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McCarthy, Matthew J.

Publications and source records attributed to McCarthy, Matthew J..

5 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Satellite-Based Assessment of Rocket Launch and Coastal Change Impacts on Cape Canaveral Barrier Island, Florida, USA

The Cape Canaveral Barrier Island, home to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Kennedy Space Center and the United States (U.S.) Space Force’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, is situated in a unique ecological transition zone that supports diverse wildlife. This study evaluates the recent changes in vegetation cover (2016–2023) and dune elevation (2007–2017) within the Cape Canaveral Barrier Island using high-resolution optical satellite and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. The study period was chosen to depict the time period of a recent increase in rocket launches. The study objectives include assessing changes in vegetation communities, identifying detectable impacts of liquid propellant launches on nearby vegetation, and evaluating dune elevation and tide level shifts near launchpads. The results indicate vegetation cover changes, including mangrove expansion in wetland areas and the conversion of coastal strands to denser scrubs and hardwood forests, which were likely influenced by mild winters and fire management. While detectable impacts of rocket launches on nearby vegetation were observed, they were less severe than those caused by solid rocket motors. Compounding challenges, such as rising tide levels, beach erosion, and wetland loss, potentially threaten the resilience of launch operations and the surrounding habitats. The volume and scale of launches continue to increase, and a balance between space exploration and ecological conservation is required in this biodiverse region. This study focuses on the assessment of barrier islands’ shorelines.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Vulnerability of Wetlands Due to Projected Sea-Level Rise in the Coastal Plains of the South and Southeast United States

Coastal wetlands are vulnerable to accelerated sea-level rise, yet knowledge about their extent and distribution is often limited. We developed a land cover classification of wetlands in the coastal plains of the southern United States along the Gulf of Mexico (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida) using 6161 very-high (2 m per pixel) resolution WorldView-2 and WorldView-3 satellite images from 2012 to 2015. Area extent estimations were obtained for the following vegetated classes: marsh, scrub, grass, forested upland, and forested wetland, located in elevation brackets between 0 and 10 m above sea level at 0.1 m intervals. Sea-level trends were estimated for each coastal state using tide gauge data collected over the period 1983–2021 and projected for 2100 using the trend estimated over that period. These trends were considered conservative, as sea level rise in the region accelerated between 2010 and 2021. Estimated losses in vegetation area due to sea level rise by 2100 are projected to be at least 12,587 km 2 , of which 3224 km 2 would be coastal wetlands. Louisiana is expected to suffer the largest losses in vegetation (80%) and coastal wetlands (75%) by 2100. Such high-resolution coastal mapping products help to guide adaptation plans in the region, including planning for wetland conservation and coastal development.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Data-Driven Assessment of the Impact of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole: Natural and Armored Dunes in the Aftermath of Hurricanes on Florida’s Central East Coast

Hurricanes Ian and Nicole caused devastating destruction across Florida in September and November 2022, leaving widespread damage in their wakes. This study focuses on the assessment of barrier islands’ shorelines, encompassing natural sand dunes and dune vegetation as well as armored dunes with man-made infrastructure such as seawalls. High-resolution satellite imagery from Planet was used to assess the impacts of these hurricanes on the beach shorelines of Volusia, Flagler, and St. Johns Counties on the Florida Central East Coast. Shorefront vegetation was classified into two classes. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values were calculated before the hurricanes, one month after Hurricane Ian, one month after Hurricane Nicole, and one-year post landfall. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) was incorporated to calculate vertical changes in the shorelines before and after the hurricanes. The results suggest that natural sand dunes were more resilient as they experienced less impact to vegetation and elevation and more substantial recovery than armored dunes. Moreover, the close timeframe of the storm events suggests a compound effect on the weakened dune systems. This study highlights the importance of understanding natural dune resilience to facilitate future adaptive management efforts because armored dunes may have long-term detrimental effects on hurricane-prone barrier islands.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Automated remote sensing tools to counter illicit maritime activity: vessel detection, bathymetry and topography from WorldView imagery

Illicit maritime activity, such as piracy and smuggling, is a global issue that often occurs in areas where interdiction authorities are sparse, ground-based monitoring technologies like radar lack range and coverage, and dark vessels abound. Our objective was to assess vessel congregation patterns, identify likely beaching areas based on terrain maps, and use them to narrow the search for potential smuggling transfer and overland routes in a specific region along the Puntland coast of Somalia. To accomplish this goal, we developed automated protocols applied to WorldView satellite imagery for (1) vessel detection and size classification, (2) shallow-water bathymetric characterization, and (3) coastal topography mapping. Utilizing a single sensor for vessel detection and topographic and bathymetric extraction at high spatial resolution and at a high re-visit rate provides a simplification to near-shore characterization for monitoring purposes. The extracted topography and bathymetry are then presented as a single, comprehensive perspective of a coastal region. The vessel-detection algorithm identified all vessels larger than approximately 15 metres in length (35 of 35), but misidentified six artefacts (i.e. false positives), resulting in an overall accuracy of 85%. The combined vessel and terrain maps facilitated the identification of a potential beaching and overland transportation route location.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗