| Coastal
scientists at the Bureau of Economic Geology conduct research in Texas
and around the world. The Bureau gained international recognition
in the 1970's by using depositional systems concepts to map depositional
environments of the coastal plain sediments of Texas. These maps provided
a new tool for comprehensive coastal zone management. Today, we continue
to map coastal environments using advanced technologies such as lidar,
radar, multispectral imagery, digital photos, GIS, and geodetic GPS
positioning. Recent studies have included isotopic age dating to determine
sedimentation rates in bay marshes, mapping shoreline types for oil
spill contingency planning, and conducting regional assessments of
offshore sand resources for beach nourishment. Currently, we are conducting
research in shoreline change, beach and tidal inlet morphodynamics,
and changes in wetlands distribution through time. |
