Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Sediment Resuspension In A Microtidal Estuary: Causative Forces And Links With Algal Blooms, Samantha C. Mcgill

OES Theses and Dissertations

After years of efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay, bacterial levels are down and species diversity has increased, however, algal blooms (primarily dinoflagellates) persist, occurring nearly every summer. Dinoflagellates produce resting cysts that accumulate in the bottom sediments and are thought to provide seed populations for future algal blooms when they are resuspended. When estuarine sediments are advected from a bed, other materials, such as pollutants, nutrients, and organic matter are also released into the water column. Thus, resuspended sediments can contribute to the degradation of water quality, habitat, and aquatic life, and impart negative impacts on local ecosystems and …

Provenance Of Sands Within The Lower Chesapeake Bay Based On Ilmenite Composition, Edward Augustus Council Iii

OES Theses and Dissertations

Surficial sands deposited in the Chesapeake Bay are a mixture of sands derived from the bay's shorelines, from offshore, and from relict deposits. Direct fluvial input is probably minor except from the James River, which may serve as a local source of sands in the Thimble Shoals area. Sands in the western half of the bay are primarily derived from the erosion of the adjacent shoreline. In contrast, the eastern half of the bay has two major sources of sand. Shoreline erosion is the dominant source north of the town of Eastville, Virginia, while the offshore is the major source …

Geomorphology And Dynamics Of A Sand Wave In Lower Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, Gerardo Miguel Eduardo Perillo

OES Theses and Dissertations

A single, more or less isolated, sand wave in a sand wave field recently discovered in the lower Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, was studied intensively for morphology, sedimentology and in terms of dynamic processes. The morphologic investigation consisted of bathymetric surveys of the sand wave field and the specific sand wave. Twenty-five grab samples and four box cores were obtained from different segments of the feature studied. Textural parameters of the samples were determined, and a multivariate technique was utilized to identify subenvironments on the feature. The box cores provided information on the internal structure of the sand wave.

Observations of …