Identifier
etd-04022008-111035
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Geography and Anthropology
Document Type
Dissertation
Abstract
A ~5000 yr history of modern and prehistoric hurricane landfall and environmental change has been reconstructed from coastal lake sediments of the northern West Indies. Hurricane overwash layers and environmental shifts were identified by changes in biological and sedimentary stratigraphies, core lithology, and loss-on-ignition techniques. 14C and 137Cs were used to establish a chronology of events. Many hurricane-induced overwash layers were identified within the lake sediments. Evidence indicates distinct periods of temporal shifts in hurricane activity for the Northern Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Barbuda, and Acklins Island, Bahamas, providing the first paleotempestological records for the region. The northern Caribbean record appears to exhibit an anti-phase relationship with the results from the U.S. Gulf coast, in apparent agreement with the Bermuda High hypothesis. Comparison with studies basin-wide indicates three temporal shifts in basin-wide activity occurring at ~1000, 2500, and 3500 yr BP.
Date
2008
Document Availability at the Time of Submission
Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.
Recommended Citation
Knowles, Jason Thomas, "A 5000-year history of Caribbean environmental change and hurricane activity reconstructed from coastal lake sediments of the West Indies" (2008). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 4026.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/4026
Committee Chair
Kam-biu Liu
DOI
10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.4026