2018 HURRICANE SEASON AND ITS INFLUENCES TO THE ALBEMARLE-PAMLICO ESTUARINE SYSTEM (APES) AND CONTINENTAL MARGIN – PART 2 (GEOCHEMICAL TRACERS)

The 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season resulted in several major storms impacting the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern US. Excessive amounts of precipitation from Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Michael caused major flooding in North Carolina, resulting in large amounts of terrigenous material being eroded and transported into the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (APES). This research is part of a broader study that aims to quantify how the 2018 hurricane season may have impacted the carbon cycle across the NC continental margin into the Gulf Stream. We test the hypothesis that the plume of terrigenous organic material may have been rapidly transported through the APES and Oregon/Hatteras Inlets (located along the Outer Banks), resulting in the material being entrained in the Gulf Stream. Surface water samples were collected from APES, Oregon Inlet, and across the continental margin to the Gulf Stream in the weeks following Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Michael. Specifically, I will discuss results from samples being analyzed for Be-7, δ¹⁸O, and dissolved lignin content.