ARCHITECTURE AND GEOMORPHOLOGY OF NORTHEASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA BARRIER COMPLEXES

The barrier island complexes of northeastern South Carolina are located between the more extensively studied wave-dominated barrier complexes of North Carolina and the classic mixed-energy (drumstick) barrier complexes of South Carolina. As part of the United States Geological Survey-South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium Coastal Erosion Program, this continuing study is examining the geomorphology, architecture and geologic development of barrier complexes located at the northern and southern ends of the Grand Strand coastal system. To understand the architecture of these islands, ground-penetrating radar along with a variety of coring techniques are being employed. To identify changes within environmental facies, the cores have been visually described, examined using x-radiography, and analyzed for sediment color, texture, structures and components on select subsamples. To determine shoreline movement, luminescence and radiocarbon age estimates have been collected. To identify more recent historical changes in coastal geomorphology, the project is classifying coastal environments from a series of aerial photography. This approach will allow this study to provide a better understanding of geologic and historical shoreline change and to determine sand accumulation within these coastal segments, an important component for determining a more accurate sediment budget and for planned modeling of the system.