Coastal and Marine Geology

Vibracoring-Reconstructing the past from Earth sediments (Episode: )

mcimitile@usgs.gov (USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Science Center Team) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Geologists rely on information from deep beneath the Earth�s surface to reconstruct the past. As sediments accumulate over time, they create records geologists use to understand Earth history and to predict future processes and trends. The most common way to get this information is to drill a hole in the Earth where sediments have been deposited over time. The type of drilling tool used for cores depends on how deep and how hard the sediments are. Vibracoring is one of the tools used in shallow coastal areas where sediments consist of soft sand and mud. This video podcast describes how cores are collected in shallow water from the deck of a research vessel using vibracoring. The sediments drilled are recovered in the form of a core that will contain an intact record of the past. Core samples are used to assess the geologic history of an area, such as its geomorphology; coastal, marine, and terrestrial processes; and changes in environmental quality.

Ocean Acidification: Research on Top of the World (Episode: 7)

mcimitile@usgs.gov (USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Science Center Team) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EDT

The Arctic Ocean is one of the most unique bodies of water on the planet. It houses large charismatic predators like polar bears, whales, and seals; critical species like shell fish and phytoplankton; and an array of organisms found nowhere else on Earth. The Arctic Ocean is also the most inaccessible and least explored ocean. Its remoteness has kept it ecologically pristine. But the Arctic is where climate change impacts are strongest and where global changes are underway.

Corals: A 50-Year Photographic Record of Changes (Episode: )

mcimitile@usgs.gov (USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Science Center Team) — Mon, 3 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EDT

This video podcast highlights 50 years of photographic documentation of coral reefs in the Florida Keys. The photographs show 5 decades of changes that have taken place in both the size and the types of corals that were present at several coral reef sites from the early 1960s to today. The images capture events such as the appearance of coral disease and the die off of coral species like staghorn in the region.

In Harm's Way: Measuring Storm Impacts to Forecast Future Vulnerability (Episode: )

mcimitile@usgs.gov (USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Science Center Team) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EDT

This video podcast looks at the science behind understanding coastal vulnerability and hazards posed by extreme storms. It documents how USGS scientists study the response of coastal environments to the extreme winds, waves, and currents brought by such storms.

SHARQ (Episode: )

mcimitile@usgs.gov (USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Science Center Team) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EDT

The Submersible Habitat for Analyzing Reef Quality (SHARQ) is a new tool scientists use to understand and map metabolic characteristics associated with marine communities living on the sea floor. This podcast gives a closer look at how scientists use SHARQ to analyze important habitats like coral reefs.

African Dust, Coral Reefs and Human Health (Episode: 2)

mcimitile@usgs.gov (USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Science Center Team) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EDT

This documentary presents how recent changes in the composition and quantities of African dust transported to the Caribbean and the Americas might provide clues to why Caribbean coral reef ecosystems are deteriorating and human health may be impacted.

Additional information can be found at: http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/

Summer Fieldwork in Everglades National Park (Episode: 1)

mcimitile@usgs.gov (USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Science Center Team) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EDT

In this audio slideshow scientists cruise through tidal creeks, sample mangrove sites, pull sediment cores, and avoid swarms of mosquitoes while conducting studies and monitoring the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, the Everglades.