REMOTELY SENSED DIGITAL GEOMORPHIC MAP OF CAPE HATTERAS NATIONAL SEASHORE, NORTH CAROLINA

Cape Hatteras National Seashore was mapped using remotely sensed digital data in support of the Geological Resource Inventory program of the National Park Service. The primary digital data layers used were 1998 color infrared (CIR) coverage (1:12,000 scale) and high-resolution topographic data generated from light detection and ranging (LIDAR) surveys conducted under the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program. Other digital layers included the National Wetlands Inventory maps, a refined wetlands map series by the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, and soils maps. Cape Hatteras National Seashore encompasses approximately 130 km of the N. C. Outer Banks barrier island system. This system includes barrier island segments with well-developed beach ridge complexes as well as segments dominated by overwash processes. Anthropogenic structures and modifications are extensive throughout this barrier system. Three tidal inlets (Oregon, Hatteras, and Ocracoke) presently occur within the project area. However, numerous former inlets are known from historical accounts and have been delineated by geomorphologic, sedimentologic, and ecosystem mapping in consort with subsurface ground-penetrating radar and high-resolution seismic surveys on and behind the barriers, respectively. Thus, a wide variety of subaerial and submarine geologic environments are present within the project area. These environments are characterized by landforms that are mappable via "heads-up" digitizing using Geographic Information System (GIS) software. Map units include many geomorphic/ecosystem components such as salt marsh, overwash fan, and various types of flats and ridges among others. Specific localities within the study area were selected as control sites and were mapped on the ground in detail. This mapping provided control in GIS on the same CIR base as was used for the larger scale regional mapping and helped to define and characterize map units. The map produced by analysis and synthesis of these data layers in GIS is a significant improvement over existing maps and can serve as an effective resource management tool.