unique opportunity to examine the natural profile changes and resulting 

 changes in the sediment grain size distribution along the entire length of the 

 active profile and to test and evaluate models of beach profile/sediment 

 interactions to changing coastal processes. 



4. The FRF is located just north of the village of Duck, NC , on a nar- 

 row barrier spit that is part of the outer banks barrier island and spit 

 complex fronting the Atlantic Ocean (Figure 1) . The facility contains a 

 shore-normal 561-m-long research pier and 1,200 m of beachfront. General 

 information on the FRF is found in Birkemeier et al . (1985), and information 

 on the geology is found in Meisburger and Judge (1989). 



5. The data used in this report were collected on Profile Line 62, 

 located 489.21 m north of the pier as shown on Figure 2. This line is located 

 outside the influence of the pier (Miller, Birkemeier, and DeWall 1983). 



Data on profiles have been collected on a continuous basis on this line (as 

 well as three others) since January 1981 (Howd and Birkemeier 1987). A sys- 

 tematic collection of sediment data began on 20 March 1984 and continued until 

 6 September 1985. During this study period, 41 profiles were surveyed, with 

 21 containing sediment data. The sampling period extended across the seasonal 

 cycle at the FRF, which is somewhat typical of most US east coast beaches, 

 consisting of extratropical storms (northeasters) commonly occurring during 

 the winter months from September to May with fair weather conditions during 

 the summer months. No tropical storms (occurring in the summer months from 

 June to October) impacted the area during the study period. Only a few extra- 

 tropical storms of major proportion occurred during the study. 



