Vicious Cycles: An Analysis of Cyclical Erosion and a Migrating Erosional Hotspot on Plum Island, MA
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Manmade erosion prevention measures are prevalent along barrier islands in the United States. Plum Island, a barrier island at the mouth of the Merrimack River, has undergone anthropogenically altered sediment delivery since the installation of a pair of Jetties in the north. Plum Island has experienced long-term erosion and accretion cycles, and has developed an ephemeral erosional hotspot coupled with a large accretional feature. A fine-scale GIS-based analysis of these features over a period of 102 years has revealed several patterns on varying temporal scales. A thorough understanding of human impacts on Plum Island may inform policymakers there and in other anthropogenically influenced barrier island systems.
Date Awarded
2015
Department
Geology
Advisor 1
Christopher Hein
Recommended Citation
Gannon, Haley, "Vicious Cycles: An Analysis of Cyclical Erosion and a Migrating Erosional Hotspot on Plum Island, MA" (2015). Geology Senior Theses. William & Mary. Paper 337.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/geologyseniors/337
