and foraminifera. The intervals and Pleistocene unconformities in the Bikini cores were consistent with those of the
Enewetak cores. After a hiatus of 2 decades, more recent
studies on archaeology, corals, vegetation, birds, sea turtles, and fish were accomplished in the mid 1980s, with
corals and fish surveyed again in 2002.
The geomorphology of windward reefs and the east
lagoon was extensively mapped and studied. Reef characteristics at Bikini were found to be similar to those of
Enewetak and other atolls in the Marshall Islands. Major
reef zones along the windward side of the atoll from offshore to the lagoon are diagrammed on Figures 5 and
include:
Seaward slope
Sea terrace
Algal ridge
Coral algal zone
Seaward reef flat
Islet or inter-island reef crest
Lagoon reef flat
Lagoon terrace
Lagoon floor or basin
Coral knolls (pinnacle and patch reefs)
Exceptional galleries (room and pillars) have also been
reported on the windward reef flat off Bikini Island.
Numerous patch and pinnacle reefs were surveyed and
studied at Bikini throughout the lagoon, and eastern
lagoon sediments were mapped in detail (Figure 6).
Marine biology
Extensive surveys of stony corals were accomplished at
Bikini by three separate investigators in 1947–1948,
1985, and 2002. When combining the updated and
corrected lists of all three, 283 species of shallow stony
corals have been reported from Bikini, the most of any
surveyed atoll in the world. In addition, John Wells
also reported fossil species and a dozen deep water
azooxanthellate stony corals species (Wells, 1954a, b).
The high numbers of contemporary species are attributed
to the extensive combined observation and collecting
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, Figure 5 Vertical cross section and geomorphological zones along the windward reef rim of Bikini
Atoll (after Emery et al., 1954; Ristvet, 1987).
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, Figure 6 Composition of lagoon
sediments in the eastern rim of Bikini Atoll (after Emery et al., 1954).
BIKINI ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS
127
Enewetak cores. After a hiatus of 2 decades, more recent
studies on archaeology, corals, vegetation, birds, sea turtles, and fish were accomplished in the mid 1980s, with
corals and fish surveyed again in 2002.
The geomorphology of windward reefs and the east
lagoon was extensively mapped and studied. Reef characteristics at Bikini were found to be similar to those of
Enewetak and other atolls in the Marshall Islands. Major
reef zones along the windward side of the atoll from offshore to the lagoon are diagrammed on Figures 5 and
include:
Seaward slope
Sea terrace
Algal ridge
Coral algal zone
Seaward reef flat
Islet or inter-island reef crest
Lagoon reef flat
Lagoon terrace
Lagoon floor or basin
Coral knolls (pinnacle and patch reefs)
Exceptional galleries (room and pillars) have also been
reported on the windward reef flat off Bikini Island.
Numerous patch and pinnacle reefs were surveyed and
studied at Bikini throughout the lagoon, and eastern
lagoon sediments were mapped in detail (Figure 6).
Marine biology
Extensive surveys of stony corals were accomplished at
Bikini by three separate investigators in 1947–1948,
1985, and 2002. When combining the updated and
corrected lists of all three, 283 species of shallow stony
corals have been reported from Bikini, the most of any
surveyed atoll in the world. In addition, John Wells
also reported fossil species and a dozen deep water
azooxanthellate stony corals species (Wells, 1954a, b).
The high numbers of contemporary species are attributed
to the extensive combined observation and collecting
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, Figure 5 Vertical cross section and geomorphological zones along the windward reef rim of Bikini
Atoll (after Emery et al., 1954; Ristvet, 1987).
Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, Figure 6 Composition of lagoon
sediments in the eastern rim of Bikini Atoll (after Emery et al., 1954).
BIKINI ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS
127