Dr. J. P. Walsh - Assistant Professor

Office

Graham 101

Phone

252-328-5431

Geological Oceanography, Sedimentology, Stratigraphy,

Ph.D.

University of Washington (2001)

M.S.

SUNY Stony Brook (1997)

B.A.

Colgate University (1995)

 

Dr. Walsh may be reached via Email : walshj@ecu.edu  

Click HERE to check out the new and more informative web site of our SSTORM research group.

Current Professional and Scholarly Interests

Generally, I am interested in how materials from land are dispersed and accumulate in the ocean.  I use sediment characteristics, environmental measurements (including oceanographic, meteorological, and hydrologic data), and geophysical methods like seismic-reflection tools to understand the modern and ancient processes influencing the seabed and sedimentary record of continental margins.  This research is important to examining the fate of pollutants and runoff, assessing carbon sinks for climate studies, quantifying natural resources like sand for beach nourishment, evaluating biological habitats, identifying and extracting petroleum, and protecting our nation’s coastlines.

More specifically, here are some projects in which I am actively involved:  

1)     Sediment dynamics on the actively deforming Waipaoa continental margin.  This project, also part of the Margins Source to Sink program, is designed to investigate the modern transport of terrestrial sediment to and within the continental slope seaward of the Waipaoa River, New Zealand.  A research cruise for this project occurred in February 2005 aboard R/V Kilo Moana, and another is planned for October 2006.  This research is being conducted in collaboration with Clark Alexander (Skidaway), Alan Orpin (National Institute for Water and Atmopheric Research, New Zealand), Lionel Carter (National Institute for Water and Atmosphere Research, New Zealand), Steve Kuehl (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) and Lincoln Pratson (Duke University).  A web site was created for first field expedition, check it out: http://www.coastal.geology.ecu.edu/nz/.  Ben Sumners is an MS student at ECU working on this project.

2)     Terrestrial sediment flux onto coral reefs of southwestern Puerto Rico.  This research is aimed at quantifying the flux of terrestrial (land-derived) sediment to the coral reef areas of La Parguera, Puerto Rico.  The research is being conducted in collaboration with Reide Corbett (ECU), Amos Winter (University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez), Richard Appeldorn (UPRM), Francisco Pagan (UPRM) and others.  It is part of the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies - Caribbean program.  Katie Ryan is an MS student at ECU working on this project.

3)     Coastal processes in North Carolina.  This is a cooperative project involving researchers at the USGS, NCGS, ECU, VIMS, and the U. of Del.  More specifically, my students and I are involved in projects examining estuarine (1) sediment dynamics in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (Sophie Dillard and Kat Marciniak) and barrier island groundwater dynamics and inlet opening (Ari Perkins).   These projects are being conducted in collaboration with Reide Corbett, Dave Mallinson, Stan Riggs, Steve Culver, and Mike O’Driscoll (Geology ECU).

Selected Publications 

Orpin, A.R., Alexander, C., Carter, L, Kuehl, S. and J.P. Walsh.  In Press. Temporal and spatial complexity in post-glacial shelf sedimentation on the tectonically active, Poverty Bay continental margin of New Zealand. Continental Shelf Research.

 

Walsh, J.P., C.A. Nittrouer, C. Palinkas, A.S. Ogston, R.W. Sternberg, and G.J. Brunskill.  2004.  Clinoform mechanics in the Gulf of Papua, New Guinea.  Continental Shelf Research, 24: 2487-2510.

 

Walsh, J.P. and C.A. Nittrouer.  2004.  Mangrove-bank sedimentation in a mesotidal environment with large sediment supply, Gulf of Papua.  Marine Geology, 208: 225-248.

 

Walsh, J.P. and C.A. Nittrouer.  2003.  Contrasting styles of off-shelf sediment accumulation in New Guinea.  Marine Geology, 196: 105-125.

 

Walsh, J.P. and C.A. Nittrouer.  1999.  Observations of sediment flux to the Eel continental slope, northern California.  Marine Geology, 154:  55-69.