News Release

Media advisory: Southeastern section, Geological Society of America

Meeting Announcement

Geological Society of America

MEDIA ADVISORY

Southeastern Section, Geological Society of America
49th Annual Meeting
March 22-24, 2000
Westin Francis Marion Hotel and Lightsey Conference Center
Charleston, SC

INFORMATION FOR MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES

CONTENTS

I. Introduction
II. Meeting Highlights
III. Support for Journalists
IV. Media Registration Policy and Procedures

I. INTRODUCTION

The 49th annual meeting of the Southeastern Section of the Geological Society of America (GSA) will be held March 22-24, 2000, at the Westin Francis Marion Hotel and Lightsey Conference Center, Charleston, SC. The College of Charleston Department of Geology will host the meeting. Over 650 geoscientists are expected to attend the 37 scheduled sessions, with more than 360 papers presented.

Topics of potential interest to the general public include coastal restoration and new insights regarding Hurricane Floyd and other significant rainfall activity in 1999. Other sessions offer historical/human interest stories on geology's role in Civil War military strategy and in shipwreck investigations of what may be Blackbeard's flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge. (See meeting highlights below.)

Complimentary registration is available for media representatives who wish to attend. Those interested but unable to attend are encouraged to conduct advance interviews with scientists on an embargoed basis, with release dates coinciding with presentation dates.

II. MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

COASTAL RESTORATION

In a session entitled, "The Role of Geology in Coastal Restoration," scientists will discuss the issues and problems associated with coastal restoration. (Thursday, March 23, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)

Property Damage Mitigation Through Coastal Restoration

David M. Bush, Dept. of Geosciences, State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, dbush@westga.edu , 770-836-4597; et al.
Unwise coastal development practices, such as dune removal, dredging finger canals, and maritime forest removal, increase the potential for property damage by reducing the natural protective capabilities of coastal environments. A variety of coastal restoration activities that can mitigate property damage involve restoring the natural land surface configuration and vegetation, and relocation of roads and walkways that use the natural features for protection. Such natural coastal environments can provide adequate, if not superior, storm protection compared to structural engineering methods.

Where Geology Hits the Pavement: North Carolina's Coastal Highway 12

Tracy Monegan Rice, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Raleigh, NC, Tracy_Rice@fws.gov , 919-856-4520 ext. 12.
A dune system was built along the Outer Banks in the 1930s, marking the beginning of a long series of human manipulations of natural coastal processes. Between 1948 and 1953, Highway 12 was constructed. Since that time, several sections of highway have been relocated in response to island regression. Millions of dollars have been spent clearing and repairing the road after major storms. Dune gaps are plugged and vegetation is continually planted to keep artificial dunes in place. As sea level continues to rise, long-term solutions such as moving the roadway to a sound-side causeway are finally being considered.

The Critical Need for Geologic Input in the Design of Nourished Beaches

Orrin Pilkey, Division of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, opilkey@eos.duke.edu , 919-684-4238; et al.
Geologists contribute significantly to identification of offshore sand sources for beach nourishment programs. They have had very little input, however, into design parameters that determine beach life span and cost. The result has been poor predictive capability regarding the amount of sand required to maintain nourished beaches, the required frequency of renourishment, and the costs involved. Specific sites discussed include South Nags Head and Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Inlet Related Sand Resources: Environmental and Management Issues in Southeastern North Carolina

William J. Cleary, Center for Marine Science Research, UNC-Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, clearyw@uncwil.edu , 910-962-2320.
Tidal inlets are often targeted as sources of sand for beach replenishment programs. This is both a politically controversial and environmentally sensitive issue. Modification of these areas without respect for the link between shoals and adjacent shoreline changes the entire sand sharing system.

Tidal Marsh Restoration: Recent Efforts to Improve Design and Function

L. A. Leonard, Dept. of Earth Sciences, UNC-Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, LynnL@uncwil.edu , 910-962-3490.
Coastal salt marshes are valuable habitats, pollutant filters, and storm buffers. Their deterioration is of increasing concern as sea levels rise and coastal development deprives them of needed sediment. Recent studies of U. S. Gulf and Atlantic coast marshes show that successful restoration efforts must include improved tidal creek design, along with use of dredged material and transplanted vegetation.

The Role of Coastal Geologists in the Restoration of Shorelines Impacted by Oil Spills

Miles Hayes, RPI, Columbia, SC, mamiles@researchplanning.com , 803-256-7322.
Coastal geologists typically head shoreline cleanup assessment teams, mapping the distribution of spilled oil and making recommendation for the most effective, and least harmful, cleanup techniques. In some cases, it is best to let natural processes run their course. Coastal geologists are now becoming involved in predicting recovery rates of habitats based on natural rates of oil removal and the impacts of physical disruption during the cleanup process.

NEW INSIGHTS REGARDING 1999 HURRICANE AND OTHER RAINFALL ACTIVITY

The following paper will be presented in a session entitled, "Shoreline and Shoreface Geology of the Carolinas: Recent Advances." (Friday, March 24, 1:00-5:00 p.m.)

Coastal Change on the Outer Banks, NC, During Hurricane Dennis: Preliminary Results

Asbury Sallenger, U. S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL, asallenger@usgs.gov ; 727-803-8747 ext. 3015; et al.
Dennis was a marginal hurricane, in terms of peak magnitude, that deteriorated into a tropical storm before landfall in North Carolina. However, its duration off the coast for nearly a week had a great impact on the northern Outer Banks. USGS, and its partners at NASA and NOAA, conducted an airborne laser altimetry survey of the impacted areas and compared the results to a pre-storm survey of the same area. Initial results show that dune erosion between Cape Hatteras and Oregon Inlet was highly variable, with some areas experiencing significant damage while others sustained much less damage. This variability, which will be studied in further research, may be related to differing nearshore geology.

In a session entitled, "Impact of Flooding from Hurricane Floyd and Other Rainfall Events in North Carolina and Virginia, Sept.-Oct. 1999, on Coastal Geology," the following scientists will give new insights into the meteorology of Hurricane Floyd, eastern NC's "flood of the century" and the role coastal development may have played in it, as well as the need for a more comprehensive rating system for storms. (Friday, March 24, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)

A Meteorological Analysis of Hurricane Floyd

Jennifer Kehoe, State Climate Office of North Carolina, Dept. of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Science, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, 919-515-3056; et al.
Many factors contributed to the catastrophic flooding experienced during and after the hurricane. Those discussed will include soil moisture levels already elevated by Hurricane Dennis, the presence of a stalled trough over the Appalachians, storm development, conditions that contributed to the heavy precipitation and its distribution, and the path of the hurricane itself. The need for a greater number and density of observing stations will also be discussed.

The 1999 "Flood of the Century:" Were Human Impacts Upon the Riverine System Significant Flood Factors?

Stanley R. Riggs, Dept. of Geology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, riggss@mail.ecu.edu , 252-328-6360; et al.

From the 1960s to the 1990s, rampant growth and development on the NC coastal plain resulted in severe modification of drainage systems. Factors contributing to intense flooding include the construction of dams, stream channelization and dikes, marginal wetlands, and effects of urbanization. These modifications have led to major land-use changes, with encroachment into riverine wetlands and more people living in flood-prone areas.

Recent North Carolina Hurricane Experience and the Need for a New Hurricane Impact Scale

Chester Jackson, Dept. of Geosciences, State University of West Georgia, stu11089@westga.edu ; 770-838-4728; et al.

Storms similar in strength according to the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale have dissimilar coastal effects. The scale is adequate for describing absolute hurricane strength in the open ocean, but less so in describing hurricane effects during landfall. Coastal impacts depend on a variety of geologic and meteorologic factors, which will be described in the session. A new hurricane impact scale (HIS) is being developed that would warn residents of potential coastal impacts as storms approach and analyze impacts after storms pass. Criteria being considered for the new HIS include maximum elevation of the storm surge, storm surge spread, and wind speed.

GEOLOGY'S ROLE IN CIVIL WAR MILITARY STRATEGY

Coastal Erosion of a Civil War Battle Site on Morris Island, South Carolina.

C. C. Nichols, Dept. of Geology, University of Charleston, Charleston, SC, chris.nichols@noaa.gov ; 843-762-8597; et al. Morris Island was the scene of very intense battles in 1863. Environmental conditions on this thin barrier island presented challenges that forced both armies to mold their strategies to the terrain. Both sides also modified a number of the island's beach ridges into batteries and earthworks and stripped them of nearly all trees and vegetation. Intensified erosion caused these Civil War works to be washed away. Their locations were mapped with the aid of historical charts and a geographic information system (GIS) database. The sites were then superimposed on maps of the island's position from 1863-1999. The study illustrates the fragile relationship between humans and barrier islands, as the geology controlled both military strategy and subsequent preservation of the battle site.

Impact of Virginia's Geomorphology and Mineral Resources on Civil War Military Activity, 1861-1865.

Robert Whisonant, Geology Dept. Radford University, Radford, VA, rwhisona@runet.edu , 540-831-5224.
Three features greatly influenced the nature of the Virginia campaigns of the war. These features and the battles, invasions, and strategies they influenced will be discussed: Union-controlled Chesapeake Bay, which provided an unbreakable invasion route into the wide estuaries of the VA coastal plain; the southeastward-flowing rivers of the central and eastern Piedmont that gave the Confederacy natural lines of defense and launching points for advances; and the Great Valley just west of the Blue Ridge that provided a movement corridor for both sides. Virginia's mineral resources, which were also influencial, will be discussed as well.

The Significance of Meander Bends in Military History: Three Examples from the Southern United States.

Stephen W. Henderson, Dept. of Geology, Oxford College of Emory University, Oxford, GA, shender@emory.edu , 770-784-8345.
River bends played significant roles in several military engagements, including two from the Civil War discussed in this talk. The Tuscumbia Bend of the Mississippi River figured in the Vicksburg Campaign when, in 1863, Gen. Grant attempted to build a canal across the narrow meander neck in order to divert Union river traffic away from Confederate artillery positions. The Williams-Grant Canal was never completed and Grant was forced to abandon a frontal assault strategy on Vicksburg. The bend of the Tennessee River around Moccasin Point at Chattanooga figured prominently in relief of the besieged Union army in 1863. A strategy involving the narrow meander neck of Moccasin Point resulting in lifting of the siege and set the stage for the Union breakout of Chattanooga.

An Overview of Coal in the Civil War.

William M. Andrews, Jr., Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, wandrews@kgs.mm.uky.edu , 606-257-5500.
The importance of coal to the economy of the United States was firmly established during the Civil War. It played a significant part in both the production of large quantities of war materials and their transportation, as well as transportation of the armies that would use them. Primary uses of coal and related issues for both North and South will be discussed.

Anthracite Miners at War: Military Geology and Engineering of the Petersburg Mine, July-July, 1864.

Jon D. Inners, Pennsylvania Geological Survey, Harrisburg, PA, jinners@dcnr.state.pa.us , 717-783-7262. On July 30, 1864, Union forces detonated a mine containing four tons of black powder beneath a Confederate fort near Petersburg, VA. After the explosion, the main geologic influence on the outcome of the "Battle of the Crater" was a deep natural ravine to the north and west. It allowed Confederate General William Mahone to launch a surprise counterattack that stopped the Union advance.

GEOSCIENCE AND THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE SHIPWRECK PROJECT

The following papers are among those to be delivered in, "Geoarchaeology - Blackbeard's Flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge, Returns to Charleston." (Thursday, March 23, 1:00-5:00 p.m.)

In Search of Blackbeard: An Overview of the Beaufort Inlet Shipwreck Project Richard W. Lawrence, NC Underwater Archaeology Unit, Kure Beach, NC, rlawrence@ncsl.dcr.state.nc.us
This paper will provide an overview of archaeological efforts since the discovery of North Carolina shipwreck site 0003BUI, believed to be Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge, in the fall of 1996.

(Interested writers are also referred to Smithsonian magazine, February 2000, pp. 62-72, for additional background information.)

Gold, Lead, Tin, and Mercury from the Queen Anne's Revenge (?). James R. Craig, Dept. of Geological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, jrcraig@vt.edu , 540-231-3386.
Artifacts composed of precious and base metals recovered from the wreck site are currently under study. Small amounts of placer gold recovered, concentrated in one site, suggest that it was originally held in a single container and that only minor dispersal has occurred since the sinking. Sand in a pewter medical syringe contains mercury likely derived from a medicine used to treat ailments of the crew. Lead shot in a variety of sizes, used in pistols and all types of cannon, developed protective coatings of lead hydoxycarbonate which have minimized saltwater corrosion.

Ballast Stones from Shipwreck 03BUI, Queen Anne's Revenge (?): Hand Specimen, X-Ray, Chemical, Petrography, Paramagnetic and K-Ar Age Date Studies.

John E. Callahan, Geology Dept. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, callahnje@appstate.edu , 828-262-2746.
Approximately 150 ballast stones have been recovered. Studies have identified and grouped them as basalts, gabbros and felsic to intermediate rocks. Additional work is underway to match the rocks to bedrock sources, indicating where the ship may have dropped anchor and added ballast.

III. SUPPORT FOR JOURNALISTS

GSA Director of Communications and Marketing, Ann Cairns, will be onsite to assist journalists. During the meeting, she can be reached by calling her cell phone at 303-725-6334. Advance interviews with scientists can also be arranged and conducted on an embargoed basis, with release dates coinciding with presentation dates.

IV. MEDIA REGISTRATION POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Media will register at the main meeting registration desk at the Westin Francis Marion (second floor, next to the Gold Room) where they will receive badges and program/abstract books. Registration hours are: Wednesday, March 22, 4:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.; Thursday, March 23, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; and Friday, March 24, 7:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Registration entitles journalists and public information officers (PIOs) from geoscience and other related organizations to access to all scientific sessions and the exhibition area. Eligibility for complimentary media registration is as follows, all of whom have equal access:

  • Working press representing bona fide news media with a press card, letter, or business card from the publication.
  • Freelance science writers, presenting a current membership card from NASW, ISWA, regional affiliates of NASW, or evidence of work pertaining to science published in 1998 or 1999.
  • PIOs of scientific societies, educational institutions and government agencies.

Representatives of the business side of news media, publishing houses, and for-profit corporations must pay the appropriate fees.

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