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Scientific reports, journal articles, and information products produced by USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center scientists.

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Sound Waves Newsletter

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Browse issues of the Sound Waves newsletter, featuring coastal and marine research news from across the USGS.

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Filter Total Items: 1331

Tsunamis: Stochastic models of generation, propagation, and occurrence

The devastating consequences of the 2004 Indian Ocean and 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunamis have led to increased research into many different aspects of the tsunami phenomenon. In this paper, we review research related to the observed complexity and uncertainty associated with tsunami generation, propagation, and occurrence described and analyzed using a variety of stochastic models. In each case, tsunam
Authors
Eric L. Geist, David Oglesby, Kenny Ryan
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Earthquake Hazards Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Case study: Thomas Fire

No abstract available.
Authors
Jason R. Kreitler, Amy E. East, Joel B. Sankey, Christina (Naomi) Tague
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Western Geographic Science Center, Wildland Fire Science

Offshore shallow structure and sediment distribution, Punta Gorda to Point Arena, Northern California

This publication consists of two map sheets that display shallow geologic structure, along with sediment distribution and thickness, for an approximately 150-km-long offshore section of the northern California coast between Punta Gorda and Point Arena. Each map sheet includes three maps at scales of either 1:100,000 or 1:200,000, and together the sheets include 30 figures that contain representati

Authors
Jeffrey W. Beeson, Samuel Y. Johnson
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and metals in ambient sediment at mussel biomonitoring sites, Puget Sound, Washington

Caged mussels used as biomonitors can provide insights about ambient contaminant assemblages and spatial patterns, sources of contaminants, and contaminant exposure risks for consumers of wild and farmed mussels. This study explored the potential role of ambient sediment in the uptake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and potentially toxic inorganic elem

Authors
Renee K. Takesue, Pamela L. Campbell‐Swarzenski, Kathleen E. Conn
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Washington Water Science Center, Organic Geochemistry Laboratory

Spatial distribution of water level impact to back-barrier bays

Water level in semi-enclosed bays, landward of barrier islands, is mainly driven by offshore sea level fluctuations that are modulated by bay geometry and bathymetry, causing spatial variability in the ensuing response (transfer). Local wind setup can have a secondary role that depends on wind speed, fetch, and relative orientation of the wind direction and the bay. Inlet geometry and bathymetry p
Authors
Alfredo Aretxabaleta, Neil K. Ganju, Zafer Defne, Richard P. Signell
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Right-lateral fault motion along the slope-basin transition, Gulf of Santa Catalina, southern California

An active fault system carrying a significant component of right-lateral strike-slip motion extends for ~60 km along the slope–basin transition, ~10 to 20 km offshore of the southern California coast from La Jolla to Dana Point. From south to north, this fault system includes the Carlsbad, San Onofre, and San Mateo fault zones. High-resolution single channel minisparker and chirp seismic reflectio

Authors
James Conrad, Daniel Brothers, Katherine Coble, Holly F. Ryan, Peter Dartnell, Ray Sliter
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

An introduction to the “Oceans and Society: Blue Planet” Initiative

We live on a blue planet, and Earth’s waters benefit many sectors of society. The future of our blue planet is increasingly reliant on the services delivered by marine, coastal and inland waters and on the advancement of effective, evidence-based decisions on sustainable development. “Oceans and Society: Blue Planet” (hereafter denoted as “GEO Blue Planet”) is an initiative of the Group on Earth O
Authors
Emily A Smail, Paul DiGiacomo, Sophie Seeave, Samy Djavidnia, Louis Celliers, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Jeremy Gault, Elva Escobar-Briones, Hans-Peter Plag, Christine Pequignet, Lenore Bajona, Lin Zhang, Jay Pearlman, Andy Steven, Jon Hodge, Fanny-Mae Racault, Curt D. Storlazzi, Willam Skirving
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Offshore shallow structure and sediment distribution, Point Sur to Point Arguello, central California

This publication consists of three map sheets that display shallow geologic structure, along with sediment distribution and thickness, for an about 225-km-long offshore section of the central California coast between Point Sur and Point Arguello. Each map sheet includes three maps, at scales of either 1:150,000 or 1:200,000, as well as a set of figures that contain representative high-resolution s
Authors
Samuel Y. Johnson, Stephen R. Hartwell, Janet T. Watt, Jeffrey W. Beeson, Peter Dartnell
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides

Measurement of sounds emitted by certain high-resolution geophysical survey systems

Scientific questions regarding the impact of anthropomorphic noise in the marine environment have resulted in an increasing number of regulatory requirements and precautionary mitigation strategies to reduce the risks associated with high-resolution marine geophysical surveys performed in waters subjected to government jurisdiction. An example of regulatory frameworks includes the Marine Mammal Pr
Authors
Steven E Crocker, Frank D Fratantonio, Patrick E. Hart, David S. Foster, Thomas F. O'Brien, Stanley Labak
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Extreme coastal water level in Washington state: Guidance to support sea level rise planning

This document provides guidelines for assessing exposure to future coastal flooding during extreme coastal water level events – whether these are due to tides, surge, wave run-up, or, more likely, a combination of the three. These guidelines provide information about the current and future magnitude of extreme coastal water levels across Washington State and the underlying processes that influence
Authors
I.M. Miller, Nathan R. vanArendonk, Eric E. Grossman
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Refining the Baseline Sediment Budget for the Klamath River, California

Four dams in the Klamath River Hydroelectric Project (KHP) in Oregon and California (Figure 1) are currently scheduled to be removed over a period of a few weeks or months, beginning in January 2021. The Klamath dam removal will be the largest in the world by almost all measures, and is an unprecedented opportunity to advance science of river responses to such events. The KHP contains approximatel

Authors
Chauncey W. Anderson, Scott A. Wright, Liam N. Schenk, Katherine Skalak, Jennifer A. Curtis, Amy E. East, Adam Benthem
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, California Water Science Center, New England Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Morphology and genesis of giant seafloor depressions on the southeasterncontinental shelf of the Korean Peninsula

We identify and describe five giant seafloor depressions from the southeastern continental shelf of the Korean Peninsula using multibeam bathymetry, sub-bottom profiler, and multi-channel seismic reflection data, supplemented by piston cores. Multibeam bathymetry data from the shelf show four crescent-shaped depressions (SD1 to SD4) and one near-circular depression (SD5) within a group of NW-SE tr
Authors
Deniz Cukur, Gee-Soo Kong, Jong-Hwa Chun, Moo-Hee Kang, In-Kwon Um, Taekhyun Kwon, Samuel E. Jordan, Kyong-O Kim
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center