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PDF of invited talk from 2014 GSA annual meeting in Vancouver, BC. Talk focused on backbarrier sedimentation at Plum Island, MA and its effects on barrier island formation. Represents the running of the "runaway transgression model" in reverse.
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Christopher Hein, Duncan FitzGerald,
Ioannis Georgiou, & Emily Hein
Geological Society of America
22 Oct. 2014
Coupled Barrier-Backbarrier
Dynamics and the Formation and
Stability of Barrier-Island Systems
Coupled Barrier-Backbarrier
Dynamics and the Formation and
Stability of Barrier-Island Systems
Barrier-Backbarrier Coupling & The Runaway Transgression
Hypothesis
FitzGerald et al., 2008, Annual Reviews of Earth Science
Barrier-Backbarrier Coupling
& The Runaway
Transgression Hypothesis
Barrier-Backbarrier Coupling
& The Runaway
Transgression Hypothesis
Gulf of
Maine
Study Site: Plum Island, MA
Study Site: Plum Island, MA
Paleo-Parker Inlet
Open: 3.6 – 2.0 ka
Inlet Fill Sequence Area:
2800 m2
Equivalent Tidal Prism:
36 x 106 m3
Jarrett, 1976,
USACE Report
An Ancient Inlet
TP ~ 32 x 106 m3* TP >> 32 x 106 m3
* - Vallino and Hopkinson, 1998, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
An Ancient Inlet � Larger Tidal Prism
Approach: Backbarrier Infilling
Merrimack
River
Parker
River Inlet
Parker River
Castle
Neck
Rowley River
0 2 km
N
Data: 6 grad theses &
4 govt data sets
Barrier Sands
Marsh / Peat
Tidal Flat
Backbarrier
Sands
Glaciomarine
Clay
Till / Bedrock
Stratigraphic Surfaces: Modern Surface
3 m +
-15 m
Ele
vat
ion w
ith
res
pec
t to
ML
W (
m)
0 2 km
NMerged LiDAR & Bathy
(soundings)
Plum Island Sound drainage basin
Points tied to MSL
Stratigraphic Surfaces: Backbarrier Sediment
3 m +
-15 m
Ele
vat
ion w
ith
res
pec
t to
ML
W (
m)
0 2 km
N156 cores penetrate to backbarrier
sediment
Backbarrier: strip off marsh, barrier
sands, modern organics, etc
Stratigraphic Surfaces: Backbarrier Base
3 m +
-15 m
Ele
vat
ion w
ith
res
pec
t to
ML
W (
m)
0 2 km
N 63 cores penetrate to backbarrier
base
Backbarrier Base:
basal freshwater peat,
glaciomarine clay, till, bedrock
Volume of Backbarrier Sediment:
420 x 106 m3
3 m +
-15 m
Ele
vat
ion w
ith
res
pec
t to
ML
W (
m)
������ = A • dt
A � �� � � ������ � � ���
Tbs: thickness of backbarrier
backstripped
A: accretion rate
Pa: mean marsh accretion rate
(0.1 cm/yr)
Sa: backbarrier sediment accretion
rate (0.25 cm/yr)
Paleo-Topo / Bathy Surfaces: Backstripping
0 2 km
N
Backstripping Results
Backstripping Results
Backstripping Results
Inlet Open
Backstripping Results
3 m +
-15 m
Ele
vat
ion w
ith
res
pec
t to
ML
W (
m)
Backbarrier During Open Inlet
0 2 km
N Volume Sediment Removed:
309 x 106 m3
Backbarrier Tidal Prism:
77 x 106 m3 (2.8x modern)
Additional Tidal Prism:
50 x 106 m3
Max Paleo-Parker Inlet:
X-C Area: 2800 m2
TP: 36 x 106 m3
Refining Paleo-TP: Hydrodynamic Modeling
• Model: Delft3D (Deltares, 2013) – hydrodynamics & morphology
• Structured curvililnear grid (below); depth-integrated hydrodyn.
• Boundary conditions; major tidal constituents offshore (Mukai et al.,
2002)
• Grid Extent: 17 x 8 km (PI Sound & Essex Bay)
• Grid resolution: 20 m (in sound) –100 m (offshore)
Modeling Results – Tides, Q,
Tidal Prism
Modeling Results – Tides, Q,
Tidal Prism
Simulation Hour
Inle
tD
ischarg
e-
Q(m
3/s
)
Tid
alP
rism
(m3)
650 700 750
-4000
-2000
0
2000
4000
105
106
107
108Inlet Discharge - Q (m
3/s)
Tidal Prism (m3)
P is 30-35 x 103
Simulation Hour
Inle
tD
ischarg
e-
Q(m
3/s
)
Tid
alP
rism
(m3)
650 700 750
-4000
-2000
0
2000
4000
105
106
107
108Inlet Discharge - Q (m
3/s)
Tidal Prism (m3)
P is 30-35 x 103TP: 31-35 x 106 m3
Conclusions: Coupled Barrier-Backbarrier Processes
• Run “runaway transgression” conceptual model backwards
• Backbarrier infilling drives barrier formation
• Backbarrier degradation drives barrier erosion & instability?
Funding: NSF Coastal SEES Grant OCE-1325430
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