18 Hydrological Processes and Problems across the Southeastern United States (Posters)

Thursday, 28 March 2019
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Carolina Ballroom

THE INFLUENCE OF THE GROUNDWATER TABLE ELEVATION ON BEACH SUBSURFACE TEMPERATURES AT BALD HEAD ISLAND NC

Paper number: 18-7
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Authors

  • L. Whitehouse Presenting Author
    University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC
  • P.B. Zamora
    University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC

Abstract

We determined the potential effect of beach water table elevation on ground temperatures at sea turtle nesting depths (0-0.5 m) on a narrow beach at Bald Head Island, NC. Subsurface thermal variations in the 2 wells used in the study reflected progressively decreasing and lagged versions of surface temperatures. Long-term averages (weekly) of subsurface temperatures versus water table elevation showed an inverse relationship where temperatures are generally higher with a low water table and vice versa. Temperature variance was reduced at depth following the relationship Tvariance = 28.132e -1.095(depth) in the summer months. Our initial field results suggest that the position of the water table relative to the ground surface can influence subsurface temperatures. Data analysis at different time scales in conjunction with heat transport modeling will be conducted to better quantify subsurface temperature effects.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 51, No. 3

doi: 10.1130/abs/2019SE-326948

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