Olympic National Park Perspectives: Winter Speaker Series: Geologic Mysteries of Rialto Beach

Kathy Troost will provide a snapshot of methods and findings from a UW-lead study at Rialto Beach. Rialto Beach is one of the most spectacular beaches within the Olympic National Park but it holds many secrets from a wild geologic past including glaciers, landslides, erosion, major wind storms, and earthquakes. Researchers have been trying to find all the puzzle pieces to unlock those secrets. In addition to the geologic history, it’s important to assess how climate change will impact the beach. The team is evaluating rates of erosion using trees, frequency and types of landslides, landslide triggers, and whether or not the land was uplifted during a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake.