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Geology
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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Uploaded by ColonelHorsePerson603
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MeLysa Weir
6-2 Google Earth: Cape Cod
PHY-105: Geology 23EW6
Southern New Hampshire University
Professor Julianne Boucher
August 05, 2023
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The first change that I noticed occurred in June 1986, it seemed to have flooded with some
erosion taking place. This can be caused by a storm passing through the region that involved high
sustained winds.
These highly sustained winds would have generated stronger waves hitting
along the barrier islands. Other factors that can play a part in the rate of erosion is changes within
the weather system, caused by distant sea storms or hurricanes that produced swells that had the
capability to be far reaching, generating high winds and more powerful waves that had enough
energy to impact coastlines. From observing the changes, a repeating pattern is noticed where it
appears that the area floods, with a constant removal or buildup of sediments occurs.
Based on
weather during summer months there is a deposit or build up of sediments but during fall and
winter months sediments is eroded from these barrier islands.
2. There was a significant change in the appearance of the barrier islands by the upper barrier
was removed and transferred to the bottom of the area causing the area where it was moved to
become a split with flooding.
3. It appears that during the three-month period the barrier islands and spit system experienced
significant changes to its landscape.
It seems that the waves were strong enough to manage by
pulling and pushing land to either above sea level or below by repeatedly eroding down and then
building up the coastline.
The spit was eroded and became a small barrier island and the
sediment from it was deposited farther down towards the south onto the southern barrier island.
Based on waves and current activity, it changed again causing the north portion of the barrier to
become a spit connecting to the mainland.
This seems to inform us that the energy of the waves,
currents and weather systems rapidly can cause small changes to dramatic changes.
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4. The current of the longshore within this location is moving in a southwest direction, by pulling
sediments from the shoreline of the mainland and splitting and connecting onto barrier islands
along the way. From observing the timeline, it appears that sediment appears to be pulled down
towards barrier islands and as these barriers’ islands grow the shoreline above then diminishes.
5. Majority of the changes appear to happen in the winter months between November to January,
because of winter storms that occur on the east coast and the impact it has on the land. These
strong winter storms have highly sustained winds. These strong winds can transfer energy onto
the ocean causing extremely strong waves or whitecaps that can produce significant strength,
damage, and energy when they collide with the shoreline, removing large amounts of sediments
easily.
The waves that occur during summer are not capable of doing this because they lack the
strength and energy required to do so.
6. Based on where the hurricane makes landfall.
If a large hurricane were to strike this location
the barrier islands would take much of the force from the storm.
There would be erosion that has
been seen by prior storm systems that have hit this location and they would become changed.
Over long periods of time the sediments in this area are easily moved on these islands. The salt
marshes and estuaries that are found along this area are capable of absorbing some of the storm
which is a natural buffer capable of absorbing coastal flooding.
The thick, densely rooted
vegetation limits some of the erosion during situations such as these.
Unfortunately, the densely
populated areas along the coast would experience damage and evacuations and preparation
would need to immediately take place to prevent loss of life.
Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket
would need to be evacuated since they would experience the most damage from these storms and
would absorb the highest amount of the storm surge.
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7. If I was in a role of authority within this location, I would deny structures from being built
along the coastline to prevent the degradation of the saltmarshes and estuaries.
The next thing
that I would propose would be to discover a solution to the environmental problems the Cape
Cod Canal has created. For example, the unequal amounts of sediment deposits that surround the
mount of the canal.
The Canals mouth has prohibited the sediments from replenishing on the
Sandwiches’ beaches causing significant erosion to occur.
This erosion is threatening structures
in the town.
Although the Army Corps of Engineers have placed sediment to the beaches here it
is only a temporary solution and a costly one.
[ CITATION Bet21 \l 1033 ][ CITATION Cap23 \l
1033 ]
Works Cited
Cape Cod
. (n.d.). Retrieved August 06, 2023, from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-
change/CapeCod
Treffeisen, B. (2021, March 25).
Residents ask for long-term solution to chronic Sandwich beach erosion
.
Retrieved from Cape Cod Times:
https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/2021/03/25/residents-along-erosion-plagued-
sandwich-beach-want-long-term-solution/6981717002/