The Intertidal Coastal Sediment Transport (In_CoaST) Research Unit was established in 2008 through the Canadian Foundation for Innovation Leaders Opportunity Fund (CFI-LOF)Additional funds were secured from the Nova Scotia Innovation Trust Fund, Saint Mary's University and industry sponsors.
The purpose of the Unit is to study the ecomorphodynamics of intertidal environments and their response to human activities (e.g. coastal development, tidal power) and climate change. In addition, it will play a key role in training students both at the undergraduate and graduate level.
In_CoaST consists of a comprehensive sedimentological lab including a Multisizer 3 Coulter Counter and a portable field unit to measure and document sediment transport processes. The suite of instruments are able to provide simultaneous measurement and visualization of sediment transport, deposition, erosion and vegetative processes in the coastal intertidal zone. It involves simultaneous measurements of 3D velocity (Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter -ADV and Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler-ADCP), suspended sediment concentration (Optical Backscatterance Sensor - OBS), water level (tide and wave) (pressure transducer), sediment deposition (surface mounted sediment traps), sediment and vegetative characteristics in a variety of configurations extending across the intertidal zone throughout the year. The portable unit is also equipped for remote video monitoring and recording of meteorological data.
Industry sponsors: