CONTENTS 



Page 



CONVERSION FACTORS, U.S. CUSTOMARY TO METRIC (SI) 8 



I INTRODUCTION 9 



1 . Background 9 



2. Scope 10 



3. Field Data Collection Procedures 15 



4. Data Processing and Analysis 17 



5. Regional Setting 18 



II TOPOGRAPHY OF THE DELMARVA CONTINENTAL SHELF 22 



1. Morphologic Elements of the Shelf 22 



2. Survey of Delaware Bay to Chesapeake Bay 26 



3. Delaware Inner Shelf 29 



4. Maryland Inner Shelf 31 



5. Northern Virginia Inner Shelf 33 



III SUBSURFACE STRUCTURE AND BEDDING 36 



1. Primary Reflection Horizons and Reflection Units ... 39 



2. Correlation of Reflector Surfaces with 



Stratigraphic and Hydrologic Units 40 



3. Secondary Reflection Horizons 44 



4. Acoustic Structure of Shoals 51 



IV CHARACTERISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION OF INNER SHELF 



SEDIMENTS 54 



1 . Background 54 



2. Lithology of Major Sediment Types 55 



3. Surface and Subsurface Sediment Distribution 59 



V DISCUSSION 72 



1. Origin and History of Sediments 72 



2. Evolution of Inner Shelf Bathymetry 77 



VI POTENTIAL SAND RESOURCES 83 



1. Depositional Patterns and Processes Along the Coast. . 83 



2. Requirements for Beach Restoration and 



Characteristics of Beach Sands 91 



3. Resource Assessment of Inner Shelf Sand Deposits ... 92 



VII SUMMARY 103 



LITERATURE CITED 106 



APPENDIX 



A INTERPRETED SEISMIC REFLECTION PROFILES 113 



B GRAIN-SIZE ANALYSIS 117 



