Gourt > Science > Earth Sciences (608)
Earth science (also known as geoscience, the geosciences or the Earth Sciences), is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth science. The major historic disciplines use physics, geography, mathematics, chemistry, and biology to build a quantitative understanding of the principal areas or spheres of the Earth system.
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Earth's spheres
- Geology describes the rocky parts of the Earth's crust (or lithosphere) and its historic development. Major subdisciplines are mineralogy and petrology, geochemistry, geomorphology, paleontology, stratigraphy and sedimentology.
- Geodesy and Geophysics (joined together in the IUGG) investigate the figure of the Earth, its reaction to forces and its potential fields (magnetic and gravity field). Geophysicists explore also the Earth's core and mantle and the natural deposits, Geodesists the movement of stars and satellites.
- Soil science covers the outermost layer of the Earth's crust that is subject to soil formation processes (or pedosphere). Major subdisciplines include edaphology and pedology.
USGS Newsroom
Atlanta Floods Extremely Rare
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:37:07 -0400
The epic flooding that hit the Atlanta area in September was so extremely rare that, six weeks later this event has defied attempts to describe it. Scientists have reviewed the numbers and they are stunning. “At some sites, the annual chance of a flood of this magnitude was so significantly less than 1 in 500 that, given the relatively short length of streamgaging records (well less than 100 years), the U.S. Geological Survey cannot accurately characterize the probability due to its extreme rarity," said Robert Holmes, USGS National Flood Program Coordinator. “Nationwide, given that our oldest streamgaging records span about 100 years, the USGS does not cite probabilities for floods that are beyond a 0.2 percent (500-year) flood.” “If a 0.2 percent (500-year) flood was a cup of coffee, this one brewed a full pot,” said Brian McCallum, Assistant Director for the USGS Georgia Water Science Center in Atlanta. “This flood overtopped 20 USGS streamgages – one by 12 feet. The closest numbers we have seen like these in Georgia were from Tropical Storm Alberto in 1994. This flood was off the charts.” The rains returned water levels in the region’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake, to pre-drought levels. Lake Lanier rose by more than three feet to 1068 feet by Sept. 25 and returned to full pool in October. Allatoona Lake rose to 853.25 feet on Sept 23, more than 13 feet over full pool of 840 feet. “The flooding in Atlanta is certainly near the top of the list of the worst floods in the United States during the past 100 years,” said Holmes. “For comparable drainage areas, the magnitude of this flood was worse than the 1977 Kansas City flood, which caused tremendous destruction and loss of life. It is a testament to the diligence of county officials and emergency management teams that more lives were not lost in Georgia.” Significant property losses, however, were a near certainty from this event. According to the National Weather Service, some locations recorded up to 20 inches of rain from 8:00 pm on Sept. 20 to 8:00 pm the following day. Culverts and sewers are not usually designed for events of this magnitude because they are so rare and it is cost prohibitive. “Applying rainfall frequency calculations, we have determined that the chance of 10 inches or more occurring at any given point are less than one hundredth of one percent”, said Kent Frantz, Senior Service Hydrologist for the National Weather Service at Peachtree City. “This means that the chance of an event like this occurring is 1 in 10,000.” For this analysis, USGS reviewed high-water-mark surveys and indirect peak discharge computations throughout the flood-affected region. Scientists gather these data from the field during floods and in their immediate aftermath to supplement or in this case, to provide data after a gage is destroyed. Some notable results: In Cobb County, Sweetwater, Noonday, Butler, and Powder Springs creeks flooded so severely that the annual chance of a worse event is far smaller than 0.2 percent (500-year) flood. On Sweetwater Creek near Austell, Ga., high-water marks showed a peak stage of 30.8 feet. The peak flow (31,500 cubic feet per second) was more than double the previous peak flow recorded at this site during the last 73 years. The previous peak, caused by the remnants of Hurricane Dennis in July 2005, was almost 10 feet lower at 21.87 feet. In Douglas County, the Dog River near Fairplay overtopped the USGS stream gage by 12 feet. The peak stage was 33.8 feet, with a peak discharge of 59,900 cubic feet per second. This is well beyond the 0.2 percent annual exceedence probability (500-year) flood. Gwinnett, DeKalb and Rockdale counties also had record flooding. Suwanee Creek floods were beyond the 0.2 percent annual exceedence probability (500-year) flood. On the Chattahoochee, the USGS gage at Vinings reached a peak stage of 28.12 feet with 40,900 cubic feet per second, which represents between a between a 1.0 to 0.5 percent annual exceedence probability (100- to 200-year) flood. In Georgia the USGS maintains a network of nearly 300 streamgages that provide data in real time. Data from these streamgages are used by local, state and federal officials for numerous purposes, including public safety and flood forecasting by the National Weather Service. A map of these gages and graphs of discharge for the last seven days is available online. The USGS works in cooperation with other Federal, state, and local agencies, throughout Georgia that measure water level (stage), streamflow (discharge), lake levels and rainfall. Users can access current flood and high flow conditions across the country at the USGS WaterWatch Web site. More information on USGS flood-related activities is available at the USGS Surface Water Information Web site.
November Science Picks -- Hot News about Cool Science
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0400
Did you know that that the United States uses less water today than 35 years ago and that there might be caves on Mars? In this edition of Science Picks, learn more about these stories, as well as the latest on carbon storage in the Arctic and faulty wallboard from China that may be making Florida residents sick. Also, discover why bats are dying near wind turbines and how endangered whooping cranes are being saved. If you would like to receive Science Picks via e-mail, would like to change the recipient or no longer want to receive it, please e-mail kcapelli@usgs.gov. November Highlights: United States Using Less Water Today Caves Provide Martians (or Scientists) a New Place to Hide Thawing Arctic May Mean More Atmospheric Carbon Wallboard Woes Welcoming a New Director Wind Energy: A Scare for Bats and Birds Whooping Cranes are Flying High! Hazards Remain After the Smoke Clears Giant Snakes Threaten Ecosystems Streamgages: the Silent Superhero Why Celebrate GIS Day on Nov. 18? Sand-tastic Beach Management
United States Using Less Water than 35 Years Ago
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:44:21 -0400
WASHINGTON, D.C.--The United States is using less water than during the peak years of 1975 and 1980, according to water use estimates for 2005. Despite a 30 percent population increase during the past 25 years, overall water use has remained fairly stable according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report.
Media Advisory: Water Use: Every Drop Counts
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:26:21 -0400
Water is our single largest commodity, but we don’t account for our water resources as we do for other important commodities. How has our use of water across the United States changed in the past 50 years? Come learn what the USGS and its partners know — and don’t know — about the nation’s use of water. What: The media is invited to a congressional briefing on how water is used throughout the country and what still needs to be learned about water use. Who: Anne Castle, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Department of the Interior Robert Hirsch, Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological SurveySue Lowry, Interstate Streams Administrator, Wyoming State Engineer’s OfficeDavid Naftzger, Executive Director, Council of Great Lakes Governors Where: 2261 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. When: Friday, October 30, 200910-11 a.m. Hosts: Senator Jim Risch (ID)Congressman Jim Moran (VA)Congressman Vernon Ehlers (MI) Sponsors: American Water Works AssociationAssociation of Metropolitan Water Agencies Refreshments will be served.
Global Tree Death Patterns Reveal Emerging Climate Change Risks for Forests
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:19:45 -0400
Recent tree loss, largely driven by climate stress, in forests around the world could portend increased tree mortality under climate change, according to a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report recently released online in the journal Forest Ecology and Management. The USGS-led review suggests that many of the world's forests are sensitive to climate-related drought and heat stress, raising the concern that forests may become increasingly vulnerable to future mortality, even in environments that are not normally considered water-limited. The results suggest risks to ecosystem services that are valuable to forests and societies around the world. "Trees can die much more quickly than they grow," said Craig D. Allen, USGS scientist and lead author of the report. "The widespread examples of drought and heat-induced tree mortality that we document illustrate how climate can drive abrupt, broad-scale impacts to essential forest services ranging from timber and protection of watersheds and biodiversity to recreational, aesthetic and spiritual benefits." Although tree mortality episodes occur in the absence of climate change, the report's results are consistent with projections of future increases in tree mortality due to climate-related stresses. These heat and drought stresses could fundamentally alter the composition, structure and biogeography of forests in many regions, as well as affect how forests sequester carbon. "This work by USGS underscores multiple risks that climate change poses to our forests and our world," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "It also illuminates the importance of our efforts to develop practical, on-the-ground land management strategies that will help us adjust to the stresses that climate change is placing on our forests." The report details 88 cases of significant tree mortality around the world associated with heat and drought since 1970, documenting climate-induced tree losses from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. "From northern forests of spruce, pine or oak to tropical savannas and rainforests, many forest types appear vulnerable to such climate-driven mortality and to forest pests that are also highly sensitive to temperature," Allen said. The report also identifies key information gaps and scientific uncertainties that currently hinder our ability to identify climate-related trends in tree mortality and to predict future losses in response to climate change, including lack of species-specific knowledge about tree water and temperature stress limits and the absence of a globally coordinated observation system. However, in conjunction with other recent observational and experimental studies indicating that higher temperatures can drive increases in tree mortality, this article highlights risks that tree mortality could become more frequent and extensive as global climate change progresses.
Saving Sand: South Carolina Beaches Become a Model for Preservation
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:33:00 -0400
The USGS report is available online. While most people head to Myrtle Beach for vacation, a group of scientists have been hitting the famous South Carolina beach for years to figure out how to keep the sand from washing away. Although they studied only a limited segment of beach, their work is a model for beach preservation that can apply elsewhere. And with talk of “balancing the sand budget” and money saved on restoration, their findings sound financial. The study will be presented to scientists from around the world at the International Geological Programs Annual Conference, Oct. 25 to 31 in Myrtle Beach. “Effective beach preservation requires knowing the beach’s sand budget and understanding the geology that constrains it,” said U.S. Geological Survey lead scientist Walter Barnhardt. “It takes a systematic approach and strong partnerships at all levels of government with neighborhood associations and universities to keep a beach from simply washing away.” The main objective of this 7-year study, done in cooperation with the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, was to improve projections of coastal change by determining the geologic features and ocean processes that control sediment movement along the coast. “As a result of this work, we were able to identify offshore sand sources that could be used for future beach replenishment without causing a bigger erosion problem elsewhere,” said Barnhardt. Controlling beach erosion will likely become more difficult as a result of climate change with its attendant sea-level rise and increase in the number and intensity of storms. This is particularly true in places like South Carolina that have a broad, low-elevation coast and a sand shortage. “The comprehensive nature of this study -- considering the geologic framework, behavior and driving processes regionally -- has resulted in a remarkable baseline for better managing our beach and near- shore resources,” said Paul Gayes, Director of Coastal Carolina University’s Center for Marine and Wetland Studies. “From inventory of potential future beach nourishment sand resources, to distribution of important hardbottom fish habitat, to models of beach behavior, this study forms the starting point for many present and future efforts. This work is regularly cited as a model approach and result for similar studies and efforts around the country,” said Gayes. For this study, scientists examined land and marine environments in a 62-mile-long segment of South Carolina’s coast. The swath extends more than 3 miles inland and 6 miles seaward. They tracked waves and sand movement, drilled cores, mapped the topography and geology onshore and offshore, and monitored coastal change. Key Findings: Sand is a scarce resource near Myrtle Beach The beaches are thin ribbons of sand that sit on top of sedimentary rocks. They receive little or no sand from nearby rivers. Offshore, there is little sand to wash ashore and replenish the beach. Large expanses offshore are exposed as hard grounds that are locally overlain by sand less than 3 feet thick. Sand is transported primarily from northeast to southwest in the area. Large sand deposits have accumulated seaward of Murrell’s Inlet and Winyah Bay, SC. These and other sand deposits could serve as offshore sources of beach nourishment in the future. Effective beach management requires a regional, systematic effort to understand the geology and how it constrains sand supplies and sand movement, determine patterns of shoreline change by surveying beaches at regular intervals over several years and identify ocean processes that drive coastal erosion. A detailed record of coastal change provides guidance for land use and a rationale for development decisions such as determining setbacks necessary to protect property. Climate change will affect many beaches; low elevation beaches are vulnerable over greater inland areas. Coastal Change Along the Coast of Northeastern South Carolina – The South Carolina Coastal Erosion Study (USGS Circular 1339), is available online. Printed copies are available from the USGS Store (Product #222905) The USGS conducts regional multidisciplinary studies of coastal erosion to provide impartial scientific information necessary for the protection and management of valuable coastal resources.
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Atlanta Floods Extremely Rare
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:37:07 -0400
The epic flooding that hit the Atlanta area in September was so extremely rare that, six weeks later this event has defied attempts to describe it. Scientists have reviewed the numbers and they are stunning. “At some sites, the annual chance of a flood of this magnitude was so significantly less than 1 in 500 that, given the relatively short length of streamgaging records (well less than 100 years), the U.S. Geological Survey cannot accurately characterize the probability due to its extreme rarity," said Robert Holmes, USGS National Flood Program Coordinator. “Nationwide, given that our oldest streamgaging records span about 100 years, the USGS does not cite probabilities for floods that are beyond a 0.2 percent (500-year) flood.” “If a 0.2 percent (500-year) flood was a cup of coffee, this one brewed a full pot,” said Brian McCallum, Assistant Director for the USGS Georgia Water Science Center in Atlanta. “This flood overtopped 20 USGS streamgages – one by 12 feet. The closest numbers we have seen like these in Georgia were from Tropical Storm Alberto in 1994. This flood was off the charts.” The rains returned water levels in the region’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Lanier and Allatoona Lake, to pre-drought levels. Lake Lanier rose by more than three feet to 1068 feet by Sept. 25 and returned to full pool in October. Allatoona Lake rose to 853.25 feet on Sept 23, more than 13 feet over full pool of 840 feet. “The flooding in Atlanta is certainly near the top of the list of the worst floods in the United States during the past 100 years,” said Holmes. “For comparable drainage areas, the magnitude of this flood was worse than the 1977 Kansas City flood, which caused tremendous destruction and loss of life. It is a testament to the diligence of county officials and emergency management teams that more lives were not lost in Georgia.” Significant property losses, however, were a near certainty from this event. According to the National Weather Service, some locations recorded up to 20 inches of rain from 8:00 pm on Sept. 20 to 8:00 pm the following day. Culverts and sewers are not usually designed for events of this magnitude because they are so rare and it is cost prohibitive. “Applying rainfall frequency calculations, we have determined that the chance of 10 inches or more occurring at any given point are less than one hundredth of one percent”, said Kent Frantz, Senior Service Hydrologist for the National Weather Service at Peachtree City. “This means that the chance of an event like this occurring is 1 in 10,000.” For this analysis, USGS reviewed high-water-mark surveys and indirect peak discharge computations throughout the flood-affected region. Scientists gather these data from the field during floods and in their immediate aftermath to supplement or in this case, to provide data after a gage is destroyed. Some notable results: In Cobb County, Sweetwater, Noonday, Butler, and Powder Springs creeks flooded so severely that the annual chance of a worse event is far smaller than 0.2 percent (500-year) flood. On Sweetwater Creek near Austell, Ga., high-water marks showed a peak stage of 30.8 feet. The peak flow (31,500 cubic feet per second) was more than double the previous peak flow recorded at this site during the last 73 years. The previous peak, caused by the remnants of Hurricane Dennis in July 2005, was almost 10 feet lower at 21.87 feet. In Douglas County, the Dog River near Fairplay overtopped the USGS stream gage by 12 feet. The peak stage was 33.8 feet, with a peak discharge of 59,900 cubic feet per second. This is well beyond the 0.2 percent annual exceedence probability (500-year) flood. Gwinnett, DeKalb and Rockdale counties also had record flooding. Suwanee Creek floods were beyond the 0.2 percent annual exceedence probability (500-year) flood. On the Chattahoochee, the USGS gage at Vinings reached a peak stage of 28.12 feet with 40,900 cubic feet per second, which represents between a between a 1.0 to 0.5 percent annual exceedence probability (100- to 200-year) flood. In Georgia the USGS maintains a network of nearly 300 streamgages that provide data in real time. Data from these streamgages are used by local, state and federal officials for numerous purposes, including public safety and flood forecasting by the National Weather Service. A map of these gages and graphs of discharge for the last seven days is available online. The USGS works in cooperation with other Federal, state, and local agencies, throughout Georgia that measure water level (stage), streamflow (discharge), lake levels and rainfall. Users can access current flood and high flow conditions across the country at the USGS WaterWatch Web site. More information on USGS flood-related activities is available at the USGS Surface Water Information Web site.
November Science Picks -- Hot News about Cool Science
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0400
Did you know that that the United States uses less water today than 35 years ago and that there might be caves on Mars? In this edition of Science Picks, learn more about these stories, as well as the latest on carbon storage in the Arctic and faulty wallboard from China that may be making Florida residents sick. Also, discover why bats are dying near wind turbines and how endangered whooping cranes are being saved. If you would like to receive Science Picks via e-mail, would like to change the recipient or no longer want to receive it, please e-mail kcapelli@usgs.gov. November Highlights: United States Using Less Water Today Caves Provide Martians (or Scientists) a New Place to Hide Thawing Arctic May Mean More Atmospheric Carbon Wallboard Woes Welcoming a New Director Wind Energy: A Scare for Bats and Birds Whooping Cranes are Flying High! Hazards Remain After the Smoke Clears Giant Snakes Threaten Ecosystems Streamgages: the Silent Superhero Why Celebrate GIS Day on Nov. 18? Sand-tastic Beach Management
United States Using Less Water than 35 Years Ago
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:44:21 -0400
WASHINGTON, D.C.--The United States is using less water than during the peak years of 1975 and 1980, according to water use estimates for 2005. Despite a 30 percent population increase during the past 25 years, overall water use has remained fairly stable according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report.
Media Advisory: Water Use: Every Drop Counts
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:26:21 -0400
Water is our single largest commodity, but we don’t account for our water resources as we do for other important commodities. How has our use of water across the United States changed in the past 50 years? Come learn what the USGS and its partners know — and don’t know — about the nation’s use of water. What: The media is invited to a congressional briefing on how water is used throughout the country and what still needs to be learned about water use. Who: Anne Castle, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Department of the Interior Robert Hirsch, Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological SurveySue Lowry, Interstate Streams Administrator, Wyoming State Engineer’s OfficeDavid Naftzger, Executive Director, Council of Great Lakes Governors Where: 2261 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. When: Friday, October 30, 200910-11 a.m. Hosts: Senator Jim Risch (ID)Congressman Jim Moran (VA)Congressman Vernon Ehlers (MI) Sponsors: American Water Works AssociationAssociation of Metropolitan Water Agencies Refreshments will be served.
Global Tree Death Patterns Reveal Emerging Climate Change Risks for Forests
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:19:45 -0400
Recent tree loss, largely driven by climate stress, in forests around the world could portend increased tree mortality under climate change, according to a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report recently released online in the journal Forest Ecology and Management. The USGS-led review suggests that many of the world's forests are sensitive to climate-related drought and heat stress, raising the concern that forests may become increasingly vulnerable to future mortality, even in environments that are not normally considered water-limited. The results suggest risks to ecosystem services that are valuable to forests and societies around the world. "Trees can die much more quickly than they grow," said Craig D. Allen, USGS scientist and lead author of the report. "The widespread examples of drought and heat-induced tree mortality that we document illustrate how climate can drive abrupt, broad-scale impacts to essential forest services ranging from timber and protection of watersheds and biodiversity to recreational, aesthetic and spiritual benefits." Although tree mortality episodes occur in the absence of climate change, the report's results are consistent with projections of future increases in tree mortality due to climate-related stresses. These heat and drought stresses could fundamentally alter the composition, structure and biogeography of forests in many regions, as well as affect how forests sequester carbon. "This work by USGS underscores multiple risks that climate change poses to our forests and our world," said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. "It also illuminates the importance of our efforts to develop practical, on-the-ground land management strategies that will help us adjust to the stresses that climate change is placing on our forests." The report details 88 cases of significant tree mortality around the world associated with heat and drought since 1970, documenting climate-induced tree losses from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. "From northern forests of spruce, pine or oak to tropical savannas and rainforests, many forest types appear vulnerable to such climate-driven mortality and to forest pests that are also highly sensitive to temperature," Allen said. The report also identifies key information gaps and scientific uncertainties that currently hinder our ability to identify climate-related trends in tree mortality and to predict future losses in response to climate change, including lack of species-specific knowledge about tree water and temperature stress limits and the absence of a globally coordinated observation system. However, in conjunction with other recent observational and experimental studies indicating that higher temperatures can drive increases in tree mortality, this article highlights risks that tree mortality could become more frequent and extensive as global climate change progresses.
Saving Sand: South Carolina Beaches Become a Model for Preservation
OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:33:00 -0400
The USGS report is available online. While most people head to Myrtle Beach for vacation, a group of scientists have been hitting the famous South Carolina beach for years to figure out how to keep the sand from washing away. Although they studied only a limited segment of beach, their work is a model for beach preservation that can apply elsewhere. And with talk of “balancing the sand budget” and money saved on restoration, their findings sound financial. The study will be presented to scientists from around the world at the International Geological Programs Annual Conference, Oct. 25 to 31 in Myrtle Beach. “Effective beach preservation requires knowing the beach’s sand budget and understanding the geology that constrains it,” said U.S. Geological Survey lead scientist Walter Barnhardt. “It takes a systematic approach and strong partnerships at all levels of government with neighborhood associations and universities to keep a beach from simply washing away.” The main objective of this 7-year study, done in cooperation with the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, was to improve projections of coastal change by determining the geologic features and ocean processes that control sediment movement along the coast. “As a result of this work, we were able to identify offshore sand sources that could be used for future beach replenishment without causing a bigger erosion problem elsewhere,” said Barnhardt. Controlling beach erosion will likely become more difficult as a result of climate change with its attendant sea-level rise and increase in the number and intensity of storms. This is particularly true in places like South Carolina that have a broad, low-elevation coast and a sand shortage. “The comprehensive nature of this study -- considering the geologic framework, behavior and driving processes regionally -- has resulted in a remarkable baseline for better managing our beach and near- shore resources,” said Paul Gayes, Director of Coastal Carolina University’s Center for Marine and Wetland Studies. “From inventory of potential future beach nourishment sand resources, to distribution of important hardbottom fish habitat, to models of beach behavior, this study forms the starting point for many present and future efforts. This work is regularly cited as a model approach and result for similar studies and efforts around the country,” said Gayes. For this study, scientists examined land and marine environments in a 62-mile-long segment of South Carolina’s coast. The swath extends more than 3 miles inland and 6 miles seaward. They tracked waves and sand movement, drilled cores, mapped the topography and geology onshore and offshore, and monitored coastal change. Key Findings: Sand is a scarce resource near Myrtle Beach The beaches are thin ribbons of sand that sit on top of sedimentary rocks. They receive little or no sand from nearby rivers. Offshore, there is little sand to wash ashore and replenish the beach. Large expanses offshore are exposed as hard grounds that are locally overlain by sand less than 3 feet thick. Sand is transported primarily from northeast to southwest in the area. Large sand deposits have accumulated seaward of Murrell’s Inlet and Winyah Bay, SC. These and other sand deposits could serve as offshore sources of beach nourishment in the future. Effective beach management requires a regional, systematic effort to understand the geology and how it constrains sand supplies and sand movement, determine patterns of shoreline change by surveying beaches at regular intervals over several years and identify ocean processes that drive coastal erosion. A detailed record of coastal change provides guidance for land use and a rationale for development decisions such as determining setbacks necessary to protect property. Climate change will affect many beaches; low elevation beaches are vulnerable over greater inland areas. Coastal Change Along the Coast of Northeastern South Carolina – The South Carolina Coastal Erosion Study (USGS Circular 1339), is available online. Printed copies are available from the USGS Store (Product #222905) The USGS conducts regional multidisciplinary studies of coastal erosion to provide impartial scientific information necessary for the protection and management of valuable coastal resources.
E-Theater - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Visualization Analysis Lab, E-Theater offers presentations of the latest Earth Science Discoveries on a portable large format, or IMAX screen.
Meta Description: [ Fireworks Splice HTML ]
Earth Science Australia - Earth science resources, images, freeware for students and teachers as well as general information about earth science in Australia.
Meta Description: [ For people with an interest in earth science. This is not a links page,
most resources are on site with a great emphasis on images and animations. ]
Geo-Glossary Online - Contains equivalent geological and geographical terms in four languages (German, English, Norwegian and Dutch).
Meta Description: [ The glossary contains geographical terms in four languages (German, English, Norwegian and Dutch) ]
GeoRef Information System - Bibliographic database of geoscience literature.
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme - Programme is focused on acquiring basic scientific knowledge about the interactive processes of biology and chemistry of the earth as they relate to Global Change.
NASA - Earth Science Division - Research center focusing on ecosystem science technology, atmospheric physics and chemistry, and airborne sensors. Includes list of research projects, discoveries, education outreach efforts, news, seminars, and publications.
National Research Council (U.S.) Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources - Scope includes atmospheric sciences, climate, oceanography, solid-earth sciences, radioactive waste management, polar research, environmental science and toxicology, natural disasters, and water science. Commission reports cover scientific/technical aspects of public policy issues in these areas.
The Global Change Master Directory, Goddard Space Flight Center - A comprehensive directory of information about Earth science data, including broad coverage of the oceans, atmosphere, hydrosphere, solid earth, biosphere and human dimensions of global change.
Meta Description: [ The Global Change Master Directory
is a comprehensive directory of information about Earth science data,
including a broad coverage of global warming, the oceans,
atmosphere, hydrosphere, solid earth, biosphere and human dimensions of
global change. FGDC Clearinghouse Node (NASA). ]
USGS Publications and Data - Products from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Meta Description: [ Sources for U.S. Geological Survey publications and products, including on-line products, data bases, repositories, reports, publications, maps, aerial photography. ]
Earth Science Outreach: The Need |
