Configuration of the Pleistocene Surface Beneath Cat Island, Mississippi and Implications for Barrier Island Formation and Evolution

The mechanism of Holocene barrier formation aids in determining island geomorphologic responses to modifying climatic processes of the surrounding environment. The geometry and composition of local antecedent topography plays a role in barrier formation by providing an elevated base, nucleus for sedimentation and local sediment supply. Investigation of barriers' subsurface geology provides insight into island formation and evolution. High-resolution shallow seismic data acquired in the island's nearshore zone and interior canals, correlated with existing drillcore data, reveal that Cat Island, MS is situated over an Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 Phase 3 paleochannel located between two topographic high-grounds of the Pleistocene surface. Beach ridge strandplain sets on Cat Island provide additional evidence supporting the island's formation over a relict depocenter. A new, 4-stage model for Cat Island development and evolution incorporating the influence of pre-existing topographic high-grounds and abundant local sediment supply provided by a backfilling fluvial channel is presented here.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Earth and Environmental Sciences

Year

2010

Author dc:creator

• Rose, Kathryn

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kulp, Mark; Levoie, Dawn
• Miner, Michael
• Georgiou, Ioannis

• Cat Island
• MS
• Holocene barrier
• Pleistocene surface
• paleochannel
• beach ridges

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1259

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uno.edu:td-2242