The internal architecture of a beach system can provide clues into the processes
involved in its formation, including depositional processes, and/or driving mechanisms
(Billy et al., 2014). Several unique events such as cold fronts or Hurricane Irma caused
conditions that resulted in erosion and accretion changes in Red Reef Beach - Boca Raton,
throughout the year of 2017. Since the lateral extent of these changes is difficult to evaluate
using traditional methods such as coring, a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) was tested,
which allows for a good lateral resolution (cm scale), to image the distribution and
evolution of these sediments. The objectives of this study were to 1) explore the lateral
variability in the internal architecture of sediments in Red Reef beach in Boca Raton (FL)
using an array of ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements constrained with coring
and sediment analysis; 2) explore how dynamics of erosion and accretion induced by
changes in wave activity and related to tide variation and storm events, may affect surface topography and the sedimentary internal architecture of beach deposits, using RTK GPS
and GPR time-lapse measurements; 3) to explore changes in the lateral extent of the freshsaltwater
interface along the beach profile in relation to tide variation and storm events.
Reflectors identified in the GPR images showed some evidence of erosional and
accretionary surfaces preserved in Red Reef beach. These measurements were repeated
over time coinciding with certain events (such as Hurricane Irma) to explore their effects
in terms of sediment erosion and accretion as reflected in changes in topography (using
time-lapse GPS-RTK measurements), and changes in the internal sedimentary architecture
(using time-lapse GPR measurements). The datasets collected also revealed the temporal
evolution of the salt-freshwater interface, showing how the lateral extent of saltwater
saturated sediment (inferred from areas of GPR signal attenuation along the profiles)
evolved over time. This study shows the potential of GPR to provide information about
beach sediment processes and dynamics at resolutions beyond traditional measurements
(such as coring). It also shows the importance of combining methods that are
complementary, such as the use of RTK GPS to explore changes in topography, and GPR
that provides information on subsurface sedimentary architecture and the mechanism of
change such as post-storm recovery. This study has implications for better understanding
changes in coastal sedimentary deposits and processes, both at the subsurface, particularly
after high-energy events, such as hurricanes, that result in rapid changes in erosion and/or
accretion of sediments. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_39743 |
| Contributors | Camara dos Santos Porto, Sabrina (author), Briggs, Tiffany Roberts (Thesis advisor), Comas, Xavier (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 146 p., application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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