List of Figures 



Figure 1 . Continental shelf cross-sectional profile (site specific to 



the mid-Atlantic Bight of the United States) 2 



Figure 2. Translation of the original equilibrium profile in response 



to a rising sea level (after Bruun (1962)) 5 



Figure 3. Possible inner shelf types resulting from different 



characteristics of underlying geology 8 



Figure 4. Fluctuations of inner shelf bed form zones and initiation 

 of sediment motion with respect to significant wave 

 Height (H) and period (T) (after Boyd (1981)) 11 



Figure 5. Survey data from Duck, NC, from August 1981 to 



December 1982 showing fluctuation of closure depth as 

 indicated by vertical arrows (after Birkemeier (1985)) . . 12 



Figure 6. Location of the Outer Banks of North Carolina 17 



Figure 7. Geologic cross section through the Outer Banks at 



Rodanthe showing the Pleistocene units cropping out on 



the inner shelf forming Wimble Shoals (after Pilkey 



etal. (1993)) 18 



Figure 8. Cross-shelf profile of the inner shelf off Duck, North 



Carolina (after Wright et al. in press) 31 



Figure 9. Relationship between rate of net sediment deposition/ 

 erosion and rate of sea level rise/fall 

 (after Curray (1964)) 42 



Figure 10. Morphology of the Middle Atlantic Bight 



(after Swift (1975)) 43 



Figure 1 1. Gradation from two-dimensional to three-dimensional 

 bed forms and flat beds with increasing flow strength 

 (after Reineck and Singh (1986)) 46 



Figure 12. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional bed forms. 



Vortices and flow patterns are shown by arrows above 



the dunes (after Reineck and Singh (1986)) 47 



Figure 13. Block diagrams showing (a) planar and (b) trough 

 cross-bedding as seen in horizontal, transverse, and 

 longitudinal sections (after Reineck and Singh (1986)) . 49 



Figure 14. Classification of symmetric and reversing ripples based 

 on the ratio of ripple length to square root of grain 

 diameter (X/D ) and ratio of orbital diameter to grain 

 diameter (d^^/D) (after Clifton (1976) based on data from 

 Inman (1957) and Dingier (1974)) 52 



