fi eld supervisor Schrading dis-cussed the specifi c example of how Hurri-cane Sandy devastated Delaware Bay and its beaches, which support the largest spawning population of horseshoe crabs in the world and represent an important stopover for mi-gratory shorebirds like the Red Knot.

“Horseshoe crabs are a valuable animal used as a source of food for shorebirds and are also critical to the pharmaceutical and medical-device industries,” said Schrad-ing, who explained that there is a need for

(Strong After Sandy continued from page 10)

(This Woman Rocks continued on page 12)

Panoramic view of the #StrongAfterSandy congressional brief-ing on Capitol Hill, September 19, 2014, with Eric Schrading (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) at the po-dium. Photograph by Jeff Olsen, National Park Service.

immediate recovery of beaches to restore critical habitat for the crabs. “Impacts include a 70-percent decrease in optimal horseshoe crab habitat, loss of land, expo-sure of debris, and threats to marshes and infrastructure.”

Schrading indicated that investments in coastal restoration are as important as investments in infrastructure or any other industry, because local communities and economies rely on this natural resource for a variety of uses, not the least of which is ecotourism.

Concluded Gascon, “As we have just seen, scientists are generating and sharing critical information to help the recovery of our natural coastal areas and the associ-ated communities that have suffered from Hurricane Sandy. There is a fi rm belief that science and its application to real-life needs can and will make communities more resilient to future extreme storms.”

The scientists collectively addressed questions posed by the congressional staff and explained how decision makers can use science to address storm impacts to ecosystems, fi sh and wildlife, habitats, and water quality; locations along the coast that are forecast to be most vulnerable to future hurricanes; restoration of marshes; and the importance of undeveloped coastal lands as a storm buffer.

The PowerPoint presentations given by the speakers are available on the USGS Congressional Briefi ng Series website at <http://www.usgs.gov/solutions/2014_sep19.html>. The video Eric Schrading shared at the briefi ng can be viewed on YouTube at <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1IHfWRVcCM>.

For more information on post-Hurricane Sandy investigations by the USGS, visit the USGS Hurricane Sandy website, <http://www.usgs.gov/hurricane/sandy/>.

Many people spend years trying to fi nd their “dream job,” but USGS marine geol-ogist Laura Brothers is one of the lucky few who has already found hers.

Brothers has always been interested in science, but it wasn’t until she had a col-lege-level introductory geology class that

she realized her calling. “I always took a lot of science classes in high school,” she said. “I was originally studying sociol-ogy, but I took a geology class and it was so much more fun. So then I changed my major to geology and rounded it out with physics courses.”

This Woman ROCKS!By Christy Catanzaro

[Reprinted from NEWSWAVE (<http://www.doi.gov/pmb/ocean/news/Newswave/>), Summer 2014]

After receiving her undergraduate de-gree in geology from West Virginia Uni-versity, Brothers went on to the University of Maine to earn dual masters degrees in oceanography and marine policy, as well as a Ph.D. in geology. “I’m a marine ge-


Spotlight on Sandy

Spotlight on Sandy

(This Woman Rocks continued from page 11)

ologist with interests in seafl oor mapping, coastal and shelf dynamics/evolution, sea-bed fl uid escape, sediment transport, and marine spatial mapping,” she said.

While it may seem that geologists are out in the fi eld exploring new areas and collecting data all the time, Brothers says that’s not the always the case. “My typical day involves reviewing articles, interpret-ing data, and writing. There’s also a fair amount of administration associated with research—budgets, progress reports, and so on,” she said. “When I’m lucky, I get to go into the fi eld and collect data.”

Luckily for Brothers, her most recent research mission included many of her marine interests. This past summer, she co-led a group of USGS scientists and engineers on a 40-day seafl oor-mapping mission along the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) coast to better under-stand coastal change, especially after Hur-ricane Sandy. (See “USGS Scientists Con-duct Comprehensive Seafl oor Mapping off the Delmarva Peninsula,” this issue, <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2014/10/spotlight2.html>.)

“Hurricane Sandy’s impact on the Del-marva Peninsula made this the perfect time to propose a geophysical study that could address scientifi c questions and improve coastal-zone management,” Brothers said.

Planning this important mission was quite extensive. Brothers and her team

conducted background research to identify knowledge gaps and determine how they could maximize their research efforts. To ensure that they were making the most of their time at sea, the scientists met with regional experts and stakeholders, such as the Delaware Geological Survey, the Wallops Flight Facility, the National Park Service, the University of Delaware, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

As a co-lead (with marine geologist Rob Thieler) for the research cruise, Brothers’ main objectives were to have an exceptional team of scientists and en-gineers (they had over a century’s worth of combined sea-going experience!), a ca-pable research vessel, updated equipment for gathering the best data possible, and a survey plan that would help them acquire the data required to defi ne the regional geologic framework of the Delmarva in-ner continental shelf. The mapping mis-sion was part of a USGS project to link the geologic framework of the Delmarva Peninsula to coastal vulnerability (<http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/delmarva/>).

Even though the data have yet to be interpreted, Brothers is confi dent that the work they completed this summer was a huge success. “We’re seeing things that no one has seen before. We’re collecting information. We’re assessing what’s out there, so people can live better and make

better management decisions,” she said. “It’s a real privilege to be able to pursue your curiosity, particularly in the service of the American people. What we did this summer is going to be used for decades.”

Being the only woman aboard a re-search vessel for 40 days seems like it might be rough, but Brothers felt other-wise. “I had my own cabin, so that was awesome! I’m also looking forward to wearing summer dresses and peep-toe, instead of steel-toe, shoes. But other than that, there was no difference among my crew mates, and that’s perfect.”

What’s the most important advice Brothers has for young women thinking about pursuing a career in science, tech-nology, engineering, and/or math fi elds, known as STEM? “Find a mentor,” Broth-ers says. “It goes for anybody going into any fi eld. Finding somebody who can lead you along and show you the ropes makes a big difference. It can be tough to envision yourself in a fi eld if you don’t look like most of the practicing professionals, par-ticularly when you’re starting out.”

When asked about her ideal job, Broth-ers had a very quick answer. “Being a government research scientist is the best because you get to do the research. I work with such great people and all of what we do becomes public,” she said. “This is my dream job, hands down. I look forward to working here another 30 years.”

USGS geophysicist Wayne Baldwin (left) and geologist Laura Brothers discuss survey coverage in the data processing van during the Delmarva research cruise in July 2014. USGS photograph by Seth Ackerman.

USGS geologist Laura Brothers working on the motor vessel (M/V) Scarlett Isabella during the Delmarva research cruise in July 2014. USGS photograph by Seth Ackerman.


(Free-Ascending Tripod continued on page 14.)

Fieldwork

Fieldwork

Free-Ascending Tripod Brings Data from the Deep Seafl oor of the South China SeaBy George Tate, Jingping Xu, and Helen Gibbons

A deepwater tripod system designed and built at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pacifi c Coastal and Marine Sci-ence Center (PCMSC) in Santa Cruz, Cali-fornia, was recovered in late September 2014 after spending 5 months collecting data on the fl oor of the South China Sea. The Free-Ascending Tripod (FAT) was deployed in April 2014 at 1,900 meters (6,200 feet) water depth—roughly 10 times as deep as most tripods dedicated to measuring currents and sediment move-ment at the seafl oor. Deployment at this unusual depth was made possible by the tripod’s ability to rise by itself to the sur-face rather than being pulled up by a line. Instruments mounted on the tripod took bottom photographs and measured such variables as water temperature, current velocity, and suspended-sediment concen-tration. FAT’s deployment was part of a cooperative project with scientists from Tongji University (Shanghai, China) to better understand how and where deep-seafl oor sediment moves and accumulates.

The deep-water circulation in the South China Sea is believed to control sediment-transport processes and the formation of sedimentary deposits on the slope and in the basin. Researchers have speculated about deep circulation in the South China

A

B

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SOSOSOSOUTUTTHH CHCHINNA A SESSEAA

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The Free-Ascending Tripod (FAT) being deployed in the South China Sea from the vessel Aquilla on April 19, 2014. Screenshot from video at <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2014/10/fi eldwork.html>.

}A, Sites in South China Sea where the USGS deepwater tripod and numerous moorings col-lected data to shed light on sediment move-ment and accumulation on the seafl oor. Red dots, sites of instrumented platforms. Green triangles, sites of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP, <http://www-odp.tamu.edu/>) bore-holes. Long-dashed yellow line, hypothesized route of deep contour-following current en-tering from the Pacifi c Ocean. Short-dashed yellow line, hypothesized alternative route of deep current from the Pacifi c. B, Seismic-refl ection profi le along line a–b on map, show-ing sediment layers in an apparent contourite (deposited by contour currents). Simplifi ed drawings indicate where scientists placed the tripod (TJ-A-2) and several moorings (TJ-A-1, TJ-A-3, TJ-A-4). C, Enlarged map of line c–d, showing sites (red dots) where groups of moorings were placed along the axis of a submarine canyon (Formosa Canyon).

14September/October 2014 Sound Waves Fieldwork

Fieldwork, continued

(Free-Ascending Tripod continued from page 13)

Sea and modeled it numerically, but until this year no one had measured it directly. To fi ll this gap, the South China Sea Deep program funded a project (<http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/research/projects/schina_deepsea.html>) to collect oceano-graphic and sediment-dynamics data in the water column and in the layer of water just above the seafl oor, called the bottom boundary layer. This layer is where seabed sediment and biological particles interact with the near-bed currents, a process that determines why and how these particles are resuspended into the water column or deposited and accumulated on the seafl oor. The long-term scientifi c goals of the South China Sea Deep project are to understand (1) bottom boundary layer processes, and (2) circulation of the near-bed currents in the deep basin that are thought to control the source, movement, and deposition of deep-sea sediment and the evolution of the basin-scale sediment deposits.

In October 2013, the project deployed instruments attached to six deep-water moorings—lines with large fl otation pack-ages at the top and heavy anchors at the seabed—at multiple locations around the basin of the northeastern South China Sea (see map, previous page). On April 19, 2014, FAT was deployed near site TJ-A-2. The moorings’ heavy anchors interfere with water and sediment movement near the seafl oor, making FAT’s role particularly important: the tripod has a minimal effect on fl ow near the seabed and so can collect data about natural processes in the bottom boundary layer. The moorings and tripod were recovered in September 2014. Time-series data (measurements taken at regular intervals) from all the instruments will be analyzed by Tongji University scientists and USGS emeritus scientist Jingping Xu.

PCMSC was invited to participate in this project because of its world-renowned re-search on sediment dynamics and its prov-en expertise in designing and implementing fi eld experiments for sediment-transport studies, from the continental shelves and slopes to submarine canyons. For example, USGS engineer George Tate, head of PCMSC’s Marine Facility, designed the unique footpad-release mechanism that makes FAT free ascending and thus en-

on deep-water sedimentation and sediment dynamics have been conducted outside of the oil industry, whose data are generally proprietary. The South China Sea Deep project is one of these studies. Data and discoveries from this project will be at the forefront of deepwater marine-geology research for the region and probably for the world. Practical applications include choosing favorable sites for undersea cables and other infrastructure.

Learn more about FAT at <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2013/08/fi eldwork2.html>, and stay tuned for new insights from the South China Sea!

|Photograph of the seafl oor taken by FAT’s bottom camera on May 12, 2014, at 1,900 meters (6,200 feet) water depth in the northern South China Sea.

}FAT being pulled onto the deck of the vessel Aquilla on Sep-tember 26, 2014. Note that the footpads are gone; they served as weights to hold the tripod on the seafl oor and were released to allow the buoy-ant orange foam to raise the tripod to the surface. Photograph courtesy of Tongji University.

ables it to be deployed at great depths (see details at <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2013/08/fi eldwork2.html>). Tate and geophysicist Joanne Ferreira traveled to China in April to familiarize collaborators with the equipment and train them in de-ployment of the system; they returned in September to view preliminary data and pack USGS instruments for shipping back to the United States.

The High Energy Benthic Boundary Layer Experiment (HEBBLE) Program investigated sediment transport at the base of the continental rise more than 30 years ago. Since then, only a few studies

15 Sound Waves September/October 2014Fieldwork


(Instruments Deployed continued on page 16)

Instruments Deployed near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, to Measure Bottom Shear Stress and Other Variables near the Seafl oorBy Chris Sherwood

Personnel from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, placed instruments on the seafl oor off Martha’s Vineyard in summer 2014 to measure the force created at the seabed by currents and waves, called bot-tom shear stress. In general, the higher the bottom shear stress, the greater the likeli-hood that bottom sediment will be picked up and moved by near-bottom currents. Information on the strength and variability of bottom shear stress, and the consequent erosion or deposition of sediment, has implications for seafl oor geology, seafl oor habitats, and the siting of structures such as seafl oor cables or offshore wind turbines.

USGS oceanographer Chris Sherwood, electronics engineer Marinna Martini, and summer students Elizama Pons-Montalvo (City College of New York) and Robert Forney (Rutgers University) deployed two New Instruments for Mak-ing Bottom Boundary Layer Evaluations (NIMBBLEs), designed to measure bot-tom shear stress. The NIMBBLEs have a pair of acoustic Doppler velocimeters (ADVs) that make rapid measurements of currents at two points that are about half a meter (a foot and a half) above the bot-tom and separated horizontally by about a meter and a half (fi ve feet). Bottom shear stress is measured by examining turbu-lence near the seabed, and turbulence is estimated by examining the difference in currents measured by the two ADVs. This is a simple method based on the principle that most of the fl ow generated by waves, tides, and even big eddies is the same at these two nearby points, but turbulent fl uc-tuations are different. The scientists also deployed two new large quadpods with multiple sensors for making sonar images of ripples on the seabed and for measur-ing bottom shear stress (using the same method as the NIMBBLEs), wave heights and periods, suspended-sediment concen-trations, temperature, and salinity.

Oceanographer Ellyn Montgomery and technician Chris Sabens helped prepare

and redeployed in mid-summer using the Woods Hole Oceano-graphic Institution (WHOI) research vessel Tioga, and all of the instruments were recovered and serviced in September. They were redeployed in October and will remain in the water through December 2014, providing data for a range of fair-weather and storm conditions.

The instruments were placed near the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO), which continuously collects meteorological data (air tem-perature, wind velocity, relative humidity and so on) from an on-shore station and oceanographic data (water temperature, salinity, current velocities, tides, and so on) from an offshore station, then posts the data in near-real time on the MVCO website, <http://www.whoi.edu/mvco>. The

Chris Sherwood (left) and Marinna Martini rigging a New Instrument for Making Bot-tom Boundary Layer Evaluations (NIMBBLE) for deployment from the research ves-sel Connecticut. Photograph by Elizama Pons-Montalvo, USGS summer student from City College of New York.

USGS electronics engineer Marinna Martini rigs a quadpod for deploy-ment in 10 meters (33 feet) water depth off Martha’s Vineyard. Photo-graph by Elizama Pons-Montalvo, USGS summer student from City College of New York.

USGS scientists chose the site of their experiment to take advantage of MVCO measurements and because they have de-tailed maps of bathymetry and backscatter

the USGS instruments, which were low-ered onto the seafl oor near the south shore of Martha’s Vineyard from the research vessel Connecticut on July 1, 2014. The NIMBBLEs were recovered, serviced,



Fieldwork

(Instruments Deployed continued from page 15)

from prior surveys (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1288/). In the same area, a team of WHOI scientists is maintaining an array of moorings to measure water circulation and stratifi cation, and also measuring sur-face currents from radar installations on Martha’s Vineyard.

Sherwood is co-principal investigator, along with Malcolm Scully and John Trowbridge (both with WHOI) of a project to study the effects of bottom roughness on bottom shear stress and current circulation on the inner continental shelf. The inner shelf is a critical link in the connection between coastal ecosystems and the open ocean. A better understanding of physi-cal processes on the inner shelf will help scientists determine how they may affect such things as the movement of sediment and pollutants and the delivery of nutrients from deep waters to nearshore ecosystems. The research is supported by the National Science Foundation and the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program.

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Learn more about students Elizama Pons-Montalvo and Robert Forney and the work they performed for the USGS last summer at <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2014/06/spotlight3.html>. Learn more about bottom shear stress at <http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2012/04/research3.html>.

Locations of bottom instrumenta-tion south of Martha’s Vineyard. Permanent Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO) sites (yellow triangles) include the Air-Sea Interaction Tower (ASIT) and the 12-meter undersea node. Sum-mer 2014 NIMBBLE locations are shown as orange dots, quadpod locations as light-gray squares. In October 2014, NIMBBLEs were redeployed at sites marked by red triangles. Background is shaded with acoustic backscatter intensity from USGS geophysical surveys; lighter areas are higher backscat-ter, indicating coarse sand, and gray areas are lower backscatter, indicating fi ne sand and silt.

~The same quadpod, after 84 days on the bottom. Despite the fouling, good data were recovered from the acoustic sensors and the optical sensors that were equipped with mechanical wipers. USGS photograph by Chris Sherwood.

}Scientists and crew watch as the quad-pod is deployed from the research vessel Connecticut. Photograph by Elizama Pons-Montalvo, USGS summer student from City College of New York.

17 Sound Waves September/October 2014Fieldwork


(Coastal Streams continued on page 18)

Coastal Streams in Central California Refl ect the Region’s Drought By David W. Affi eld

It’s no secret that water is a crucial resource. Not only do we require it for drinking, but also for many other basic necessities, such as sanitation and irrigation. In the western United States water is not as abundant as in many other parts of the country; in some periods, less rain falls and water is even scarcer. We are now in one of those periods: 2013 was the dri-est calendar year on record for the state of California (<http://ca.water.usgs.gov/data/drought/>), prompting Gover-nor Jerry Brown to declare a drought state of emergency on January 17, 2014.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Science Centers monitor the nation’s many riv-ers and keep records for each stream gage. These records, some of which go back for decades, typically include not only the stream height and the amount of water fl owing past the gage, but also such factors as temperature, pH, conductiv-ity, and sedimentation. These records can be used as a sort of almanac to show the median value for fl ow that can be ex-pected at a given site during a certain time of year. They also enable us to compare one year to another to get a general sense for how current conditions

waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis>. Thus users such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-ministration's (NOAA) National Weather Service, local agencies and communities, and interested members of the general public have access to stream information in near-real time.

Information about stage is particularly important during or after periods of heavy precipita-tion when fl ooding is a concern. During normal conditions, and especially during times of drought, local managers need in-formation about discharge to help them decide how much water can be pumped from a stream, how much must be left for fi sh, and so on. Because of the importance of stream-gage data, they are cross-checked and reviewed in many ways: every month, person-nel from the USGS Santa Cruz Field Offi ce compare the stream heights measured by sensors with readings on a staff plate, a large ruler installed vertically in the water, to make sure the measure-ments match. Likewise, they check calculated discharge values against discharge measurements they make manually. They also check to see that data pulled di-rectly from storage devices in the gage house match those that were transmitted to NWIS. After sev-eral months, the amassed data are

Half Moon Bay

Pescadero Creek

Paso Robles

Carmel River

Santa Cruz

Monterey Bay

Monterey

San Lorenzo River

Streamfl ow conditions in California on July 15, 2014. The colored dots depict streamfl ow conditions as a percentile, which is computed from the period of record for the current day of the year. Only stations with at least 30 years of record are used. The gray circles indicate other stations that were not ranked in percentiles either because they have fewer than 30 years of record or because they report parameters other than streamfl ow (amount of water fl owing past the gage, measured in cubic feet per second). Some stations, for example, measure only stage (height of water relative to a reference elevation, measured in feet). Image (with added labels) from http://ca.water.usgs.gov/data/waterconditionsmap.html on July 15, 2014.

compare to those measured in the past.USGS personnel in the California Water

Science Center’s Santa Cruz Field Offi ce monitor streams along the central Cali-fornia coast from Pilarcitos Creek at Half Moon Bay to the Salinas River in Paso Robles. For every gage on every stream, they determine the relation between dis-charge (amount of water fl owing past the gage, in cubic feet per second, or cfs) and stage (height of water relative to a refer-ence elevation, in feet). To do so, they manually measure discharge and stage

over a wide range of river stages. (Learn more about this process at <http://water.usgs.gov/edu/streamfl ow3.html>.) Es-tablishing this relation permits automated data collection: a sensor in the river takes a stage reading every 15 minutes. Every hour these data are transmitted by satellite to the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), where the corresponding discharge is computed. Stage, discharge, and any other data that are being collect-ed—such as water temperature—are post-ed on the NWIS Web Interface, <http://

closely examined for errors; online data that have not yet received this review are labeled “provisional.”

The effects of California’s drought are vividly illustrated in the discharge data from streams in the Santa Cruz area. One of these streams, the San Lorenzo River, fl ows through Santa Cruz and into Mon-terey Bay. It is a primary water source for the city. On the basis of the 77 years of records available, we would expect it to fl ow at around 25 cfs in a typical July, but


(Coastal Streams continued from page 17)

Fieldwork


discharge in July 2014 was only around 10 cfs. Records of discharge in Pescadero Creek, which fl ows into the Pacifi c Ocean approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Santa Cruz, go back 63 years and indicate that the stream would normal-ly be fl owing around 4 cfs in the month of July, but it was barely more than 0.3 cfs in July 2014. Other nearby streams were also fl owing at rates much lower than usual in July 2014.

The primary concern in drought is that we have enough water for drinking and for such everyday activities as washing and watering, but having abnormally low amounts of water in a river causes other concerns as well. In addition to hu-man consumption, water is necessary to maintain life both in rivers (aquatic) and in areas adjacent to rivers (riparian). Steelhead trout, for example, spawn in the San Lorenzo River, Pescadero Creek, and other central California coastal streams. These fi sh are born in rivers, travel out to the ocean, and later return to the river of their birth to spawn the next generation. Such anadromous species require access from the ocean to the rivers in order to swim upstream. When the river runs dry, the fi sh cannot get back to their spawning grounds. This is just one example; there are many other species that are threatened by droughts.

One of the central California streams that hosts steelhead trout is the Carmel River, which fl ows into the Pacifi c Ocean about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Santa Cruz. USGS water scientists sta-tioned in Santa Cruz monitor a stream gage on the downstream stretch of the Carmel River (USGS 11143250 CARMEL R NR CARMEL CA, <http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/uv?site_no=11143250>) that commonly goes dry during Califor-nia’s long dry summers. In fact, this gage has been dry since May 2013, with the exception of 12 days in March and April 2014. This dry spell may remind some locals of the drought of 1976–77, when USGS records show that this section of the Carmel River was dry from May 13, 1976, through December 17, 1977. For-tunately for the trout population in the Carmel River, biologists from government

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Comparison of streamfl ow gage data from July 15, 1977, with data from July 15, 2014. Blue, dis-charge on July 15, 2014; red, median discharge over period of record; brown, discharge on July 15, 1977; green, maximum discharge over period of record.

Carmel River near Carmel (USGS Gage 11143250) on March 4, 2014. The site was on the verge of going dry again. USGS photograph by David W. Affi eld.

agencies travel the river, capture the fi sh, and relocate them upstream where there is more water.

According to news released by NOAA on October 16, 2014, “California’s record-setting drought will likely persist or intensify in large parts of the state” (<http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/

stories2014/20141016_winteroutlook.html>). It remains to be seen whether the state’s winter wet season will provide some relief, particularly the mountain snowfall described by NOAA as “crucial for drought recovery.” Meanwhile, groups and individuals should continue to con-serve water.

A USGS WaterWatch state map showing current California streamfl ow conditions is posted at <http://ca.water.usgs.gov/data/waterconditionsmap.html>. More detailed USGS streamfl ow information for California is available at <http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/rt>.

All water data are subject to revision before fi nal publication. Previous years do not necessarily indicate future results. No part of this article is intended to be a prediction of future conditions. Graph comparison is for the same day (July 15) in each year.



Fieldwork

(Recently Published continued from page 18)

(BioBlitz 2014 continued on page 20)

USGS Scientist Participates in National Geographic’s BioBlitz 2014By Mary McGann and Helen Gibbons

On March 28–29, 2014, more than 300 professional scientists, 2,700 school children, and countless citizen scientists participated in BioBlitz 2014—an attempt to fi nd and identify as many plants and an-imals as possible within a 24-hour period in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), located near San Fran-cisco, California. The event was sponsored by National Geographic, the National Park Service, Golden Gate National Parks Con-servancy, and the Presidio Trust. Teams of volunteer scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members worked together to fulfi ll the goals of BioBlitz: (1) discover, count, map, and learn about the living creatures in the park; (2) provide scientists and the public an opportunity to do fi eldwork together; (3) add to the park’s offi cial species list; and (4) highlight the importance of protecting biodiversity in these extraordinary places and beyond. The biological inventories were conducted in the Giacomini Wetlands at Point Reyes National Seashore, Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, Muir Beach, the Marin Headlands, Crissy Field, the Presi-dio, Mori Point, Rancho Corral de Tierra in Montara, and other nearby locations.

Crissy Field served as the headquarters of the 24-hour BioBlitz species count and a 2-day Biodiversity Festival that featured food, live music, and hands-on exhibits open to the public. Adjacent to the festival at the Crissy Field Center, some scientists were busily identifying what they, or others, had brought back from their fi eld excursions. This was also the meeting place where many scientists and park rangers led the public on nature walks to participate in the species counts. BioBlitz partnered with iNaturalist (<http://www.inaturalist.org/>), an organization that created a smart-phone application to help keep track of what, where, and when species were encountered. This application can be used by the public to document their fi ndings, and it connects them with scientists who are capable of identifying the species that they fi nd.

n

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BioBlitz 2014microorganismsample locations

Golden Gate NationalRecreation Area

Southbay

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Map of the San Francisco Bay area, showing sites where microorganisms were collected for identifi cation during BioBlitz 2014.

San Francisco Public Utilities Com-mission (SFPUC) biologist Patricia McGregor (left) and USGS micropa-leontologist Mary McGann process sediment samples from San Francisco Bay onboard the SFPUC’s motor vessel (M/V) Rincon Point. The San Francisco skyline is visible in the background. Photograph courtesy of Patrick Conroy, SFPUC.

Mary McGann, a micropaleontologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), was asked to identify the microscopic organisms, primarily the one-celled animals called foraminifera, that were present in sediment samples collected during the BioBlitz. She participated in a cruise on San Francisco Bay aboard the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) motor vessel (M/V) Rincon Point on the morning of March 28, collecting bay sediment at fi ve sites in water depths between approximately 2 and 12 meters (6 and 40 feet), one in the south part of the bay and four in the central bay near Crissy Field (see map). While McGann was on San Francisco

Bay, volunteers and personnel from the National Park Service were collecting muddy sediment from Bolinas Lagoon and the Giacomini Wetlands of Tomales Bay, and beach sand from Baker Beach, Stinson Beach, Ocean Beach, Rodeo Beach, and Crissy Field. McGann spent that afternoon



Fieldwork

(BioBlitz 2014 continued from page 19)

and the next few weeks identifying what had been collected.

McGann made more biological “ob-servations” than anyone else in BioBlitz 2014, identifying 117 distinct microorgan-isms. These included foraminifera (one-celled organisms with shells composed of calcium carbonate or sand grains), thec-amoebians (amoebas with shells composed of sand grains), ostracods (tiny crustaceans sometimes called “seed shrimp”), radio-larians (one-celled animals with siliceous shells), diatoms (one-celled algae with si-liceous shells), and sea urchin spines.

Thanks to the efforts of McGann and the other participants, this BioBlitz event was able to identify a record number of species in the GGNRA. A total of 2,304 different species were identifi ed from 10,812 images uploaded from phones and online. Of these species, 80 had not previously been recorded as living in the region’s parks, and 15 are endangered species.

BioBlitz 2014 is only one in a series of species inventories sponsored by National Geographic. A BioBlitz is being conducted in a different national park each year dur-ing the decade leading up to the U.S. Na-tional Park Service Centennial in 2016. In 2013, the BioBlitz was held in Louisiana at Jean Lafi tte National Historical Park and Preserve, in 2012 at Rocky Mountain National Park, in 2011 in Saguaro Na-tional Park, in 2010 in Biscayne National

Park. In 2015, the BioBlitz will take place in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on May 15–16.

On the 100th anniversary of the death of John Muir, a naturalist credited with the creation of the National Park System, it was fi tting that National Geographic and the National Park Service chose to hold BioBlitz 2014 in the GGNRA, which is near Muir’s historic home in Martinez, California, and includes several areas named for him. Covering a 116-square mile area visited by more than 14 million people a year, this unique environment encompasses everything from beaches to redwood canopies 116 meters (380 feet) high, with diverse biological resources that should be studied and protected for years to come.

To learn more about BioBlitz 2014, visit the website at <http://www.nationalgeo-graphic.com/explorers/projects/bioblitz/golden-gate-california-2014/>.

View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s M/V Rincon Point during sediment sampling on San Francisco Bay. USGS photograph by Mary McGann.

Park, in 2009 at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, in 2008 in the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area, and in 2007 in Washington, D.C.’s Rock Creek

Light micrographs of (clockwise from upper left): foraminifer Trochammina infl ata (Montagu, 1808) from Giacomini Wetlands, Tomasini Creek, Tomales Bay, California; ostracod Radimella aurita (Skogsberg, 1928) from site 1, south San Francisco Bay, California; foraminifer Elphidiella hannai (Cushman and Grant, 1927) from Crissy Marsh, San Francisco Bay; and foraminifer Trochammina hadai Uchio, 1962, from site 1, south San Francisco Bay. Trochammina hadai is an invasive microorganism that originated in Japan and was introduced into San Francisco Bay in the early 1980s.

21 Sound Waves September/October 2014Outreach

Outreach

Twenty Years of Ask-A-GeologistBy Rex Sanders

Since October 4, 1994, the U.S. Geo-logical Survey (USGS) Ask-A-Geologist (AAG) project has answered Earth science questions for roughly 60,000 people.

We get questions from young children, students, teachers, professionals, and the general public, who enjoy getting answers directly from USGS scientists. Anyone can send questions by email, through the AAG Web site, <http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/ask-a-geologist/>.

AAG volunteer scientist David Scholl(Menlo Park, California) says: “I liked the AAG project from the get-go, because it seemed to me to be important to meet-ing our mission responsibility to be the nation’s geologist.” David has answered questions from the beginning, and he continues to answer questions many years after retirement from USGS.

The project began in the Branch of Pacifi c Marine Geology (now the Pacifi c Coastal and Marine Science Center), with 35 scientists volunteering to answer ques-tions. Each scientist answered all the ques-tions for one day each month. Some days one scientist tried to answer 50 questions! In 1995, we recruited several hundred scientists from across the USGS and re-designed the system, so that each scientist answers only a few questions each month. More than 400 USGS scientists have an-swered questions for AAG over the past 20 years.

Today, 40 USGS scientists volunteer their time to answer AAG questions. Most of those scientists answer one or two ques-tions on one day each month. On average over the past year, we received 84 ques-tions each month and answered 88 percent of those questions.

We try to answer all of the questions, but sometimes we get more questions than we can handle. Most “ask a scientist” ser-vices on the web answer a fraction of in-coming questions. As you can see from the graph above, some months we get many more questions than others.

AAG volunteer scientist Greg Duro-cher (Anchorage, Alaska) says: “It’s a chance to learn—sometimes I get ques-tions about things that I haven’t thought

Wynn (Vancouver, Washington) says: “I must keep up with and continue studying the full breadth of my profession—I’m a better public servant because of it, and a better professional scientist.”

Rex Sanders (Santa Cruz, California) spends a few hours each month running the project, which runs on existing shared servers. Custom software written by Rex handles most of the routine chores auto-matically and effi ciently.

When we asked Jeff about his most memorable questions, he said: “I once received a series of questions from a 3-year-old named Samantha. Her mom wrote them, but I was astounded at the inquisitiveness and base knowledge of this little girl. She knew and understood more than most teenagers. She was thrilled that a scientist would actually answer her questions—and perhaps someday she will be sitting at my desk answering questions from another child.”

We plan to keep Ask-A-Geologist run-ning long enough for Samantha to answer questions when she grows up.

|Ask-A-Geologist questions per month, June 2013 through May 2014.

are a representative of the U.S. Geologi-cal Survey.” Our trust is justifi ed: we have received just a few complaints in 20 years, while answering roughly 60,000 questions.

But we get a lot of spam (junk email). In the past year, 94 percent of AAG email was spam. Our best spam blocker is simple: we ask everyone to include the word “question” in the “Subject” line of their email, and automatically delete email without that word.

We have received hundreds of “thank you” emails from grateful correspondents. Many people appreciate a personalized reply from a working scientist. All of them think more highly of us after getting an answer, so AAG has become an important outreach tool for USGS.

The scientists who volunteer to an-swer AAG questions enjoy the activity. Most of them answer questions during lunch breaks, after hours, or from home. Questions are randomly assigned, so our scientists often gain knowledge about geologic topics outside their specialties as they look for answers. AAG scientist Jeff

�Top part of Ask-A-Geologist home page. See more at <http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/ask-a-geologist/>.

about since college. It helps keep the cerebral material a little more pliable!” Greg volun-teers to answer more questions than any other volunteer.

We trust AAG volun-teer scientists to “do the right thing.” We provide simple guidance, and a reminder that “You


Awards

Staff and Center News

(Postdocs continued on page 23)

Awards, Staff and Center News

Advancing Ocean and Coastal Data Sharing Capabilities—USGS Scientist Receives 2014 DeSouza Award [Modifi ed from NEWSWAVE (<http://www.doi.gov/pmb/ocean/news/Newswave/>), Summer 2014.]

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research oceanographer Richard Signell was awarded the 2014 Russell L. DeSouza Award by the Unidata Users Committee. The DeSouza Award honors “individuals whose energy, expertise, and active involvement enable the Unidata Program to better serve the geosciences.” Unidata (<http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/>), funded primarily by the National Science Foundation, is a community of education and research institutions focused on providing data, software tools, and support to enhance Earth-system education and research.

For more than two decades, Signell has developed and advocated ocean data interoperability systems—systems that allow people using different models or different sensors, and with different con-ventions for storing their data, to access and share their data in a common way. Unidata software tools have played a large role in such systems.

In 1992, Signell co-authored a paper about one of Unidata’s software tools, netCDF, for a conference of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The paper was titled “NetCDF: A Public-Domain-Software Solution to Data-Access Prob-lems for Numerical Modelers.” Robert Hetland of Texas A&M University, who nominated Signell for the DeSouza Award, says “I believe that the general adoption of netCDF as the standard way to store numerical ocean model informa-tion is due to Rich’s early efforts to pro-mote netCDF.”

In 2009, Signell was detailed for one year to the National Oceanic and Atmos-pheric Administration (NOAA) Program Offi ce of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Ob-serving System (US-IOOS, <http://www.ioos.noaa.gov/>), where he helped en-able interoperable access to ocean model output in all 11 IOOS regions (<http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2009/04/staff2.html>). A key tool in this work was the Unidata THREDDS Data Server, which allows existing non-standard datasets to be transformed in real time into standardized web services. For more information about the standardized-web-services approach to delivering data, see related Sound Waves story “Unlocking Oceans of Model Data via Web Services”(<http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2010/12/research.html>).

Since the detail to the NOAA Program Offi ce, Signell has continued to be active in US-IOOS and throughout the geosci-ence community, participating in the development of standards and standard-ized tools, and helping organizations get plugged into the infrastructure.

John Haines, USGS Coastal and Ma-rine Geology Program Coordinator said, “Our effectiveness as a research organiza-tion, and the impact our data and products have, depends increasingly on the integra-tion of data, models, and knowledge from diverse sources. Rich has been tireless in his efforts to promote standards and tools, and a community mindset, that ensure everyone has effective access to research, observations, and modeling. The USGS has supported Rich’s involvement with

IOOS to advance his vision across agen-cies and partners, and this recognition is more than deserved.”

The 2014 DeSouza Award was presented to Signell during the Unidata Users Committee’s fall meeting, September 15–16, 2014. As part of the award ceremony, Signell presented “Ocean, Atmosphere & Climate Model Assessment for Everyone,” a talk that highlighted the role of Unidata technologies in the US-IOOS. To read more about Signell and the 2014 DeSouza Award, visit <http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/blogs/news/entry/rich_signell_receives_2014_desouza>. View a recording of his talk on the Unidata Seminar Series page, <http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/community/seminars/#2014>.

Rich Signell

Postdocs Contributing to Climate-Change Studies at the Pacifi c Coastal and Marine Science CenterBy Patrick Barnard

Three new postdoctoral researchers have joined the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pacifi c Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California.

Kingsley Odigie is a University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)/USGS Postdoctoral Scholar working with USGS

Their efforts support the Climate Change Impacts to the U.S. Pacifi c and Arctic Coasts project (<http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/research/projects/climatechg.html>).


(Postdocs continued from page 22)

Staff and Center News, continued

Staff and Center News

research oceanographer Peter Swarzenski and USGS research geologist Jon War-rick. He is investigating the impacts of climate change on coastal fl ooding near river mouths and on groundwater aquifers along the California coast. Kingsley com-pleted his Ph.D. in environmental toxicol-ogy with Professor Russ Flegal at UCSC. His dissertation, Pyrogenic Remobiliza-tion of Toxic Metals, is on the use of lead isotopic compositions and trace element inventories to study the impacts of wild-fi res on remobilization of contaminants and their subsequent impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Before his graduate studies, Kingsley graduated from San José State University with a double major in micro-biology and forensic science, and a minor in chemistry. Outside work, he loves to spend time with his family and friends.

Patrick Limber is a USGS Mendenhall Research Fellow (<http://geology.usgs.gov/postdoc/>) developing an approach for predicting multi-decadal cliff retreat due to climate change. He works primarily with USGS research oceanographer Li Er-ikson and USGS research geologist Pat-rick Barnard. Pat’s expertise lies in large-scale, long-term coastline evolution, beach and sea-cliff dynamics, nonlinear dynam-ics, and coastal management. Pat recently completed postdoctoral research with As-sistant Professor Pete Adams at the Uni-versity of Florida. Before that, he got his B.A. in environmental science from State University of New York (SUNY)-Purchase College, his M.S. in Earth science with Professor Gary Griggs at UCSC, and his Ph.D. in Earth and ocean sciences with Professor Brad Murray at Duke Univer-sity. His dissertation is titled Beach and Sea Cliff Dynamics as a Driver of Rocky Coastline Evolution. Between studies at UCSC and Duke, Pat gained valuable ex-perience working for the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management. A native North Carolinian and avid guitar player, Pat has settled in nearby Felton with his fi ancé, Katie, who is a coastal manager.

Sean Vitousek is also a Mendenhall Research Fellow working primarily with Li Erikson and Patrick Barnard. He is developing an approach for predicting multi-decadal sandy beach evolution due

to climate change. Sean’s expertise lies in numerical modeling, computational ef-fi ciency, nearshore processes, and internal waves. Sean got his B.S. from Princeton University in civil and environmental en-gineering, his M.S. from the University of Hawai‘i in geology and geophysics with Professor Chip Fletcher, and his Ph.D. from Stanford University in civil and en-vironmental engineering with Associate Professor Oliver Fringer. His disserta-tion is titled Towards Internal Wave Re-solving Simulations of the Ocean. Having grown up on the Big Island of Hawaii, Sean is an avid surfer and beach volley-ball player. He now lives just up the street from the Pacifi c Coastal and Marine Sci-ence Center with his wife, Sylvia.

~Kingsley Odigie, currently a University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)/USGS Postdoc-toral Scholar, takes groundwater-well measure-ments before deploying a CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) probe at the Younger Lagoon Reserve in Santa Cruz, California, in December 2012. Photograph by Priya Ganguli, USGS/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

}USGS Mendenhall Research Fellow Sean Vitousek before his wedding in June 2014 on the Big Island of Hawaii, where he grew up.

USGS Mendenhall Re-search Fellow Patrick Limber measuring bluff heights at Fort Funston (San Francisco, Califor-nia) in September 2014.


Staff and Center News, continued

(Recent Publications continued on page 25)

Publications

Staff and Center News, Publications

USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program Science Centers Team Up for Feds Feed Families Food DriveBy Molly McLaughlin

Beginning in 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other federal agencies have organized the Feds Feed Families summer food drive. Federal agen-cies across the country have been encour-aged to organize food drives within their centers to benefi t local area food banks, and since its inception, this summer campaign has resulted in more than 24 million pounds of food donated by federal employees.

For the last several years, the three science centers of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geol-ogy Program have had a friendly com-petition to see who could contribute the most pounds of food during the summer food drive. The initial competition was proposed by Fran Lightsom at the USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (Woods Hole center) and quickly embraced by Andrea Toran (Woods Hole center), Carolyn Degnan of the Pacifi c Coastal and Marine Science Center (Pacif-ic center), and Molly McLaughlin of the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (St. Pete center), all of whom serve as volunteer local coordinators. The win-ning center had bragging rights for the fol-lowing year, and the competition became a great tool for motivating employees during each summer’s collection drive.

In 2014, Andrea came up with the idea of combining our efforts instead of competing, and the Coastal and Marine Challenge was born. Since each center had gathered close to 300 pounds on average in the previous drives, this year’s goal was to reach a total of 1,000 pounds. Andrea

developed a great slogan, “Feeding Fami-lies from Coast to Coast,” Carolyn created an inspiring poster (above), and the chal-lenge was on. Our employees proved to be just as motivated working together as working in competition: the St. Pete cen-ter gathered 481 pounds, the Woods Hole center collected 237 pounds, and the Pa-cifi c center (with help from folks in other,

Lighthouses located near Coastal and Marine Geology Program science centers, including A, Egmont Key Light at the mouth of Tampa Bay near St. Petersburg, Florida; B, Nobska Light near Falmouth, Massachusetts; and C, Pigeon Point Lighthouse between San Francisco and Santa Cruz, California.

co-located parts of the USGS) amassed a fabulous 600 pounds. In fairness, we do have to note that the Pacifi c center combined their food collection with a matching program at their local food bank, Second Harvest, thereby applying the phi-losophy of working smarter, not harder! In the end, the Coastal and Marine Challenge resulted in a total of 1,318 pounds of food, far surpassing our original goal. The obvi-ous step for next year will be to challenge other USGS Programs and Mission Areas in our quest to help area families.

For more information on the food drive, visit <http://www.usda.gov/fedsfeedfamilies/>.

Recent PublicationsAckerman, J.T., Herzog, M.P., Hartman,

C.A., Watts, T., and Barr, J., 2014, Waterbird egg mercury concentrations in response to wetland restoration in south San Francisco Bay, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File

Report 2014-1189, 22 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141189].

Ackerman, J.T., Herzog, M.P., Takekawa, J.Y., and Hartman, C.A., 2014, Comparative reproductive biology of sympatric species—Nest and chick survival of American

avocets and black-necked stilts: Journal of Avian Biology, v. 45, no. 6, p. 609–623 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jav.00385].

Barbaro, J.R., Masterson, J.P., and LeBlanc, D.R., 2014, Science for the stewardship of


(Recent Publications continued from page 24)

Publications, continued


Publications

the groundwater resources of Cape Cod, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2014–3067, 6 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20143067].

Bennett, G.L.,V, and Fram, M.S., 2014, Groundwater-quality data in the North San Francisco Bay Shallow Aquifer study unit, 2012—Results from the California GAMA Program: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 865, 94 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds865].

Bernier, J.C., Kelso, K.W., Buster, N.A., Flocks, J.G., Miselis, J.L., and DeWitt, N.T., 2014, Sediment data collected in 2012 from the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 850 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds850].

Bowen, L., Miles, A.K., Kolden, C.A., Saarinen, J.A., Bodkin, J.L., Murray, M.J., and Tinker, M.T., 2014, Effects of wildfi re on sea otter (Enhydra lutris) gene transcript profi les: Marine Mammal Science, published online July 24, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12151].

Bradbury, I.R., Hamilton, L.C., Rafferty, S., Meerburg, D., Poole, R., Dempson, J.B., Robertson, M.J., Reddin, D.G., Bourret, V., Dionne, M., Chaput, G.J., Sheehan, T.F., King, T.L., Candy, J.R., and Bernatchez, L., 2014, Genetic evidence of local exploitation of Atlantic salmon in a coastal subsistence fi shery in the Northwest Atlantic: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, published online September 11, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2014-0058].

Breithaupt, J.L., Smoak, J.M., Smith, T.J., III, and Sanders, C.J., 2014, Temporal variability of carbon and nutrient burial, sediment accretion, and mass accumulation over the past century in a carbonate platform mangrove forest of the Florida Everglades: Journal of Geophysical Research–Biogeosciences, v. 119, no. 10, p. 2032–2048 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2014JG002715].

Bridge, E.S., Kelly, J.F., Xiao, X., Takekawa, J.Y., Hill, N.J., Yamage, M., Haque, E.U., Islam, M.A., Mundkur, T., Yavuz, K.E., Leader, P., Leung, C.Y.H., Smith, B., Spragens, K.A., Vandegrift, K.J., Hosseini, P.R., Saif, S., Mohsanin, S.,

Mikolon, A., Islam, A., George, A., Sivananinthaperumal, B., Daszak, P., and Newman, S.H., 2014, Bird migration and avian infl uenza—A comparison of hydrogen stable isotopes and satellite tracking methods: Ecological Indicators, v. 45, p. 266–273 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.04.027].

Buchanan, P.A., Downing-Kunz, M.A., Schoellhamer, D.H., Shellenbarger, G.G., and Weidich, K.W., 2014, Continuous water-quality and suspended-sediment transport monitoring in the San Francisco Bay, California: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2014–3090, 4 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20143090].

Calfee, R.D., Little, E.E., Puglis, H.J., Scott, E.L., Brumbaugh, W.G., and Mebane, C.A., 2014, Acute sensitivity of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to copper, cadmium, or zinc in water-only laboratory exposures: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 33, no. 10, p. 2259–2272 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.2684].

Casazza, M.L., Ricca, M.A., Overton, C.T., Takekawa, J.Y., Merritt, A.M., and Ackerman, J.T., 2014, Dietary mercury exposure to endangered California Clapper Rails in San Francisco Bay: Marine Pollution Bulletin, v. 86, no. 1–2, p. 254–260 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.07.009].

Cochrane, G.R., Dartnell, P., Greene, H.G., Johnson, S.Y., Golden, N.E., Hartwell, S.R., Dieter, B.E., Manson, M.W., Sliter, R.W., Ross, S.L., Watt, J.T., Endris, C.A., Kvitek, R.G., Phillips, E.L., Erdey, M.D., Chin, J.L., and Bretz, C.K. (Cochrane, G.R., and Cochran, S.A., eds.), 2014, California State Waters Map Series—Offshore of Half Moon Bay, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1214, pamphlet 37 p., 10 sheets, scale 1:24,000 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141214].

Cochrane, G.R., Dartnell, P., Greene, H.G., Watt, J.T., Golden, N.E., Endris, C.A., Phillips, E.L., Hartwell, S.R., Johnson, S.Y., Kvitek, R.G., Erdey, M.D., Bretz, C.K., Manson, M.W., Sliter, R.W., Ross, S.L., Dieter, B.E., and Chin, J.L. (Cochrane, G.R., and Cochran, S.A.,

eds.), 2014, California State Waters Map Series—Offshore of San Gregorio, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientifi c Investigations Map 3306, pamphlet 38 p., 10 sheets, scale 1:24,000 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3306].

Conway, C.M., Purcell, M., Elliott, D.G., and Hershberger, P.K., 2014, Detection of Ichthyophonus by chromogenic in situ hybridization: Journal of Fish Diseases, published online October 1, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12300].

Crepeau, K.L., and Miller, R.L., 2014, Water temperature differences by plant community and location in re-established wetlands in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, July 2005 to February 2008: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 882, 20 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds882].

Demopoulos, A.W.J., Bourque, J.R., and Frometa, J., 2014, Biodiversity and community composition of sediment macrofauna associated with deep-sea Lophelia pertusa habitats in the Gulf of Mexico: Deep Sea Research Part 1–Oceanographic Research Papers, v. 93, p. 91–103 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2014.07.014].

Deutsch, C., Berelson, W., Thunell, R., Weber, T., Tems, C., McManus, J., Crusius, J., Ito, T., Baumgartner, T., Ferreira, V., Mey, J., and van Geen, A., 2014, Centennial changes in North Pacifi c anoxia linked to tropical trade winds: Science, v. 345, no. 6197, p. 665–668 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1252332].

DeWitt, N.T, Reich, C.D., Smith, C.G., and Reynolds, B.J., 2014, Archive of single-beam bathymetry data collected from select areas in Weeks Bay and Weeks Bayou, southwest Louisiana, January 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 835, DVD [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds835].

DeWitt, N.T., Pfeiffer, W.R., Bernier, J.C., Buster, N.A., Miselis, J.L., Flocks, J.G., Reynolds, B.J., Wiese, D.S., and Kelso, K.W., 2014, Coastal bathymetry data collected in 2011 from the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 848, DVD [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds848].




Publications

Dyke, J.L., Cain, D.J., Thompson, J.K., Kleckner, A.E., Parchaso, F., Hornberber, M.I., and Luoma, S.N., 2014, Near-fi eld receiving water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in south San Francisco Bay, California, 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1174, 81 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141174].

Emmenegger, E.J., Glenn, J.A., Winton, J.R., Batts, W.N., Gregg, J.L., and Hershberger, P.K., 2014, Molecular identifi cation of erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV) from the blood of Pacifi c herring (Clupea pallasii): Veterinary Microbiology, v. 174, no. 1–2, p. 16–26 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.08.028].

Faust, D.R., Hooper, M.J., Cobb, G.P., Barnes, M., Shaver, D., Ertolacci, S., and Smith, P.N., 2014, Inorganic elements in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)—Relationships among external and internal tissues: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 33, no. 9, p. 2020–2027 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.2650].

Ferrario, F., Beck, M.W., Storlazzi, C.D., Micheli, F., Shepard, C.C., and Airoldi, L., 2014, The effectiveness of coral reefs for coastal hazard risk reduction and adaptation: Nature Communications, v. 5, article 3794 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4794].

Fisher, C.R., Demopoulos, A.W.J., Cordes, E.E., Baums, I.B., White, H.K., and Bourque, J.R., 2014, Coral communities as indicators of ecosystem-level impacts of the Deepwater Horizon spill: BioScience, v. 64, no. 9, p. 796–807 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biu129].

Flint, P., Whalen, M., and Pearce, J., 2014, Changing Arctic ecosystems—Sea ice decline, permafrost thaw, and benefi ts for geese: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2014–3088, 2 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20143088].

Gaglioti, B.V., Mann, D.H., Jones, B.M., Pohlman, J.W., Kunz, M.L., and Wooller, M.J., 2014, Radiocarbon age-offsets in an arctic lake reveal the long-term response of permafrost carbon to climate change: Journal of Geophysical Research–Biogeosciences, v. 119,

no. 8, p. 1630–1651 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2014JG002688].

Gaikowski, M.P., Schleis, S.M., Leis, E., Lasee, B.A., and Endris, R.G., 2014, Effectiveness of Aquafl or (50% fl orfenicol) administered in feed to control mortality associated with Streptococcus iniae in tilapia at a commercial tilapia production facility: North American Journal of Aquaculture, v. 76, no. 4, p. 375–382 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15222055.2013.855283].

Greig, D.J., Ip, H.S., Gulland, F.M.D., Miller, W.A., Conrad, P.A., Field, C.L., Fleetwood, M., Harvey, J.T., Jang, S., Packham, A., Wheeler, E., and Hall, A.J., 2014, Surveillance for zoonotic and selected pathogens in harbor seals Phoca vitulina from central California: Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, v. 111, no. 2, p. 93–106 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/dao02762].

Grifoll, M., Gracia, V., Aretxabaleta, A., Guillén, J., Espino, M., and Warner, J.C., 2014, Formation of fi ne sediment deposit from a fl ash fl ood river in the Mediterranean Sea: Journal of Geophysical Research–Oceans, v. 119, no. 9, p. 5837–5853 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2014JC010187].

Gustine, D., Adams, L., Whalen, M., and Pearce, J., 2014, Changing Arctic ecosystems—Resilience of caribou to climatic shifts in the Arctic: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2014–3103, 2 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20143103].

Hall, J.S., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Suwannanarn, K., Sreevatsen, S., Ip, H.S., TeSlaa, J.L., Nashold, S.W., and Dusek, R.J., 2014, Avian infl uenza virus ecology in Iceland shorebirds—Intercontinental reassortment and movement: Infection, Genetics and Evolution, v. 28, p. 130–136 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2014.09.013].

Hanson, R.T., Schmid, W., Faunt, C.C., Lear, J., and Lockwood, B., 2014, Integrated hydrologic model of Pajaro Valley, Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientifi c Investigations Report 2014–5111, 166 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145111].

Hayes, G.P., Smoczyk, G.M., Ooms, J.G., McNamara, D.E., Furlong, K.P., Benz, H.M., and Villaseñor, A., 2014, Seismicity of the Earth 1900–2013 offshore British Columbia—Southeastern Alaska and vicinity: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2010–1083–O, 1 sheet, scale 1:3,500,000 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20101083O].

Herring, G., Eagles-Smith, C.A., Gawlik, D.E., Beerens, J.M., and Ackerman, J.T., 2014, Physiological condition of juvenile wading birds in relation to multiple landscape stressors in the Florida Everglades—Effects of hydrology, prey availability, and mercury bioaccumulation: PLOS ONE, v. 9 no. 9, published online September 3, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106447].

Hu, K., Chen, Q., and Wang, H., 2014, A numerical study of vegetation impact on reducing storm surge by wetlands in a semi-enclosed estuary: Coastal Engineering, v. 95, p. 66–76 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2014.09.008].

Huffman, R.L., 2014, Groundwater geochemical and selected volatile organic compound data, Operable Unit 1, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Keyport, Washington, July 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 871, 46 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds871].

Hughes, J.D., and White, J.T., 2014, Hydrologic conditions in urban Miami-Dade County, Florida, and the effect of groundwater pumpage and increased sea level on canal leakage and regional groundwater fl ow: U.S. Geological Survey Scientifi c Investigations Report 2014–5162, 175 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145162].

Imanse, S.M., Cornwell, E.R., Getchell, R.G., Kurath, G., and Bowser, P.R., 2014, In vivo and in vitro phenotypic differences between Great Lakes VHSV genotype IVb isolates with sequence types vcG001 and vcG002: Journal of Great Lakes Research, published online September 18, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2014.08.004].

Jenkins, J.A., Bart, H.L., Jr., Bowker, J.D., Bowser, P.R., MacMillan, J.R., Nickum,





Publications

J.G., Rachlin, J.W., Rose, J.D., Sorensen, P.W., Warkentine, B.E., and Whitledge, G.W., 2014, Guidelines for use of fi shes in research—Revised and expanded: Fisheries, v. 39, no. 9, p. 415–416 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03632415.2014.924408].

Johnson, A.G., Engott, J.A., and Bassiouni, M., 2014, Spatially distributed groundwater recharge estimated using a water-budget model for the Island of Maui, Hawai‘i, 1978–2007: U.S. Geological Survey Scientifi c Investigations Report 2014–5168, 53 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145168].

Jones, J.M., Ng, P., and Wood, N.J., 2014, The pedestrian evacuation analyst—Geographic information systems software for modeling hazard evacuation potential: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 11, chap. C9, 25 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/tm11C9].

Karlsson, E.A., Ip, H.S., Hall, J.S., Yoon, S.W., Johnson, J., Beck, M.A., Webby, R.J., and Schultz-Cherry, S., 2014, Respiratory transmission of an avian H3N8 infl uenza virus isolated from a harbour seal: Nature Communications, v. 5, article 4791 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms5791].

Kellogg, C.A., 2014, Sampling from living organisms, section 3 in Sampling and experiments with biofi lms in the environment, chap. 6 of Dobretsov, S., Williams, D.N., and Thomason, J., eds., Biofouling methods: Hoboken, N.J., Wiley, p. 184–189 [http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470659858.html].

Kellogg, C.A., Piceno, Y.M., Tom, L.M., DeSantis, T.Z., Gray, M.A., and Andersen, G.L., 2014, Comparing bacterial community composition of healthy and dark spot-affected Siderastrea siderea in Florida and the Caribbean: PLOS ONE, v. 9, no. 10, published online October 7, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0108767].

King, T.L., Henderson, A.P., Kynard, B.E., Kieffer, M.C., Peterson, D.L., Aunins, A.W., and Brown, B.L., 2014, A nuclear DNA perspective on delineating evolutionarily signifi cant lineages in polyploids—The case of the

endangered shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum): PLOS ONE, v. 9, no. 8, published online August 28, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102784].

Kuffner, I.B., Lidz, B.H., Hudson, J.H., and Anderson, J.S., 2014, A century of ocean warming on Florida Keys coral reefs—Historic in situ observations: Estuaries and Coasts, published online September 5, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12237-014-9875-5].

Lamont, M.M., Fujisaki, I., and Carthy, R.R., 2014, Estimates of vital rates for a declining loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) subpopulation—Implications for management: Marine Biology, v. 161, no. 11, p. 2659–2668 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00227-014-2537-0].

Lenferink, H.J., Durham, W.B., Stern, L.A., and Pathare, A.V., 2013, Weakening of ice by magnesium perchlorate hydrate: Icarus, v. 225, no. 2, p. 940–948 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2012.09.028].

Little, E.E., Calfee, R.D., and Linder, G., 2014, Toxicity of smelter slag-contaminated sediments from Upper Lake Roosevelt and associated metals to early life stage White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, 1836): Journal of Applied Ichthyology, published online September 4, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jai.12565].

Lorah, M.M., Walker, C.W., Baker, A.C., Teunis, J.A., Majcher, E.H., Brayton, M.J., Raffensperger, J.P., and Cozzarelli, I.M., 2014, Hydrogeologic characterization and assessment of bioremediation of chlorinated benzenes and benzene in wetland areas, Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. Superfund Site, New Castle County, Delaware, 2009–12: U.S. Geological Survey Scientifi c Investigations Report 2014–5140, 89 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145140].

Marot, M.E., Adams, C.S., Richwine, K.A, Smith, C.G., Osterman, L.E., and Bernier, J.C., 2014, Temporal changes in lithology and radiochemistry from the back-barrier environments along the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana—March 2012–July 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1079, DVD [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141079].

McMullen, K.Y., Poppe, L.J., Danforth, W.W., Blackwood, D.S., Clos, A.R., and Parker, C.E., 2014, Sea-fl oor morphology and sedimentary environments of western Block Island Sound, northeast of Gardiners Island, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1160, DVD [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141160].

Measures, L.N., 2014, Anisakiosis and pseudoterranovosis: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1393, 34 p., 2 appendixes [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/cir1393].

Meinertz, J.R., Porcher, S.T., Smerud, J.R., and Galkowski, M.P., 2014, Determination of the exposure parameters that maximise the concentrations of the anaesthetic/sedative eugenol in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) skin-on fi llet tissue: Food Additives & Contaminants–Part A, v. 31, no. 9, p. 1522–1528 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19440049.2014.939720].

Morgan, K.L.M., and Krohn, M.D., 2014, Post-Hurricane Sandy coastal oblique aerial photographs collected from Cape Lookout, North Carolina, to Montauk, New York, November 4-6, 2012: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 858 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds858].

Muhs, D.R., Groves, L.T., and Schumann, R.R., 2014, Interpreting the paleozoogeography and sea level history of thermally anomalous marine terrace faunas—A case study from the Last Interglacial Complex of San Clemente Island, California: Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist, v. 7, p. 82–108 [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/wnanmonos/article/view/32861].

Nilsen, E.B., Rosenbauer, R.J., Fuller, C.C., and Jaffe, B.E., 2014, Sedimentary organic biomarkers suggest detrimental effects of PAHs on estuarine microbial biomass during the 20th century in San Francisco Bay, CA, USA: Chemosphere, v. 119, p. 961–970 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.08.053].

O’Malley, B.P., and Bunnell, D., 2014, Diet of Mysis diluviana reveals seasonal patterns of omnivory and consumption





Publications

of invasive species in offshore Lake Michigan: Journal of Plankton Research, v. 36, no. 4, p. 989–1002 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbu038].

Ogden, J.C., Nagelkerken, I., and McIvor, C.C., 2014, Connectivity in the tropical coastal seascape—Implications for marine spatial planning and resource management, chap. 14 of Bortone, Stephen A., ed., Interrelationships between corals and fi sheries: Boca Raton, Fla., CRC Press, p. 253–274 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/b17159-15].

Overton, C.T., Casazza, M.L., Takekawa, J.Y., Strong, D.R., and Holyoak, M., 2014, Tidal and seasonal effects on survival rates of the endangered California clapper rail—Does invasive Spartina facilitate greater survival in a dynamic environment?: Biological Invasions, v. 16, no. 9, p. 1897–1914 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10530-013-0634-5].

Page, G.W., Warnock, N., Tibbitts, T.L., Jorgensen, D., Hartman, C.A., and Stenzel, L.E., 2014, Annual migratory patterns of long-billed curlews in the American west: Condor, v. 116, p. 50–61 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1650/CONDOR-12-185-R2.1].

Peller, J.R., Byappanahalli, M.N., Shively, D.A., Sadowsky, M.J., Chun, C.L., and Whitman, R.L., 2013, Notable decomposition products of senescing Lake Michigan Cladophora glomerata: Journal of Great Lakes Research, v. 40, no. 3, p. 800–806 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2014.04.012].

Ramey, A.M., Poulson, R.L., González-Reiche, A.S., Wilcox, B.R., Walther, P., Link, P., Carter, D.L., Newsome, G.M., Müller, M.L., Berghaus, R.D., Perez, D.R., Hall, J.S., and Stallknecht, D.E., 2014, Evidence for seasonal patterns in the relative abundance of avian infl uenza virus subtypes in blue-winged teal (Anas discors): Journal of Wildlife Diseases, v. 50, no. 4, p. 916–922 [http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/2013-09-232].

Richardson, L., Keefe, K., Huber, C., Racevskis, L., Reynolds, G., Thourot, S., and Miller, I., 2014, Assessing the value of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) in Everglades restoration—An ecosystem service

approach: Ecological Economics, v. 107, p. 366–377 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.09.011].

Robbins, L.L., Wynn, J., Knorr, P.O., Onac, B., Lisle, J., McMullen, K., Yates, K.K., Byrne, R.H., and Liu, X., 2014, USGS Arctic Ocean Carbon Cruise 2012—Field Activity L-01-12-AR to collect carbon data in the Arctic Ocean, August–September 2012: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 862 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds862].

Rogers, M.W., Bunnell, D., Madenjian, C.P., and Warner, D.M., 2014, Lake Michigan offshore ecosystem structure and food web changes from 1987 to 2008: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, v. 71, no. 7, p. 1072–1086 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2013-0514].

Scudder Eikenberry, B.C., Bell, A.H., Burns, D.J., and Templar, H.A., 2014, Benthos and plankton community data for selected rivers and harbors along Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan shoreline, 2012: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 824, 30 p. plus 8 appendixes [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds824].

Shearn-Bochsler, V., Lance, E.W., Corcoran, R., Piatt, J., Bodenstein, B., Frame, E., and Lawonn, J., 2014, Fatal paralytic shellfi sh poisoning in Kittlitz’s Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) nestlings, Alaska, USA: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, v. 50, no. 4, p. 933–937 [http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/2013-11-296].

Simmons, D.L., Andersen, M.E., Dean, T.A., Focazio, M.J., Fulton, J.W., Haines, J.W., Mason, R.R., Jr., Tihansky, A.B., and Young, J.A., 2014, Using science to strengthen our Nation’s resilience to tomorrow’s challenges—Understanding and preparing for coastal impacts: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2014–3062, 6 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20143062].

Snyder, J.R., Ecological implications of Laurel Wilt infestation on Everglades Tree Islands, southern Florida: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014-1225, 18 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141225].

Taylor, R.L., and Udevitz, M.S., 2014, Demography of the Pacifi c

walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)—1974–2006: Marine Mammal Science, published online September 5, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12156].

Thomas, K.A., Fornwall, M.D., Weltzin, J.F., and Griffi s, R.B., 2014, Organization of marine phenology data in support of planning and conservation in ocean and coastal ecosystems: Ecological Informatics, v. 24, p. 169–176 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2014.08.007].

Thometz, N.M., Tinker, M.T., Staedler, M.M., Mayer, K.A., and Williams, T.M., 2014, Energetic demands of immature sea otters from birth to weaning—Implications for maternal costs, reproductive behavior and population-level trends: Journal of Experimental Biology, v. 217, p. 2053–2061 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.099739].

Tillman, F.D, Oki, D.S., and Johnson, A.G., 2014, Water-chemistry data collected in and near Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, Hawai‘i, 2012–2014: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1173, 14 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141173].

U.S. Geological Survey, 2014, Great Lakes restoration success through science—U.S. Geological Survey accomplishments 2010 through 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1404, 58 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/cir1404].

Uher-Koch, B., Schmutz, J., Whalen, M., and Pearce, J., 2014, Changing Arctic ecosystems—Ecology of loons in a changing Arctic: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2014–3093, 2 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20143093].

Van Gosen, B.S., Fey, D.L., Shah, A.K., Verplanck, P.L., and Hoefen, T.M., 2014, Deposit model for heavy-mineral sands in coastal environments: U.S. Geological Survey Scientifi c Investigations Report 2010–5070–L, 51 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20105070L].

van Riper, C., III, Nichols, J.D., Wingard, G.L., Kershner, J.L., Cloern, J.E., Jacobson, R.B., White, R.P., McGuire, A.D., Williams, B.K., Gelfenbaum, G., and Shapiro, C.D., 2014, USGS ecosystem research for the next decade—





Publications

Advancing discovery and application in parks and protected areas through collaboration: George Wright Forum, v. 31, no. 2, p. 129–136 [http://www.georgewright.org/node/9643].

Wacker, M.A., Cunningham, K.J., and Williams, J.H., 2014, Geologic and hydrogeologic frameworks of the Biscayne aquifer in central Miami-Dade County, Florida: U.S. Geological Survey Scientifi c Investigations Report 2014–5138, 66 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20145138].

Wang, N., Ingersoll, C.G., Dorman, R.A., Brumbaugh, W.G., Mebane, C.A., Kunz, J.L., and Hardesty, D.K., 2014, Chronic sensitivity of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to cadmium, copper, lead, or zinc in laboratory water-only exposures: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 33, no. 10, p. 2246–2258 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/etc.2641].

Wood, C.L., and Lafferty, K.D., 2014, How have fi sheries affected parasite communities?: Parasitology, CJO2014, published online March

3, 2014 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S003118201400002X].

Woodrow, D.L., Fregoso, T.A., Wong, F.L., and Jaffe, B.E., 2014, Late Holocene sedimentary environments of south San Francisco Bay, California, illustrated in gravity cores: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1198, 91 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141198].

Wootten, A., Smith, K., Boyles, R., Terando, A., Stefanova, L., Misra, V., Smith, T., Blodgett, D., and Semazzi, F., 2014, Downscaled climate projections for the Southeast United States—Evaluation and use for ecological applications: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1190, 54 p. [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141190].

Work, T.M., Ackermann, M., Casey, J.W., Chaloupka, M., Herbst, L., Lynch, J.M., and Stacy, B.A., 2014, The story of invasive algae, arginine, and turtle tumors does not make sense: PeerJ PrePrints 2:e539v1 [http://dx.doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.539v1].

Wright, C.W., Kranenburg, C.J., Klipp, E.S., Troche, R.J., Fredericks, X., Masessa,

M.L., and Nagle, D.B., 2014, EAARL-B coastal topography—Fire Island, New York, pre-Hurricane Sandy, 2012; seamless (bare earth and submerged): U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 888 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds888].

Wright, C.W., Troche, R.J., Klipp, E.S., Kranenburg, C.J., Fredericks, X., and Nagle, D.B., 2014, EAARL-B submerged topography—Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, pre-Hurricane Sandy, 2012: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 885 [http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds885].

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