Document Type
Conference Paper
Publication Date
1983
Publication Title
Near-Shore Sedimentology, Proceedings of the Sixth Symposium on Coastal Sedimentology
Pages
110-127
Conference Name
Sixth Symposium on Coastal Sedimentology, Geology Department, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Abstract
Cape Henry is a Holocene beach ridge complex at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Analyses of cross-cutting relationships visible on aerial photographs divide the complex into five geomorphic zones. Low, arcuate beach ridges, ornamented in places with small dunes, characterize the four oldest zones. The youngest zone consists of large irregular-shaped dunes which bury the margins of all older zones. Locations of 102 samples taken from 1 m depths on ridge crests were based upon a random stratified sampling grid covering all of Cape Henry. The use of half-phi size data generated standard sediment parameters. Weighted-pair cluster analyses of these data indicate that some topographically notable zones have sediments with distinguishing characteristics. A major statistical difference exists between samples from most coastal dunes and those from most beach ridges. Other distinctions separate frontal dunes from back-beach dunes, and coastal dunes from dunes ornamenting beach ridges. The influx of a coarse sand sediment source late during Cape Henry's development produced a measurable difference in features on the northwest portion of the study area. These data suggest that the change in sediment supply in this area probably resulted from the exhumation of Pleistocene deposits and the episodic reworking of Holocene features.
Rights
Included with kind permission of the author(s).
Original Publication Citation
Robbins, A. T. & Whittecar, G. R. (1983). Cluster analysis of grain size parameters from a beach ridge complex, Cape Henry, Virginia. In W. F. Tanner (Ed.), Near-shore sedimentology: Proceedings of the of sixth symposium on coastal sedimentology (pp.110-127). Geology Department, Florida State University.
Repository Citation
Robbins, Amy T. and Whittecar, G. Richard, "Cluster Analysis of Grain Size Parameters from a Beach Ridge Complex, Cape Henry, Virginia" (1983). OES Faculty Publications. 517.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/oeas_fac_pubs/517