Publication Abstracts

Parham et al. 2011

Parham, P.R., S.R. Riggs, S.J. Culver, D.J. Mallinson, and D. Peteet, 2011: Astronomical tidal regime change as a control on the Holocene development of an organic-rich coastal zone, North Carolina, USA. Southeast. Geol., 48, no. 2, 51-72.

Sediment core and age data from the Alligator River tributary of Albemarle Sound, North Carolina suggest that coastal geomorphology-dependent variations in the astronomical tidal regime played a key role in the Holocene development of this presently nano-tidal estuarine system. The low lying, peatland-dominated study area is surrounded on three sides by drowned tributaries of the Alligator River estuarine system and underlain by a late Pleistocene topographic high. During the last glacial stage (MIS 2), drainage systems became established on the emergent terrain. As Holocene sea level rose, stream valleys became progressively inundated with concomitant up gradient migration of wetlands. With open interchange between paleo-Albemarle Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, sea level was sufficiently high ca. 3 ka to produce bay/tidal ravinement inland of the present peatland shoreline. Gradual closure of the coastal barrier-island system (the Outer Banks) within the last approximately 2.5 ka resulted in decreasing astronomical tides, decreasing salinity, and marsh progradation seaward over the earlier Holocene ravinement surface with concurrent peat accumulation. Within the last ca. 1 ka, fresh to low-brackish marsh was replaced by forested wetlands in response to further barrier-island closure and elimination of astronomical tides as swamp-forest woody peat continued to vertically accumulate in response to rising base level.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{pa03500b,
  author={Parham, P. R. and Riggs, S. R. and Culver, S. J. and Mallinson, D. J. and Peteet, D.},
  title={Astronomical tidal regime change as a control on the Holocene development of an organic-rich coastal zone, North Carolina, USA},
  year={2011},
  journal={Southeastern Geology},
  volume={48},
  number={2},
  pages={51--72},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - pa03500b
AU  - Parham, P. R.
AU  - Riggs, S. R.
AU  - Culver, S. J.
AU  - Mallinson, D. J.
AU  - Peteet, D.
PY  - 2011
TI  - Astronomical tidal regime change as a control on the Holocene development of an organic-rich coastal zone, North Carolina, USA
JA  - Southeast. Geol.
JO  - Southeastern Geology
VL  - 48
IS  - 2
SP  - 51
EP  - 72
ER  -

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