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| USGS Coastal Carolina Project 2004 - Crystal Coast |
Coastal Carolina Project 2004 - Crystal Coast
Data
The data collection goals for this part of the project were to map out the submarine hydrogeologic framework and to quantify ground-water discharge to the Pamlico Estuary. The work was carried out by three teams; a marine resistivity team, nutrient team, and ground water team.
The marine resistivity team worked from the research vessel Beeliner, conducting continuous electrical-resistivity profiling and using a new system for simultaneous, near-continuous measurement of dissolved radon. The electrical-resistivity profiling allowed the scientists to map fresh and saline water layers below the bottom of the estuary, because bottom sediment permeated by saline water is a better conductor of electricity than bottom sediment permeated by fresh water. Radon measurements allowed the scientists to detect ground-water discharge into the estuary, because dissolved radon (a naturally occurring gas produced by the radioactive decay of uranium and other trace elements in common minerals) is far more concentrated in ground water than in surface water. Surface water that contains significant radon concentrations indicates recent or ongoing contributions from discharging ground water.
Marine Resistivity Survey, April 19-23
Radium and radon data colletion training provided by Matt Allen with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
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