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Extratropical Storms of the Gulf of Mexico and Their Ffece Ts Along the Northern Coast of a Barrier Island: West Ship Island, Mississippi

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Extratropical Storms of the Gulf of Mexico and Their Ffece Ts Along the Northern Coast of a Barrier Island: West Ship Island, Mississippi Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1999 Extratropical Storms of the Gulf of Mexico and Their ffecE ts Along the Northern Coast of a Barrier Island: West Ship Island, Mississippi. Phillip Lynn Chaney Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Chaney, Phillip Lynn, "Extratropical Storms of the Gulf of Mexico and Their Effects Along the Northern Coast of a Barrier Island: West Ship Island, Mississippi." (1999). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 6884. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/6884 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type o f computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6” x 9” black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. UMI A Bdl & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor NO 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/321-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. EXTRATROPICAL STORMS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THEIR EFFECTS ALONG THE NORTHERN COAST OF A BARRIER ISLAND: WEST SHIP ISLAND, MISSISSIPPI A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Geography and Anthropology by Phillip L. Chaney B.S., University of Arkansas, 1980 M.A., University of Arkansas, 1990 May, 1999 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 9925525 Copyright 1999 by Chaney, P hillip Lynn All rights reserved. UMI Microform 9925525 Copyright 1999, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © Copyright 1999 Phillip Lynn Chaney All rights reserved ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was made possible by support from the Department of Geography and Anthropology at Louisiana State University through the award of a graduate assistantship, and two grants from the Robert C. West Field Research Fund. Additional support was provided by the National Park Service, the Geological Society of America, and SIGMA XI: The Scientific Research Society. The following personnel from the Gulf Islands National Seashore provided substantial support to this project: Jerry Eubanks, Riley Hoggard, Gary Hopkins, Mike Hobbs, Jeff Woods, Bemie Doyle, and Keith “Spider” Husley. Captain Louis Skrmetta of Ship Island Excursions in Gulfport, Mississippi, along with his excellent staff and crew, provided transport to and from West Ship Island. The members of the dissertation committee contributed to this research in the classroom, and in editorial comments: Dr. Keith G. Henderson (chair), Dr. Carville Earle, and Dr. Anthony J. Lewis of the Department of Geography and Anthropology, and Dr. Gregory W. Stone and Dr. Harry H. Roberts of the Coastal Studies Institute. Dr. S.A. Hsu and Dr. Ping Wang of the Coastal Studies Institute also made significant contributions. Field assistance and transportation was also provided by the following personnel from the CSI Shop: Rodney Fredericks, Joel Chaky, Bill Gibson, and Floyd DeMers. Dr. JingPing Xu also contributed in the lab and in the field. Dr. Carville Earle made an exceptional contribution to this research, and my education at LSU, by supporting me when I was recovering from knee surgery, and by introducing me to many different aspects of geographical thought and inquiry. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The following students gladly donated their time to participate in field work: Chuck Armbruster, Chris Ayles, Paul Hudson, Michael Hawkins, David Pepper, Mike Steinberg, and Matthew Taylor. The following students and friends provided moral support: Xionping Zhang (XP), John Ellis, Luigi Cipriani, Tina Swaye, Elizabeth Vaughan, Katie Algeo, Lisa Adams, Jodi and Etienne Brandehoff-Pracht. Mary “Murgy” Pyles and Rick Ellis, George Imrie, Glenda Cade, and Sam Bishop. Elizabeth “Betty” Vaughan provided additional assistance in completing this project. Chuck Armbruster and Michael Hawkins made extraordinary contributions and will always be considered best friends. Chuck helped tremendously over the years in discussions on practically every coastal subject in the book. Michael Hawkins was a tremendous help in the field (at Ship Island and elsewhere) and probably taught me more about geography, among other things, than anyone. Thanks also to my colleagues in The Draft Horse Club: Paul Hudson, Mike Steinberg, and Steve Raney. The following members of the faculty at the University of Arkansas made significant contributions to my education which made this research possible: David Stahle. Malcolm Cleaveland, John Hehr, Tom Graff, John Dixon, Earle Neel, Dick Smith, and Orland Maxfield of the Department o f Geography; David Knowles of the Department of Engineering; Harold MacDonald of the Department of Geology; and Jack Perkins of the Department of Agriculture. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the extraordinary contributions of the person who is by far my greatest fan and sponsor. Thanks Mom! iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS............................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT..................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................... I Extratropical Storms.......................................................... 11 Field Studies of Extratropical Storm Impacts ................. 24 Research Objectives.......................................................... 39 CHAPTER 2. THE PHYSICAL SETTING................................................... 45 Mississippi Sound ............................................................. 45 Barrier Island Formation and Stratigraphy ...................... 47 Historical Migration Patterns ........................................... 47 West Ship Island ................................................................ 49 CHAPTER 3. EXTRATROPICAL STORMS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO: TYPE, FREQUENCY, AND MAGNITUDE....................... 57 All Storms......................................................................... 72 Storm Types...................................................................... 80 Storm Magnitude ............................................................... 88 Storm Sub-Types ............................................................... 95 Seasonal Variability ........................................................... 103 1996-1997 Storm Season ................................................. 108 Summary ........................................................................... 113 CHAPTER 4. STORM DYNAMICS.............................................................. 120 Wind Speed and Direction ............................................... 132 Wave Heights and Tides ................................................... 132 Alongshore and Cross-shore Currents ............................. 135 Discussion ........................................................................
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