Analysis of Shorezone Topography Along the Outer Banks, North Carolina.
Abstract
Two beach profile data sets covering a 71 km reach of the Outer Banks, North Carolina, were examined in order to document large-scale topographic organization of the shorezone and relate this organization to other beach parameters. The earliest profiles (1937) were surveyed during the period of initial man-made dune stabilization by the Civilian Conservation Corps. A 1976 set comprises profiles that have been adjusting to the presence of these stabilized dunes for almost forty years. Four supplementary data sets - alongshore variations in active beach width, storm wave energy, sediment size and shoreline dynamics - document factors potentially related to shorezone topographic variation. Principal components analysis was used to reduce the topographic variation of the beach profiles into a few major definable and independent sources. The weightings for each principal component and the variables from the four supplementary data sets were further analyzed with spectral analysis so that significant alongshore periodicities could be identified. Cross-spectral analysis was then performed on pairs of variables to determine the amount of alongshore covariance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA124136
Entities
People
- Bruce P. Hayden
- Nina Anne Fisher
- Robert Dolan
Organizations
- University of Virginia